Ergonomics is often confused with the painful and sometimes disabling problems to which poor ergonomic design can contribute. Rather, ergonomic research and studies have led the way in redesigning and rebuilding the workplace to better suit the worker.

Below is an overview of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommendations for developing an Ergonomic Program within a company.

Click on an individual topic in the following list, or you may follow the page for an overview of the development process for an ergonomic plan. Implementing plans that incorporate these steps have helped to assure high productivity in workers, as well as avoidance of illness and injury risks, and increased worker satisfaction.
 

Looking for Signs of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Problems

Preparing for an Ergonomic Plan

Gathering and Examining Evidence

Developing Controls

Healthcare Management

Be Proactive

Looking for Signs of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Problems
It is important to recognize telltale signs that may indicate a company needs to develop an ergonomic program that addresses work-related risk factors. Some of these signs might include:

Company Occupational Safety and Health Administration Form 200 Log or Workers' Compensation claims indicating work-related musculoskeletal disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, tenosynovitis, epicondylitis and low-back pain as the problem. Also look for a description of non-specific "hand pain."

Jobs or work conditions causing employees to complain of strain, localized fatigue, discomfort, or pain that doesn't diminish within a normal duration of "soreness".

Workers frequently visiting the clinic for physical aches and pains related to certain types of work assignments.

Jobs that require repetitive and forceful movements, and frequent, heavy, or overhead lifting; awkward work positions; and exposure to vibrating equipment or structures.

Additionally, the scope of an existing problem may be determined by the percentage of problems that are readily identified. If one area seems particularly problematic, it may be important to more thoroughly investigate those problems immediately before trying to implement a full-scale ergonomic program.

If one or more of these warning signs are present, it may be important to request an NIOSH evaluation for possible ergonomic problems and risks of work-related injuries. Contact NIOSH at 800/356-4674, or e-mail a message to pubstaf@cdc.gov.
 

Preparing for an Ergonomic Plan
Commitment from management is a key in the success of an ergonomic program. This support and commitment can be expressed through policy statements, employee-supervisor meetings, establishing goals and priorities, availability of training and resources, and open communications.

Because workers are best able to identify problems in their areas and are most capable of providing solutions to correct those problems, it is imperative they be a part of the strategic planning and implementation of an ergonomic program. To ensure their input, it may be advisable to organize a joint labor-management safety and health committee either on a company-wide or department-wide level.

Training is another vital key to any program's success. Managers, supervisors and employees need to be able to identify job tasks that increase the risks of developing a work-related musculoskeletal disorder, recognize symptoms of the disorders, and participate in the development of strategies to control and prevent their occurrences.
 

Gathering and Examining Evidence
Following is a list of risk factors and some things to look for when evaluating the risk of work-related musculoskeletal injuries to workers.

Awkward Postures - Body posture determines how the joints and muscles are going to be used in activities and the stress or force placed on the muscles during work. For example the spinal discs in the back experience more stress when an activity requires lifting, lowering, or handing objects as the back is twisted or bent. Look for tasks that might require repeated or sustained bending or twisting of the wrists, knees, hips, or shoulders, as well as frequent or prolonged work over-shoulder height.

Forceful Exertions - Look for tasks requiring lifting, pushing, and pulling. These types of activities place high stress on muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. The demand on these structures increases with force. If tasks require prolonged or recurrent activities requiring this effort, fatigue may result, which can lead to musculoskeletal problems if workers aren't given adequate time to rest between these types of activities.

Repetitive Motions - Motions repeated every few seconds over a long period of time, such as a work shift, produce fatigue and muscle-tendon strain. If the repetitive motion is done in an awkward posture, with force applied, the damaging affect to the worker is increased. Look for tasks that require workers to repeatedly perform the same action.

Duration - Tasks requiring the use of the same muscles for extended periods of time with no rest periods will increase fatigue.

Contact Stresses - Look for repeated contact with objects such as non-rounded desk edges or unpadded, narrow tool handles. This type of activity may cause pressure in a specific area of the body, such as the forearm or side of the fingers, that can inhibit nerve function and blood flow.

Vibration - Workers may be exposed to vibration from working with a hand-held tool or other equipment that vibrates, or the vibration may affect the whole body. For example, whole body vibration may occur if the worker is sitting or standing on a large piece of machinery that vibrates.

Work Place Conditions - Conditions to be aware of that may cause problems include cold temperatures, lack of breaks in the work day, machine-paced work, and workers working in unfamiliar situations doing unaccustomed work.

These different areas of potential risk can be identified in a number of different ways. Supervisors or appointed members of the ergonomics team may observe workers via walk-through tour or video tape, they may conduct interviews with workers, or they may implement a checklist that more formally screens for the presence of musculoskeletal disorders.

Another alternative to identifying problem areas involves a job analysis. The job analysis breaks down jobs into various elements or actions and measures and quantifies risk factors for each action. Professionals trained and experienced in the ergonomics field conduct this type of analysis.

If there are certain job tasks that have already been identified as being associated with musculoskeletal problems, those tasks may be targeted for the highest follow-up efforts. These can be followed by jobs that have been associated with worker complaints or injuries, and then other activities that may expose workers to an increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

It is most important that all workers feel comfortable reporting symptoms of work-related injuries as soon as possible. Once those problems areas are identified, it is equally important to follow-up on that information and make certain corrective measures are implemented before the problem escalates.

OSHA Logs and other employee records such as Workers' Compensation claims, insurance claims, absentee records, and job transfer requests may provide helpful insight into problem areas. Symptom surveys may also be used to identify work-related musculoskeletal disorders and workplace factors related to those disorders. These surveys not only identify symptoms, type of injury, and onset and duration of the problem, they may also include a body map that specifically locates and rates the level of discomfort.

Another method of gathering information may be to have employees periodically undergo standardized examinations that include a personal history and physical examination.
 

Developing Controls
Engineering controls include designing the workstation layout, selection and use of tools, work methods, and job task descriptions. It may also include changing tool design, material and fastener use, and access and sequence in assembly.

Administrative controls are changes in work practices and policies that management makes to reduce or prevent workers from exposure to risk factors. This type of control may involve changing job rules and such things as break procedures, rotating workers through different work tasks, and training workers to recognize risk factors and identify techniques for controlling that risk.

The effectiveness of personal equipment, such as back belts, wrist supports, and vibration attenuation gloves, which provide a barrier between the worker and the risk factor, has not been definitively determined. While these types of devices may decrease one risk factor, they may increase another because the worker is "fighting" against the device to perform required tasks. Click here for more information about personal protective equipment recommended by OSHA.
 

Healthcare Management
A healthcare management strategy and policies are an important part of the ergonomic program. Employers can encourage early evaluation of problems by: