ergonomics for a healthier workplace

December 11, 2023

First off, the good news. Ergonomics can make your workplace safer. It's the study of how we work. And you can make it work for you to reduce muscle fatigue, enhance productivity and lower work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).¹

These disorders affect muscles, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments and tendons and can come in the form of:¹

• Carpal tunnel
• Tendinitis
• Rotator cuff injuries (shoulder)
• Epicondylitis (elbow)
• Trigger finger
• Muscle strains
• Lower back injuries

The ergonomic process isn't a one-time deal. It should be an ongoing part of your operating plan. Even if your employees work from home, they can still benefit from it.

Here’s how the ergonomics process works:

Identify issues: It all begins with a review of your facility, workstations, work practices and production processes. You can learn about problems that your workforce has dealt with over the past year by reviewing:

• OSHA illness and injury logs
• OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report)
• Workers’ compensation records
• Incident reports of work stoppage issues

Be proactive in looking for potential issues that could happen in the future. Workplace surveys, employee interviews and observation of work areas can help solve future MSD risks.

You should also conduct a thorough examination of your workplace. Look for the following actions, which could cause MSD injuries:¹

• Excessive force or exertion
  • Lifting, pushing or pulling heavy weights
  • Manually pouring materials
  • Use of heavy tools, such as a jackhammer
• Repetitive tasks
  • Undergoing the same motions continually or frequently over an extended period
• Postures and positions
  • Working in an awkward posture or being in the same posture for long periods of time
  • Kneeling or squatting
  • Leaning over a counter
  • Twisting while lifting
  • Extended or repeated reaching for objects higher than shoulder height
• Localized pressure on a body part
  • Pressing the body or a hand against a sharp edge
  • Using a hand as a hammer
• Hand-arm vibration
  • This can damage small capillaries and cause a loss of feeling in the hands and arm
  • Repeated damage can cause numbness and make hand tools more difficult to control
• Cold environments
  • Lower temperatures work in combination with other risk factors to increase overall risk

How can you tell if your workforce is dealing with ergonomic issues? If you notice any of the following behaviors, they are already dealing with them and may also be at high risk for MSDs:¹

• Modifying tools, equipment or work area
• Shaking arms and hands during or after a task
• Rolling shoulders
• Wearing products such as back belts or wrist braces
• Use of any vibrating tools

Set up time to meet with your employees. Discuss the actions and tools that they use. Give them the opportunity to discuss any potential issues. That way, you can also learn of any other hazards that they deal with daily. They may also have some great ideas for improving overall safety.

Implement hazard control solutions: Once issues have been identified, you can address the MSD injury risks that your employees face. There are several ways that you can tackle this challenge:

• Physically change work practices
  • Reduce accepted weight load limits
  • Require all heavy loads be lifted by at least two people
  • Create a job rotation system based on muscle groups to reduce exertion, repetitive motions and awkward postures
• Modify existing equipment
  • Reposition tables or counters to eliminate long reaches and improve overall posture
  • Redesign tools to improve postures
  • Divert conveyors to direct materials toward workers to limit leaning or reaching
• Purchase new tools or devices to make the process safer
  • Add padding to reduce direct contact with hard, sharp or vibrating surfaces
  • Provide personal protection equipment for MSD risks, such as thermal gloves with a good fit to maintain grip in lower temperatures

These suggested solutions are just the start of what you can do for your employees. These changes can eliminate unneeded movements and may lower injury rates. In many cases, they may also increase work efficiency and productivity.¹

Deliver training and assistance: Each industry has a different set of challenges and hazard control solutions. There are also task-specific solutions such as lifting belts, proper footwear and ergonomic rules for setting up desks and workstations that can help.

Make time for regular safety discussions and training. OSHA offers specific training resources and guidelines for multiple industries including health care, agriculture, construction, retail and more.

OSHA also has a free and confidential On-site Consultation Program for small and medium-sized businesses with priority given to high-hazard workstations. Consultants from state agencies or universities will help you to identify issues, provide advice on OSHA compliance and establish safety systems. For more information, contact OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).

Don’t forget work-from-home ergonomics: With the growth of hybrid and work from home models, you may never get the opportunity to see the conditions in which your employees work. Even though white-collar work doesn’t seem to have the same MSD risks as working in construction or manufacturing, there are still potential injuries that can be caused by a workspace that doesn’t consider proper ergonomics.

Here are a few tips that will help your employees set up an ergonomic workspace whether they are in the office, at home or both:²

• Make sure that the desk or work surface is at elbow height.
• Organize the desktop so that any objects used most often are closest. Sitting too far from a mouse or keyboard can cause shoulder, back and neck strain.
• Office chairs should have a backrest that conforms to the natural curve of the spine and provides good lower back support. A pillow or a rolled-up towel can add more comfort and a footrest can aid comfort if an employee’s feet don’t rest flat on the floor.
• Proper sitting position has the thighs parallel to the floor and knees even with the hips.
• The top of the computer screen should be at below eye level when sitting upright.
• To avoid eye strain, neck pain and shoulder fatigue, the monitor should be placed 20 to 40 inches away.
• The keyboard should be directly in front of the employee. It should allow them to rest their elbows close to the body. Their forearms should be parallel to the floor. The mouse should be close by and not require the wrist to bend upward.

By taking the time to start implementing ergonomics, you’ll be on your way to creating a healthier and more productive workplace. It may also increase retention, as your workforce will see just how important their well-being is to you. And if they experience an injury or musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), MedExpress is here for them. They can either schedule an appointment online or walk in from 8 to 8 every day.

References:

1 OSHA. Ergonomics. Accessed August 11, 2023.

2 OSHA. Computer Workstations eTools. Accessed August 11, 2023.