Workplace ergonomics

HSG 121 A pain in your workplace Ergonomic problems and solutions HSG 149 Backs for the future. Safe handling in construction HSG 171 Well handled. Offshore manual handling solutions HSG 225 Handling home care... 

An additional resource available on the Internet is placed there by the Cornell University Ergonomics Web. Its title is Workplace Ergonomics Tools and it lists over 40 assessment and evaluation forms and some software. All items can be downloaded. Because of its value, a request was made of Alan Hedge, Director, Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory at Cornell University, for permission to include the list in this book, which he gave. It appears as Addendum B. 

To review the Workplace Ergonomics Tools, go to http //ergo. human.cornell.edu/cutools.html. 

Workplace Ergonomic Risk Assessment (WERA)— under revision... 

McKeown, G. and Twiss, M., Workplace Ergonomics a Practical Guide, lOSH Publishing Services Ltd., Leicester (2001)... 

Tompa, E. et al., 2010. A systematic review of workplace ergonomic interventions with economic analyses. Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 20(2), pp.220-234. 

Workplace ergonomics applied to the office to reduce some of the hazards arising from the use of information technology equipment. (Copyright the Trustees of the British Museum, Natural History)... 

Drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace Ergonomic hazards... 

Help for Hands and Feet, Workplace Ergonomics. March/April 1998, pp. 25-26. 

In order to improve workplace ergonomics, professional assistance is needed to educate both workers and management. Many times the most basic improvements pay big dividends with little or no investment. Workers should be involved in any improvement process so that they can offer their expertise as a result of working for years at a particular Job. Management can t do it alone. 

Additional focus must be placed on improved workplace ergonomics, which can reduce back injuries and allow warehouses to become more efficient. This will not happen unless management makes a commitment to think of the economic bottom line in terms of reduced injuries and greater efficiencies. Some of the most costly workers compensation claims are back injuries and injuries associated with repetitive motion and soft-tissue pain surely these types of claims are worth reducing or eliminating. 

Ergonomics The science dealing with the application of information on physical and psychological characteristics to workplace design. 

Walk-through survey An examination or inspection of a workplace involving a review of hazardous materials present and/or used, observation of work practices, and consversations with individuals to identify all of the actual or potential chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic hazards. 

Human Factors Engineering/Ergonomics approach (control of error by design, audit, and feedback of operational experience) Occupational/process safety Manual/control operations Routine operation Task analysis Job design Workplace design Interface design Physical environment evaluation Workload analysis Infrequent... 

Always think about possible mix-ups between compounds that look similar. The workplace needs to be properly laid out, especially from an ergonomic point of view, taking into account substance incompatibility. Analyse how far or close bottles are from each other to avoid contact between them, which would cause reactions between compounds. Draw up a map of risks with the different workplaces using chemical substances. 

In addition to the Civil Rights Act, other laws and regulations affect the management ofhuman resources. For instance, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 established the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to develop and enforce workplace standards designed to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths (OSHA, 2007). Of particular relevance to pharmacy are OSHA s ergonomic workplace standards and its rules for preventing exposure to hazardous chemicals and bloodborne pathogens. 

The psychological and physiological limitations and capabilities constitute the ergonomics or human factors. It is the most important part of the occupational safety and health program. This is to evaluate personnel capabilities and improve human safety, comfort, and productivity in the workplace. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) are the results of ergonomics and limitations of the human body to a sudden change or continuous working on a physical job, especially where most of the jobs are carried out manually. 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Elements of ergonomics programs. A primer based on workplace evaluations of musculoskeletal disorders. Centers for Disease Control (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-117. Atlanta, GA Centers for Disease Control, March, 1997. 

Participatory ergonomics sees end users contributions as indispensable elements of its scientific methodology. It stresses the validity of simple tools and workers experience in problem solution and denies that these characteristics result in nonscientific outcomes. Employees or end users are in most situations in the best position to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the work situations. Their involvement in the analysis and redesign of their workplace can lead to better designs as well as increase their and the company s knowledge on the process. 

Cohen, A. L., Gjessing, C. C., Eine, L. J., Bernard, B. P., and McGlotWin, J. D. (1997), Elements of Ergonomics Programs A Primer Based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati. 

Figure 18 The Proposed OSHA Ergonomics Rule Flow Chart for Control of MSDs at the Workplace. (Modified after OSHA 2000)...

Workplace audits for ergonomic problems are a routine part of the organization s culture (more than one audit annually for each operating area). Problems identified in this manner are dealt with quickly. 

The standard applies only to the jobs specified in Section 1910.901, not to the entire workplace or to other workplaces in the company. The standard does not apply to agriculture, construction, or maritime operations. In the proposed standard, a full ergonomics program consists of these six program elements ... 

Observe the employees performing the job to identify which of the physiced work activities, workplace conditions, and ergonomic risk factors are present. 

Bullinger, H. J., and Lorenz, D. (1990), CAD—Video Somotography A Method for the Anthropometric Design of Workplaces, in Computer-Aided Ergonomics, W. Karwowski, A. Genaidy, and S. S. Asfour, Eds., Taylor Francis, London, pp. 128-137. 

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