What is the key to reducing injuries,
decreasing compensation costs,
containing insurance premiums and increasing productivity? Ergonomics.
“Jobs with poor ergonomic controls tend to
have a higher frequency and severity of work-place accidents,” says Michael Seiwert, senior risk control representative with Westfield
Insurance. “Unless your company starts to
correct the ergonomic problems, your insurance costs will put your company at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace.”
Smart Business spoke with Seiwert about
how to identify and remedy manufacturing
ergonomic hazards.
What are some signs of poor workplace
ergonomics?
The easiest measure is increased insurance
costs and workers’ compensation experience modifier. Other red flags include strain
injuries on accident reports, increased
turnover, requests for workstation transfers
and worker-modified workstations or tools.
What areas require special consideration?
Jobs that need to be reviewed to assess
ergonomic hazards could have one or more
of these hazards or exposures:
- Cold or vibrating tools
- Hot or cold environments
- Heavy lifting or overhead reaches
- Repetitive production tasks
- Awkward twisting motions
- Standing on concrete
- Improper use of hand or power tools
- Poorly designed seating or poor lighting
- High-rate assembly
- Incentive-pay jobs
How can employers pinpoint their specific
issues?
You can start by reviewing previous accident reports. The OSHA 300 form includes a
brief description of the incident. Losses that
could be related to ergonomic issues include:
strains, sprains, manual material handling,
wrist pains or numbness, and exposure to
hot or cold environments. Employers can
tour the plant and watch employees to identify activities or hazards that could lead to
ergonomic losses. Consider these questions as you make your observations:
- How is the workstation housekeeping?
- Are the countertop edges rounded?
(Right angles put excessive pressure on
elbows and forearms and can increase the
likelihood of repetitive motion claims.) - Is the task lighting adequate?
- Do chairs adjust and have lower back
support? - Do workers stand on anti-fatigue mats
placed over hard surfaces? - What is the condition of employees’
shoes?
One of the best strategies is to ask workers
what can be done to make the workstation or
task better or why they have made their own
modifications. I’ve been amazed at the great
answers and ergonomic solutions given to
me after asking these very simple questions.
What changes might be necessary?
These need to be grouped into two categories: low-cost and high-cost modifications.
Low-cost changes include any task that can
be completed in-house such as: team lifting of
heavy items, in-house modification of workstations or assembly areas, improved lighting
or relocation of workstations to reduce long reaches. Also, new job rotation strategies can
help. For example, a worker who typically
does activity A for several hours and activity
B and C at the end of the day now does A with
B and C each hour. The more varied routine
gives the body a chance to rest.
High-cost items include: installation of
overhead cranes, lift tables, hoists or other
material handling devices such as a ‘vacuum
lift.’ Companies can also purchase vibration-absorbing tools or gloves, suspended overhead tools or automation machines.
What employee training can help remedy
these situations?
Ergonomic training should be done with
key employees from the maintenance, purchasing, supervision and production areas of
the company. This training should include
information on how to spot the risk factors;
how the back, wrist and hands work; and
how to identify the power zone of each worker and design jobs to stay within it
These key employees can then share the
knowledge with other workers in the plant
and be on the lookout for hazards. They can
also use this training to assist in correcting
problems created by lack of job rotation.
What basic tips can help employers address
these issues?
First, no work should be done less than 18
inches above the floor. Second, heavy and
repetitive work should be done at the waist
level within the power zone, the strongest
and most ergonomically correct work area,
of each worker. When your arms are at your
sides, the power zone is the area six inches
below your waist and two-thirds up your
chest. With your arms at your sides, anything
within a forearm’s reach is also within your
power zone. Reaching outside this area
increases the stress on your body.
Even small ergonomic changes can have
enormous benefits. I’ve never seen a job
that didn’t have a production increase after
an ergonomic improvement to the workstation.
MICHAEL SEIWERT, CSP, is senior risk control representative at Westfield Insurance. Reach him at [email protected]
or (317) 879-1079. In business for more than 158 years, Westfield Insurance provides commercial and personal insurance services to
customers in 17 states. Represented by leading independent insurance agencies, the product we offer is peace of mind and our promise
of protection is supported by a commitment to service excellence. For more information, visit www.westfieldinsurance.com.