ERGONOMICS

Ergonomics “Study of Work” “The science of fitting the job to the worker” “ergo” = work “nomics” = study of

History As early as 18th century doctors noted that workers who required to maintain body positions for long periods of time developed musculoskeletal problems. Within last 20 years research has clearly established connections between certain job tasks and RSI or MSD*. * RSI - Repetitive strain injury * Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)

Main Ergonomic Principles: Work activities should permit worker to adopt several different healthy and safe postures. Muscle forces should be done by the largest appropriate muscle groups available

FACTS The average person working at a keyboard can perform 50,000 to 200,000 keystrokes a day Overexertion, is most common cause of workplace injury An average of 125,000 back injuries due to improper lifting each year. Muscles overuse results in tiny tears in the muscles and scarring; these contribute to inflammation and muscle stiffness

PREVENT, PREVENT, PREVENT !!! What to do ?? PREVENT, PREVENT, PREVENT !!! Warm up & stretch before activities that are repetitive, static or prolonged Take frequent breaks from ANY sustained posture every 20-30 minutes Respect pain- positions or stop painful activity Recognize early signs of inflammatory process.

Maintain Neutral Posture

Avoid bending neck forward for prolonged periods of time. Avoid static positions for prolonged time; muscles fatigue---MOVE to circulation!

Body Mechanics Use the largest joints & muscles to do the job Use 2 hands to lift rather than one, even with light objects and tasks. Carry objects close to body at waist level

Correct & Incorrect Techniques

Good and Bad of “ TILT”

ERGO REMINDERS

Practice Wellness at Work and Home ! Exercise Relaxation Nutrition Mind Body

MOVE STRETCH

Prevention is God

What are the physical demands of your job… Have class participants name the physical demands of their jobs & list them on flip chart. Examples: sitting, reaching, driving, lifting, standing, typing, phone, computer work, filing, vibrating tools. Focus on participant jobs.

Job Risk Factors Working in awkward postures / positions Prolonged sitting and standing Bending, stretching Driving for extended periods of time Heavy lifting Awkward lifting Lifting in combination with twisting Pushing, pulling, carrying Accidents, slips, trips, falls

What are MusculoSkeletal Disorders? MSDs are injuries and illnesses that affect muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints or spinal discs. MSDs are problems that affect our musculoskeletal system.

Common Body Parts Prone To Workplace MSDs Back - Lower Neck and Upper Back Upper Extremities - Arms and Hands Lower Extremities - Legs and Feet These are the areas of our body that experience the most frequent problems.

Musculoskeletal Disorders: How & Why? listening to our body… Disruption in balance between breakdown and recovery 1st sx….fatigue (of body part) 2nd sx…ache 3rd sx…pain Leading to loss of function This is the typical injury continuum French & Zecha, 2005

Introducing our 2nd focus area for today… Back care Posture Contact stress Repetition Think of posture as “position” of joints. (ie: wrist posture, leg posture, etc.) Not just standing or sitting erect.

Posture check Increased stress, decreased circulation… Left diagram demonstrates awkward posture of elbow joint. This is example of “garden hose being bent…cutting off circulation to hands” Higher risk Lower risk

Posture check ask yourself… Do you use a headset rather than cradling the telephone between your head and shoulder? If so, a hands-free headset may be appropriate.

Posture check ask yourself… Are you sitting against the back of your chair while you work? Is your head/neck upright and centered over your shoulders when you look at the screen or documents? Are your shoulders relaxed when keying and using the mouse? Are your arms close by your sides when you use the keyboard or pointer?

Equipment set-up example risk identification… This is an example of a high-risk computer workstation set-up. Elbow and shoulder away from body, reaching increased strain on shoulder and wrist

Equipment set-up example risk identification… This is an example of an ergonomic intervention to address the risk. Notice the more relaxed posture at shoulder, arm, wrist. Elbow and shoulder more relaxed and closer to body decreased strain on shoulder and wrist

A word on contact stress At your workstation notice where your body comes into contact with objects… Where are your: Front & back of knees Elbows Wrists Back Behind

Is my “ergonomic” potato chip really ergonomic? To be ergonomic a design must… Fit the user Be easy to use Improve comfort Improve performance Improve health and safety Not just bells and whistles!

Chair Basics Good lumbar (low back) support Comfortable sitting for at least 2 hours Chair has 5 point base Adjustable arm rests (or none) Seat pan is comfortable Easily adjustable while sitting Appropriate height & depth of seat pan

Monitor issues and glare protect your eyes ! Eye-to-screen distance at least 18 inches Top of screen at eye level or slightly below Don’t stare…blink frequently to lubricate eyes Use blinds to control outside light Screen colors: dark letters on light background (IBM blue) Eye demo exercise (see highlighted handout) Eye strain Finger track Business card…screen height

Watch those deadlines! tension and stress - ask yourself…                                       During deadlines, we tend to stare more at screen (less blinking dries out and strains eyes). We also tend to stay in one position which leads to decreased circulation and increased muscle strain.

Some final words Let’s think about it…

Back Safety & Ergonomics isn’t just a work thing! The big picture…

Ergonomics isn’t just a work thing! think of sleeping in your bed… For long periods of time: static and awkward positions, decreased circulation, increased compression! Neck posture Shoulder and arm posture Wrist posture Knee and hip posture Back posture

Another cause of back problems… accidents It is also possible to injure your back due to accidents.

See how we were unaware