A Five Step Process for Finding WMSD* Hazards in Your Workplace (*Work-Related Musculo-Skeletal Disorders)

This slide show provides… …a method and a set of tools to help you find WMSD hazards in your workplace.

This slide show will help you… Apply a process to identify WMSD hazards your workplace A link to a PowerPoint slide show showing simple solutions to common WMSD hazards is in the appendix at the end of this slide show Locate resources and contacts for more assistance

Lifting Awkward postures Forceful gripping or pinching Repetitive motions and intensive keying Hand-arm vibration WMSD Hazards Some jobs include tasks which can produce injuries from: A link to information on recommended safe exposure levels for these hazards is in the appendix at the end of this presentation

WMSDs are occupational disorders of the soft tissues such as: muscles tendons ligaments joints blood vessels nerves WMSDs

Five-step process 1.Identify jobs that may have hazards 2.Educate and involve employees 3.Evaluate jobs for hazards 4.Identify and implement solutions 5.Re-evaluate to make sure solutions are effective A concern

Identify jobs that may have hazards 1. Identify jobs that may have hazards Jobs with: –Injuries –Employee/supervisor concerns –Bottlenecks –Quality problems –Unnecessary steps

2. Educate and involve employees Use safety committees or ergonomics committees Provide employees with basic awareness of ergonomics principles. Have employees participate in finding and implementing solutions to hazards in their jobs. They are the most knowledgeable persons about their jobs. They may already know how to improve it. A link to a basic ergonomics awareness PowerPoint file is in the appendix at the end of this presentation

3. Evaluate jobs for hazards Tools: –Checklists –Calculators for lifting tasks –Employee interviews Also helpful –Photos or videotape –Symptom surveys –Safety committee meeting minutes –OSHA 300 or incident logs –Claims history Links to a checklist, various lifting calculators, and a symptom survey are in the appendix at the end of this presentation

3. Evaluate jobs for hazards - checklists Checklists are quick ways to check jobs to see if more review is needed

3. Evaluate jobs for hazards - Lifting Calculator (WISHA) What you need to know: Weight of item Lifting location (hand zone) Frequency of lifts Duration of lifting Does the person twist? Links to this calculator and two others are in the appendix at the end of this presentation

3. nterviews 3. Evaluate jobs for hazards - interviews How long does this job take? Why do you do this job this way? Do you get tired or feel any discomfort? Any ideas of ways to do it better? Ask employees: Ask supervisors: Are there jobs that people do not like to do? Any complaints or symptoms of injury? Any bottlenecks or quality problems?

3. hotos or videotape 3. Evaluate jobs for hazards - photos or videotape A link to OSHA’s videotaping guidelines is in the Appendix at the end of this presentation.

3. ymptom surveys 3. Evaluate jobs for hazards - symptom surveys Symptom surveys are good ways to find problems before injuries occur A link to a symptom survey form is in the Appendix at the end of this presentation.

4. Identify and implement solutions Solution Tools: Ergonomics Ideas Bank Industry Association Vendors Catalogs Create them in-house A link to this web page is in the appendix at the end of this presentation

5. Re-evaluate to see if solutions are effective Use checklists and other tools to make sure you eliminated the hazards. Make sure you did not create new hazards. Ask workers if they feel better or notice positive differences. Review your ergonomics activities once a year.

Ergonomics Analysis Tools Symptom Survey Checklist OSHA Videotaping Guidelines Lifting Calculators NIOSH Lifting Equation calculator NIOSH LE applications manual ACGIH ® TLV ® for Back WISHA Lifting Equation Paper version Appendix - Links Ergonomics Awareness PowerPoint WISHA Ergonomics Ideas Bank Recommended exposure limits for preventing WMSDs PowerPoint Common WMSD Hazards in Your Workplace and Some Solution Ideas