CIS onsite is attending the Wisconsin Safety Council Annual Conference!
For more information, call CIS onsite at 866-298-1312, or visit our website at www.cisonsite.com.
Ergonomics
Identify Problems
An important part of the ergonomic process is a periodic review of the facility, specific workstation designs and work practices, and the overall production process, from an ergonomics perspective. This includes identifying existing problems, which can be obtained from reviewing the company’s OSHA 300 injury and illness logs, 301 reports, workers’ compensation records, and worker reports of problems. However, a more forward- looking approach, to be used in combination with reviewing injury and illness records, is to be proactive in identifying potential ergonomic issues that have gone unnoticed or resulted from facility changes, before they result in MSDs. Observations of workplace conditions and work processes, ergonomic job analyses, workplace surveys, and worker interviews are common proactive methods for identifying ergonomics related injury risks.
- Review Injury Records
- Observe Workplace Conditions
- Risk Factors
- Encourage Early Reporting of Injuries
Review Injury Records
Looking at your injury and illness data will help identify ergonomic problems. These data can be obtained from reviewing the company’s OSHA 300 Injury and Illness Logs, 301 reports, workers’ compensation records, first aid logs, accident and near-miss investigation reports, insurance company reports and worker reports of problems.
Observe Workplace Conditions
By looking critically at your workplace operations, you can identify risk factors and eliminate or control them as early as possible.
Risk Factors
The risk of MSD injury depends on work positions and postures, how often the task is performed, the level of required effort and how long the task lasts. Risk factors that may lead to the development of MSDs include:
- Exerting excessive force. Examples include lifting heavy objects or people, pushing or pulling heavy loads, manually pouring materials, or maintaining control of equipment or tools.
- Performing the same or similar tasks repetitively. Performing the same motion or series of motions continually or frequently for an extended period of time.
- Working in awkward postures or being in the same posture for long periods of time. Using positions that place stress on the body, such as prolonged or repetitive reaching above shoulder height, kneeling, squatting, leaning over a counter, using a knife with wrists bent, or twisting the torso while lifting.
- Localized pressure into the body part. Pressing the body or part of the body (such as the hand) against hard or sharp edges, or using the hand as a hammer.
- Cold temperatures. In combination with any one of the above risk factors may also increase the potential for MSDs to develop. For example, many of the operations in meatpacking and poultry processing occur with a chilled product or in a cold environment.
- Vibration, both whole body and hand-arm, can cause a number of health effects. Hand-arm vibration can damage small capillaries that supply nutrients and can make hand tools more difficult to control. Hand-arm vibration may cause a worker to lose feeling in the hands and arms resulting in increased force exertion to control hand-powered tools (e.g. hammer drills, portable grinders, chainsaws) in much the same way gloves limit feeling in the hands. The effects of vibration can damage the body and greatly increase the force which must be exerted for a task.
- Combined exposure to several risk factors. May place workers at a higher risk for MSDs than does exposure to any one risk factor.
In addition, observe whether workers are:
- Modifying their tools, equipment or work area
- Shaking their arms and hands
- Rolling their shoulders
- Bringing products such as back belts or wrist braces into the workplace
These behaviors can mean that workers are experiencing ergonomic issues. Talk with them and review their work to see if any risk factors for MSDs are present. Workers can identify and provide important information about hazards in their workplaces. Their opinions and suggestions for change also are valuable.
Once problem jobs are identified, conducting an in-depth ergonomic job analysis can help identify solutions to prevent MSDs. An ergonomic job hazard analysis is a technique that focuses on job tasks as a way to identify hazards before they occur. It focuses on the relationship between the worker, the task, the tools, and the work environment.
Encouraging and Utilizing Early Reports of Injury
Comprehensive injury reporting is important to the success of an ergonomic process. The goal of this effort is to properly assess, diagnose, and treat MSDs. Early reporting, diagnosis, and intervention can limit injury severity, improve the effectiveness of treatment, minimize the likelihood of disability or permanent damage, and reduce workers compensation claims. This will allow the employer to correctly identify work areas or specific tasks where injuries frequently occur or are most severe. This information helps direct the activities of the ergonomic team as well as to guide healthcare providers in making return-to-work and light-duty work decisions. OSHA’s injury and illness recording and reporting regulation (29 CFR Part 1904) require employers to record and report work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses.
- Frequently Asked Questions for OSHA’s Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Rule. OSHA. Additional guidance to help employers comply with the recordkeeping requirements. The following table of contents provides links to additional guidance, or, if additional guidance has not been developed, to the regulation.
Encouraging and utilizing reports MSD symptoms:
- Reinforces worker training on recognizing MSD symptoms.
- Encourages early reporting of MSD symptoms.
- Allows for prompt medical evaluations for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care.
- Reduces injury severity, the number of workers’ compensation claims and associated costs and the likelihood of permanent disability.
- Provides guidance on return-to-work and work placement restrictions during the healing process.
- Guides job modifications.
- Provides a mechanism to track and trend MSD injuries.
- Enables assessment of the effectiveness of work changes.
Healthcare professionals are important ergonomic team members. They help injured workers recover more quickly and return to their jobs with appropriate restrictions and less risk for re-injury. It is necessary that these professionals are knowledgeable about the operations and work practices within the specific industry. Their knowledge will allow them to assist the injured worker during the healing process and in post-injury work placement.
Source: https://www.osha.gov/ergonomics/identify-problems
For more information, call CIS onsite at 866-298-1312, or visit our website at www.cisonsite.com.
Spring Forward Safely
Change Your Clocks and Review Your Spring Safety Checklist
Daylight Saving Time begins every year on the second Sunday in March. We “lose” an hour when the clocks are set forward (except in Hawaii and most of Arizona), and for many, that means a tired couple of days as our bodies adjust. The consequences of fatigue can be serious, so plan accordingly. Daylight Saving Time, which in 2026 begins Sunday, March 8, means it’s also a good time to review your spring safety checklist.
Smoke Alarms
Three out of every five home fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Test your smoke alarms every month and replace the battery at least once a year. If the alarm makes a “chirping” sound, replace the battery immediately.
Smoke alarms should be in every bedroom and in the common areas on each floor of a home. Mount them at least 10 feet from the stove to reduce false alarms, less than 12 inches from the ceiling and away from windows, doors and ducts.
Smoke alarms can be interconnected wirelessly. That means, when one sounds, they all sound. A Consumer Product Safety Commission survey found this is the best way to notify everyone in a home if there is a fire. Be sure to purchase smoke alarms with the label of a reputable testing agency, like Underwriters Laboratories.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Anything that burns fuel can potentially become a source of carbon monoxide, an invisible, odorless gas that can kill. CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each bedroom and on every level of the home. The safety tips for CO detectors mirror those of smoke alarms: change the batteries, test them and interconnect them, if possible. Also, make sure vents for your gas appliances (fireplace, dryer, stove and furnace) are free and clear of snow or debris.
Family Emergency Plan
The National Safety Council recommends every family have an emergency plan in place in the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophic event. Spring is a great time to review that plan with family members. Have a home and car emergency kit. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says an emergency kit should include one gallon of water per day for each person, at least a three-day supply of food, flashlight and batteries, first aid kit, filter mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape, and medicines. Visit the FEMA website for a complete list. The emergency plan also should include:
- A communications plan to outline how your family members will contact one another and where to meet if it’s safe to go outside
- A shelter-in-place plan if outside air is contaminated; FEMA recommends sealing windows, doors and air vents with plastic sheeting
- A getaway plan including various routes and destinations in different directions
Also, make sure your first aid kit is updated. In addition to traditional medical-type supplies, Mayo Clinic advises carrying items you might not think about, like duct tape, a bulb suction device like a turkey baster, super glue and more.
Get Rid of Unwanted Medicines
NSC recommends you take unwanted or expired medicines to a prescription drop box or take-back event near you.
Getting the Urge to Clean?
With the warm weather comes a desire to shine and polish your home. But when warning labels are ignored or chemicals fall into the wrong hands, disaster can occur. Learn what you can do to keep your family safe around poisons in the home.
Window Safety
With warmer temperatures arriving, it’s important to practice window safety – especially in homes with young children. Find more information about window safety.
For more information, call CIS onsite at 866-298-1312, or visit our website at www.cisonsite.com.
