ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT
By Ehi Iden
Introduction
Fred A. Manuele, author of On the Practice of Safety, considers
occupational ergonomics to be "the art and science of designing
the work to fit the worker to achieve optimum productivity and
cost efficiency, and minimum risk of injury." To best fulfill the
goal to achieve these benefits through ergonomics, a sound
program should be developed. A program that includes a written
plan, education, training, and effective procedures to identify,
analyze, and evaluate work for ergonomic risk factors.
As with other workplace safety and health issues, managers and
employees both play key roles in setting the stage: developing
and carrying out an ergonomics program. It's important that
management understand the benefits of an effective ergonomics
program.
Ergonomics as part of a
company safety and health program
Ergonomics
programs should not be regarded as separate from those intended
to address other workplace hazards. Aspects of hazard
identification, case documentation, assessment of control
options, and health care management techniques that are used to
address ergonomic problems use the same approaches directed
toward other workplace risks of injury or disease. Although many
of the technical approaches described in this course are specific
to ergonomic risk factors and MSDs, the core principles are the
same as efforts to control other workplace hazards.
Reactive vs. Proactive approaches
Proactive
ergonomics activities emphasize efforts at the design stage of
work processes to recognize needs for avoiding risk factors that
can lead to musculoskeletal problems. The goal is to design
operations that ensure proper selection and use of tools, job
methods, workstation layouts, and materials that impose no undue
stress and strain on the worker.
Essential
considerations
Ergonomics issues are
identified and resolved in the planning process. In addition,
general ergonomic knowledge, learned from an ongoing ergonomics
program, can be used to build a more prevention-oriented
approach. Management commitment and employee involvement in the
planning activity are essential. For example, management can set
policies to require ergonomic considerations for any equipment to
be purchased and production employees can offer ideas on the
basis of their past experiences for alleviating potential
problems.
Planners of new work processes involved in the design of job
tasks, equipment, and workplace layout, must become more aware of
ergonomic factors and principles. Designers must have appropriate
information and guidelines about risk factors for MSDs and ways
to control them. Studying past designs of jobs in terms of risk
factors can offer useful input into their design
strategies.
Expressions of management
commitment
Management commitment is a key
and perhaps the most important controlling factor in determining
whether any worksite hazard control effort will be successful.
Management commitment is more than mere "support." Support is
merely talk, but real commitment is expressed by actually backing
up that talk with action that takes time and money.
Remember, support = talk and commitment = action!
Management commitment can be expressed in a variety of ways.
Lessons learned from NIOSH case studies of ergonomic hazard
control efforts in the meatpacking industry emphasize the
following points regarding evidence of effective management
commitment:
Policy statements are
issued that:
• treat ergonomic efforts as
furthering the company's strategic goals
• expect full cooperation of the total workforce in working
together toward realizing ergonomic improvements
• assign lead roles to designated persons who are known to "make
things happen"
• give ergonomic efforts priority with other cost reduction,
productivity, and quality assurance activities
• have the support of the local union or other worker
representatives
• allow full discussion of the policy and the plans for
implementation
• set concrete goals that address specific operations and give
priority to the jobs posing the greatest risk
Resources are committed
to:
• train the workforce to be more aware
of ergonomic risk factors for MSDs,
• Provide detailed instruction to those expected to assume lead
roles or serve on special groups to handle various tasks,
• bring in outside experts for consultations about start-up
activities and difficult issues at least until inhouse expertise
can be developed, and
• implement ergonomic improvements as may be indicated.
• provide release time or other compensatory arrangements during
the workday for employees expected to handle assigned tasks
dealing with ergonomic concerns.
It's important to furnish information to all those involved in or
affected by the ergonomic activities.
Misinformation or misperceptions about such efforts can be
damaging: If management is seen as using the program to gain
ideas for cutting costs or improving productivity without equal
regard for employee benefits, the program may not be supported by
employees. For example, management should be up-front regarding
possible impacts of the program on job security and job changes.
All injury data, production information, and cost considerations
need to be made available to those expected to make feasible
recommendations for solving problems.
Employee
involvement
Promoting employee involvement
in efforts to improve workplace ergonomic conditions has several
benefits. They include:
• enhanced worker motivation and job satisfaction,
• added problem-solving capabilities,
• greater acceptance of change, and
• greater knowledge of the work and organization.
Worker involvement in safety and health issues
means obtaining worker input on several issues.
• The first input is defining real or suspected job
hazards.
• Another is suggesting ways to control suspected hazards.
• A third involves working with management in deciding how best
to put controls into place.
Employee participation in an organization's efforts to reduce
work-related injury or disease and ergonomic problems may take
the form of direct or individual input. A common involvement
process is participation
through a joint labor-management safety and health committee,
which may be company-wide or departmentwide in nature. Membership
on company-wide committees includes union leaders or elected
worker representatives, department heads, and key figures from
various areas of the organization.
Two factors are critical to the different forms of worker
involvement. One is the need for training both in hazard
recognition and control and in group problem solving. The second
is that management must share information and knowledge of
results with those involved. No single form or level of worker
involvement fits all situations or meets all needs. Much depends
on the nature of the problems to be addressed, the skills and
abilities of those involved, and the company's prevailing
practices for participative approaches in resolving workplace
issues.
Who should
participate?
Ergonomic problems typically
require a response that cuts across a number of organizational
units. Hazard identification through job task analyses and review
of injury records or symptom surveys, as well as the development
and implementation of control measures, can require input
from
• safety and hygiene personnel,
• health care providers,
• human resource personnel,
• engineering personnel,
• maintenance personnel, and
• ergonomics specialists.
In addition, worker and management representatives are considered
essential players in any ergonomics program effort. In small
businesses, two or more of the functions noted on this list may
be merged into one unit, or one person may handle several of the
listed duties. Regardless of the size of the organization,
persons identified with these responsibilities are crucial to an
ergonomics program. Purchasing personnel in particular should be
included, since the issues raised can dictate new or revised
specifications on new equipment orders.
How best to fit these different players into the program could
depend on the company's existing occupational safety and health
program practices. Integrating ergonomics into the company's
current occupational safety and health activities while giving it
special emphasis may have the most appeal.
Conclusion
Taking a
proactive approach to ergonomics is so important to the success
of the program. Maximizing employee involvement is one of the
keys to a successful proactive ergonomics program. When employees
identify and help devise solutions, they gain a degree of
ownership. We value what we own. Ownership increases the
probability that "EC" (ergonomically correct ;-) behaviors are
performed when employees are not being directly supervised.
Ehi Iden
Ceo
Occupational Health and Safety Managers Ltd
Ikeja-Lagos
Nigeria
234 (1) 480 509
234 (0) 803 339 1619
e: ehi@ohsm.com.ng
w: www.ohsm.com.ng
blog: www.ohsmcomng.blogspot.com
Reference to my mentor and Friend:
Steve Geigle
Manual handling and DSE risk assessor training
By Diane Smith
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