Transcript manual ergonomics

WORK RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL
DISORDERS (WMSD): ARE YOU AT
RISK?
Presented by:
Smith Temitope Saidat (PT)
DO YOU OVERUSE YOUR BODY?
Overview
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•
Definitions
Injuries from performing manual tasks – mechanism and
statistics
•
Anatomy and biomechanics
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The risk management process applied to manual tasks
•
Who’s responsible, socioeconomic impact of MSDs
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Legislation’s and occupational health and safety
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Conclusion and questions
Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD)
accounted for 60% of reported illness after work place
accidents.
Nationally in the USA, it accounts for almost 42% of all
health claims paid, a total of $410.3 million of worker’s
compensation claims in the years 1995-1997
GOAL OF THIS PRESENTATION

To give and empower workers with the knowledge
and skills to identify hazardous manual tasks and to
assess and control risks arising from those tasks.
What are MSDs?
•
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Impairments of muscles, joints,
tendons, ligaments and nerves
which may be localized or
multiple.
They regions commonly affected
are the back, neck, shoulders and
upper limbs, also lower limbs
What is The Musculoskeletal
System?
The Musculoskeletal System includes the following:
Bones – The load-bearing structure of the body
Muscles- Tissue that contract to create movement
Tendons – Tissues that connect muscles to bones
Ligaments – Tissues that connect bones to bones
Cartilage – Tissue that provides cushioning and reduces friction
between bones
Nerves – Communication system that links muscles, tendons and
other tissue with the brain
Any injury to any of these structures is called MSD
WHAT ARE WRMSD's
They are by definition a subset of
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that arise
out of occupational exposures
Many (most?) arise from cumulative trauma or
repeated manual tasks.
LEGISLATIONS ON WRMSD'S
Definitions
Manual task is a label given to any activity that requires a
person to use their physical body (musculoskeletal system)
to perform work without any mechanical aid.
This includes work that involves the use of force for:

Lifting/lowering; pushing/pulling; carrying; moving; holding;
or restraining anything
and work that involves:

Repetitive actions; sustained postures; and concurrent
exposure to vibration
Hazardous manual tasks refer to any manual tasks that involve
certain characteristics that increase the risk of injury, including:

Repetitive or sustained application of force
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Repetitive or sustained awkward postures

Repetitive or sustained movements
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Application of high force
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Exposure to sustained vibration
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Involve handling of person or animal
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Involve handling of unstable or unbalanced loads that are
difficult to grasp or hold
Hazardous manual tasks can lead to a variety of injuries and
conditions collectively referred to as musculoskeletal
disorders (MSD) including:
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Sprains and strains of muscles, ligaments and tendons
Back injuries, including damage to the muscles, tendons,
ligaments, spinal discs, nerves, joints and bones
Joint injuries or degeneration, including injuries to the
shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, hands and feet

Bone injuries

Nerve injuries
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Muscular and vascular disorders as a result of hand-arm
vibration
Soft tissue hernias
How do Injuries Occur?
Injuries occur when forces on structures of the
musculoskeletal system (e.g. muscle, ligaments, tendon,
bone) are greater than they can withstand
cute injuries
•
Happen immediately
•
Can become chronic
•
Re-injury possible Chronic injuries
 Pain or symptoms lasting more
than a month
Cumulative trauma

Happens over time
An Activity is Likely to
Become an Injury
When:
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You perform the activity frequently
–
You do the activity a long time
–
The work intensity is high
–
There are a combination of factors
Repetitive Motions
Same posture or motions again and again

Repetitive motion can be very frequent over short
period of time
time

injury
Cumulative trauma can be less frequent but
repeated over time
time
injury
Common Signs or Symptoms of WMSDs
Painful joints
Pain in wrists, shoulders, forearms, knees,
etc.
Pain, tingling or numbness in hands or feet
Fingers or toes turning white
Shooting or stabbing pains in arms or legs
Back or neck pain
Swelling or inflammation
Stiffness
Burning sensations
Weakness or clumsiness in hands; dropping
things
TYPES OF WRMSD's COMMONLY SEEN ARE:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Usually caused by repetitive wrist motions which results in increased
pressure to median nerve.

Symptoms include Pain, numbness, tingling on the thumb side of hand ,
burning sensations, wasting of muscles at base of thumb, dry palm
Epicondylitis
(elbow tendonitis)

Repeated or forceful rotation of the forearm
and bending of the wrist at the same time
Symptoms are Pain, weakness, swelling,
burning sensation or dull ache over affected
areas tendonitis
Tension neck syndrome
Prolonged restricted posture either stooped
posture or forward chin posture

Symptoms include pain in the neck or with
movement (tension headaches)
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Usually caused by prolonged shoulder
flexion, extending arms above shoulder
height and carrying loads on the shoulder
Pain, numbness, swelling of the hands
Degenerative Disc
Disease, Ruptured /
Herniated Disc:
These are MSD's which
affect the intervertebral
disc of the spine, from
the neck to the back.
Commonly seen are the
Cervical Spondylosis and
Lumbar Spondylosis.
Mechanical Back Syndrome
Mechanical low back pain is the general term
that refers to any type of back pain caused
by strain on muscles of the vertebral
column and abnormal stress.
Its mostly secondary to:

Traumatic injury

Lumbar sprain or strain

Degenerative disease of discs, facet
joints, disc herniaton

Congenital disease: Kyphosis,
Scoliosis
Paget's Disease s.
MSD
TOP 5 WRMSD’s IN HEALTH
Aggravating Factors
Prevalence
WORKERS
Poor posturing,
pregnancy, joint laxity,
All health workers (high
LBP
(lumbar spondylosis,
lumbar
spondylisthesis, saitica,
scoliosis)
prolonged sitting and standing, overweight,
bad sleeping apparatus, bad footwears,
poor lifting techniques, muscle weakness
and imbalance.
prevalence in Nurses,
Physiotherapists,
Orderlies and
Assistants)
Cervical Spondylosis
Bad sitting, walking, standing, writing,
working and sleeping positions, constant
lifting objects on head and neck region,
inappropriate working apparatus and
workstation, constant use of computer.
All health workers
Knee Osteoarthritis/
Knee pain
Prolonged standing, bad workstations, bad
footwears, poor lifting techniques, bad
posture, overweight, genetic
predisposition,
All health workers (high
prevalence in Nurses,
Surgeons, Orderlies and
Assistants)
Rotator Cuff Syndrome
(Adh. Capsulitis, O.A
Shoulder)
Bad Posture, bad workstations and
apparatus, prolonged and repetitive
overhead movements,
All health workers (high
prevalence in Nurses,
Orderlies and
Assistants)
Plantar Fasciatis/
Prolonged standing and walking, bad
All health workers
Name Your Most Risky Tasks
List three examples of tasks that you do at work
that expose you to any of the risk factors on your
handout.
1.
2.
3.
______________________
______________________
______________________
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What is Ergonomics?
Worker
Task/job
Environment
The goal of ergonomics is to design the job to
fit the worker,
NOT fit the worker to the job.
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Benefits of Ergonomics Include:
safer jobs with fewer injuries
increased efficiency and productivity
improved quality and fewer errors
improved morale
Ergonomic Goals:
Finding ways to make strenuous, often repetitive work, less
likely to cause muscle and joint injuries -- and still get the
job done.
Keeping young bodies from wearing out prematurely, and
mature bodies from giving out early.
Neutral postures
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Head and neck – level or bent
slightly forward, forward
facing, balanced and in-line
with the trunk
Hands wrists and forearms –
all straight and in-line
Elbows – close to the body
and bent 90o to 120o
Shoulders – relaxed and upper
arms hang normally at the side
of the body
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Neutral postures
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continued
Thighs and hips – parallel to
the floor when sitting;
perpendicular to the floor
when standing
Knees – same height as hips
with feet slightly apart when
sitting; aligned with hips and
ankles when standing
Back – vertical or leaning
slightly back with lumbar
support when sitting; vertical
with an S-shaped curve when
standing
Source: NIOSH IC 9509: Ergonomics Processes Implementation Guide and Tools for the Mining Industry
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Risk Control: Elimination
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The ultimate control measure is to eliminate the
hazardous manual task
Best practice includes:
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Eliminating potential hazardous manual tasks
during the design of workplaces, equipment,
tools, plant and systems of work
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Incorporating ergonomics specifications into
purchasing procedures
PROPER LIFTING TECHNIQUE
Break the Injury Cycle
Fatigue
Discomfort
Pain
Injury
Disability
Approach to risk control
Eliminate the hazardous manual task
or
Redesign the work, workplace or equipment to
minimise the risk of injury (musculoskeletal disorders)
and
Provide appropriate manual task training
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Risk control measures
Alter the source (underlying cause) of the risk by altering:
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design and layout of the workplace
nature of the load (including using mechanical aids or
assistive devices)
nature of the items used during manual tasks (including
hand tools)
working environment
work organisation and work practices, including systems of
work
to minimise the risk of injury (musculoskeletal disorder) as far
as is practicable
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RISK CONTROL MEASURES
RISK CONTROL
MEASURES
Alter the work
Alter work
organisation
and work
practices,
including
systems of
work, to
reduce the
risk of injury
by taking
work breaks
Alter work environment
Alter the work environment to reduce the risk of injury
(musculoskeletal disorder) by altering the:
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thermal environment – reducing and managing exposure to
cold, hot, humid and windy conditions
floor surfaces and housekeeping – selecting and
maintaining appropriate floor surfaces, steps and ramps and
keeping work areas clean, tidy and free of clutter and
obstacles
lighting – selecting lighting to suit the task being performed
vibration – controlling exposure to vibration, at the source;
and/or the path of the vibration; and/or the vibration
received by the worker
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We all share responsibility for tackling
MSDs
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They are a problem for:
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employers
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workers and their safety representatives
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government
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health and safety institutions
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policy-makers
WRMSDs cost money
Business loses productivity
Higher medical and social costs for government back pain costs the UK health service £5 billion a
year
Individuals and families suffer too!
Employee responsibilities
Safety isn’t all down to your employer
You also have a responsibility to protect yourself
Be aware of WRMSD risks and their impact on
your health
Know how to avoid or lessen the risks
Become informed and start a campaign for
workplace health and safety activities
Employers’ responsibilities
Legally required to assess workplace risks and
act to ensure the safety and health of workers
WRMSDs are preventable if the right action is
taken to modify tasks and to eliminate or
reduce risk.
Provide user-friendly machines and equipment.
Promote awareness on the high prevalence of
WRMSDs by offering of training and
information.
A Five Step Process for
Finding Work-Related
Musculoskeletal Disorders Hazards
in Your Workplace
Five-step process for preventing WMSDs
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Identify jobs that may have hazards
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Educate and involve employees
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Evaluate jobs for hazards
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Identify and implement solutions
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Re-evaluate to make sure solutions are effective
Conclusions
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Cumulative trauma occurs over time
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may not result in an injury for many years
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may be disabling
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Applying ergonomics = injury prevention
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Understand injury risk factors
Some situations may have little room for
improvement, but with others you have the control to
improve:
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–
equipment
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THANK YOU