Course To Be Presented By: #disprep

EDGARDO C. GALINDEZ, PME, PEE, MBA, PA(Res)

PGC in OSH – PGC in CBRNE Emergency Response

DOLE – BWC Accredited OS&H Practitioner

DOLE – OSHC Certified Occupational Safety & Health Trainor
BFP Accredited Competent Fire Safety Practitioner
DOLE – OHSC Industrial Hygienist (for compliance)

DOH – FSTES Food Safety Level 1

TESDA TVET NC Level II for Scaffolding Erector
AFP – PA OS in Psychological Operations
PNP Licensed Security Supervisor
Trainor - Disaster Awareness, Mitigation and Preparedness Seminar
E. C. GALINDEZ, PME, PEE, MBA, PA(R)
A.O.S.H.P. – C.S.T., - C.F.S.P.

ERGONOMICS
(The Human Factor in Safety)
(Biotechnology)
COURSE OBJECTIVE
The training aims to develop
the participants analytical
skills in formulating
strategies for a S-M-A-R-T
(specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely)

Ergonomics Based Safety

Program in their respective
organizations.
 DESIRED OUTPUT
One
• To understand the principles of
ERGONOMICS
• To reduce workplace injury thru
Two understanding of the importance of
proper workplace design
• To understand the necessity of
Three worker, environment and work aids
matching.
• To make safety and health an
Four integral part of any business
activity.
 DESIRED OUTPUT
• To learn to analyze worker’s
Five efficiency in their working
environment.
• To know work activities that can
Six lead to injury and identify body
parts that might get injured.
• To recognize early signs and
Seven
symptoms of injury

Eight
• To benefit from the application of
ERGOMICS in the workplace.
 COURSE OUTLINE
01. WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENT METHODS

02. DISCUSION ON ERGONOMICS

03. GOALS, AIMS, VALUE, BENEFITS AND

CONCERNS OF ERGONOMICS

04. PRINCIPLES OF ERGONOMICS

05. AIM OF HUMAN FACTOR ENGINEERING

06. ERGONOMIC FACTORS
07. WHY NEED ERGONOMIC INTERVENTION
08. HAZARDS AND OCC. HEALTH INJURIES
09. CONTROL INTERVENTIONS
10. COMPONENTS OF AN ERGONOMIC PROGRAM
 HUMAN
FACTOR
THEORIES
1. HUMAN FACTOR THEORY

Human errors categorized as:

• Overload beyond capability both

physical & psychological
• Inappropriate response to hazards,
safety measures, incompatible works
station
• Inappropriate activities due to lack of
knowledge & skills
 HUMAN FACTORS THEORY

Overload Inappropriate Inappropriate

Response Activities
•Environmental
Factors (noise, •Detecting a
•Performing tasks
distractions hazard but not
without the
correcting it
•Internal Factors requisite training
(personal problems, •Removing
•Misjudging the
emotional stress) safeguards from
degree of risk
machines and
•Situational Factors involved with a
equipment
(unclear instructions, given task
risk level) •Ignoring safety
2. ACCIDENT/INCIDENT THEORY
Extension of Human Factor Theory:

• Ergonomic Traps
Incompatible Work Station, Tools or
Expectations (Management Failure)
• Decision to Err - Unconscious or conscious
(personal failure)
• Systems Failure – Management failure
Policy, Training, etc.
3. SYSTEMS THEORY
Accidents arise from interactions
among humans, machines, and the
environment.

Not simply chains of events or linear

causality, but more of a complex
types of causal connections.
 WHY IT REMAINS THAT
WAY

➢ The unsafe act has been learned

and is maintained because
IT HAS BEEN AND
CONTINUES TO BE
REINFORCED BY
SATISFYING EVENTS
 WHY IT REMAINS THAT
WAY
The unsafe behavior is also reinforced
 The advantages and the satisfaction to
be gained at that time seem greater
than the disadvantages and
dissatisfactions.
 The act “MAKES SENSE” to the worker
 The act gives the worker personal
satisfaction.
 The act may be seen as having a job
– related advantage.
Why Do Employees Do Not Comply
With Safety Rules
(Ferdinand F. Fournies, “Why Employees Don't
Do What They're Supposed To Do”)

The primary reason employees do not

perform to expected standards is that they
don't know WHY they should do them.
The secondary reason is that employees do
not know HOW to do the task correctly.
Education and training, when applied
together strike at both these causes for
substandard performance.
Workplace safety.....
is a serious subject
both in its
consequences and
its costs.
 WHAT MANAGEMENT
WANTS:

➢ An Accident Free Workplace

➢ Empowered Employees
➢ Pro-active Rather Than Re-active Work
Process
➢ To Minimize Direct and Indirect Costs and
Threat of Liability From Accidents
WHAT EMPLOYEES
EXPECT

A SAFE AND
HEALTHY
WORKPLACE
What is an Acceptable
Safety Performance?
NO INJURY / ILLNESS

YOUR SAFETY & HEALTH

ARE IN YOUR HANDS
 …..WHY BE SAFE...
For my FAMILY..
For my co-workers.
For the company….
For the society….

and for MYSELF…

THE CHALLENGE…..

REALIZE THE VALUE

OF DOING THINGS
THE RIGHT WAY
 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Occupational First
Safety & Health Standard Aid

Safety & Health Accident

Policy Reporting

Safety & Health Safety & Health

Committees Training
TO PROTECT EVERY WORKING MAN
AGAINST THE DANGERS OF INJURY,
SICKNESS OR DEATH THROUGH SAFE
AND HEALTHY WORKING CONDITIONS.
WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH

4219/MRP

Temperature Lighting

Humidity Color

Ventilation Workplace Floor Space

Contaminated Air Welfare Facilities

Smoking Cleanliness

Ozone / Photocopiers Sick Building Syndrome

WORKPLACE
IMPROVEMENT
METHODS
a. Industrial Hygiene
b. Ergonomics
 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
An Industrial Hygienist is concerned with
the conduct of tests and evaluation of
results to come up with appropriate
recommendation for :

 LIGHT or Workplace Brightness

 NOISE
 TEMPERATURE / HUMIDITY
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
 Hazardous Exposure to Chemicals
 Other factors
 HIERARCHY OF
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
CONTROL

Engineering
Administrative
Personal Protective Equipment
 WHAT IS ERGONOMIC

The term ergonomics is derived from the

Greek words:

Ergo – which is related to

work and strength
Nomos – indicating laws or
rules
Literally, ERGONOMICS refers to the laws
of work

Also called the human factor engineering

Is a human centered, trans-disciplinary and

application orientation.
01. It is is the study of the relation
between the worker, machine,
and the environment.

02. OSHA defines it as a science of

designing the job and the working
condition in such a way that it
suits the worker, rather than
ERGONOMICS
forcing him to fit into the job.

03. It is the study of human

characteristics for the appropriate
design of the living and the work
environment.

04. The science related to man and

his work, embodying the
anatomic, physiologic and
mechanical principles affecting
the efficient use of human
energy.
05. It is also referred to as HUMAN
ENGINEERING, because it is
concerned with helping people
interact more comfortably and
efficiently with their environment,
whether at home, work, or on the
playing field.
 ERGONOMIC
06. STRATEGY
The application of scientific principles,
methods
It focuses on and data drawn
studying of the from a variety
kind of of
work you
discipline
do, the environmentto youtheworkdevelopment of
in, and the tools
engineering
you use to do yoursystem
job. in which people play
a significant role.
It seeks to remove barriers to quality,
07. From
productivity, the point – of - view
efficiency and of humanan
Occupational
performance Health
by fitting Practitioner,
products, it is
tasks, working
aids the application to
and environments of people.”
human biological
sciences in conjunction with the
engineeringthesciences
It considers physicalto and
achievemental
the
optimum
capabilities mutual
and limitsadjustment of manasand
of the worker he
his work,
interacts withthe benefits
tools, being measured
equipment, in
work
termsand
methods of human efficiencyenvironment
the working and well being. to
The principle
accomplish a task. disciplines involved are
anthropometry, physiology, psychology,
and engineering.
PHILOSOPHY OF
08. Basically, ergonomics is not a discipline,
but ERGONOMIC
rather a technique that brings
together several disciplines to solve
Study problems
of multiple relationships
arising from work between
and man
the
and his equipment, occupation, environment,
working environment in order to come
and theupapplication of thetoresultant
with solutions make sureknowledge
workers
to the problems arising from that technology.
stay safe, comfortable, and productive.

It 09.
envisions
Is the studythe provision
of the of you
kind of work a do,
work
the
environment that is adapted to
environment you work in, and the tools the
physiological
you use tocapacity
do your job.and psychological
needs of the worker
 OVERVIEW
DEFINITION:
➢ When workers and their work environment
mismatched
➢ Goal of ergonomics
➢ Measurement in the successful
implementation of ergonomics
➢ Some programmatic aspect of ergonomic
➢ Three levels at which ergonomic knowledge
can be used
➢ Aim of Human factors/ergonomic application
 ERGONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
➢ When does ergonomic intervention might be
needed
➢ Factors that causes musculoskeletal injuries
➢ Factors that influence the safety of a lifting
task
➢ Common cumulative trauma disorder (CTD)
➢ Risk factor commonly associated with CTD
➢ Physiological basis of work
➢ Components of an ergonomic control
prevention program
 BASIC CONCEPTS D = 24 in

48 lbs

Ergonomics: What is it? V = 8 in

H = 20 in

• GOAL. Reduce work-related musculoskeletal

disorders (MSDs) by adapting the work to fit
the person, instead of forcing the person to
adapt to the work.
• PRINCIPLE. Since everything is designed for
human use or consumption, human
characteristics should be considered at the
beginning of the design process.
ERGONOMICS looks at how
a
r
e

➢ Physical abilities of r ➢ Job tasks

the human body e
l ➢ Tools, aids, machines,
and the
a equipment, materials
t
➢ Limitations of the e ➢ Workplace environment
human body d thru the conduct of
WEM
t
o
ERGONOMICS ENCOMPASSES
ON THE FOLLOWING
DISCIPLINE

❖ Anatomy
❖ Physiology
❖ Psychology
❖ Engineering Sciences
 DISCIPLINES OF ERGONOMICS
Industrial Engineering
➢Work Methods
➢Facility Layout
Anthropometry ➢Work Flow
Psychology
Biomechanics Physiology

Industrial Ergonomics

Methods Operator
Analysis Machine & Assignments
Workplace Tool & Job Design
Equipment
Design Design
Design
 ERGONOMIC CONCERNS
Knowledge
Anatomy Orthopedic Physiology
Base

Medicine Psychology Sociology Environment

Anthropo- O.S.H. Labor Bio

metry Laws Relations Mechanics

Architecture Aesthetics Industrial Engineering

Hygiene Sciences
 ASPECTS OF
ERGONOMICS
 Health and safety at work
 Quality of life while at work
 Participatory management
ASPECTS OF ERGONOMICS

SAFETY AND HEALTH

COMFORT
EASE OF USE
PRODUCTIVITY
ECONOMICS

AESTHETICS
GOAL OF ERGONOMIC
❖ Ranges from making work safe
and increasing human efficiency
❖ To improve human well - being.

❖ To reduce or eliminate hazards at the man

and machine interface.
❖ To reduce stress and eliminate injuries and
disorders associated with the overuse of
soft tissues e.g., muscles or tendons,
awkward posture, and repeated tasks.
 WHY ERGONOMICS?

➢ Develops ‘reasonable’ working conditions that do

not pose known dangers to human life or health.

➢ Develops working conditions which are well

adapted to human characteristics, capabilities, and
desires.

➢ Promotes physical, mental, and social health and

well-being.
 WHAT ARE THE USE
OF ERGONOMICS
➢ When workers complain about discomfort or pain.

➢ When workers get sick or injured.

➢ When workers’ performance declines.

➢ When management wants design input .

➢ Determining product liability.

 WHY IS ERGONOMICS
IMPORTANT?

• Dramatic increase of reported MSD’s cases.

• Poor design of old equipments.
• Increased in task requirements.
• Increased work hours.
• Increases in production requirement.
• Specialized work tasks.
• Repetition of Work tasks.
BENEFITS OF ERGONOMICS

➢Ideally, ergonomics
– Makes the job safer by preventing injury and
illness
– Makes the job easier by adjusting the job to the
worker
– Makes the job more pleasant by reducing
physical and mental stress
– Saves money
BENEFITS OF WORKPLACE ERGONOMICS
Here are five of the proven benefits of a strong workplace ergonomics process:

1. Ergonomics reduces costs. By systematically reducing ergonomic risk factors,

you can prevent costly MSDs.
2. Ergonomics improves productivity. By designing a job to allow for good
posture, less exertion, fewer motions and better heights and reaches, the
workstation becomes more efficient.
3. Ergonomics improves quality. Poor ergonomics leads to frustrated and
fatigued workers that don’t do their best work especially when the job task
is too physically taxing on the worker.
4. Ergonomics improves employee engagement. Employees notice when the
company is putting forth their best efforts to ensure their health and safety.
If an employee does not experience fatigue and discomfort during their
workday, it can reduce turnover, decrease absenteeism, improve morale and
increase employee involvement.
5. Ergonomics creates a better safety culture. Ergonomics shows your
company’s commitment to safety and health as a core value.
To maximize Productivity Volume or Maximization
utilization of and quantity of
human ability efficiency of work. resources

Reliability Avoidance of
overloading Job Personal
and
and Satisfaction Development
efficiency.
underloading.

Cost
AIM OF
ERGONOMICS
Safety and
Health Savings
 ERGONOMICS

Human Machine

Work Environment

Goal: “Humanization” of Work

Design with “E & E”: Ease and Efficiency
What will happen when workers and
their environment are mismatched?

 Injury levels rise

 Production is
inefficient
Other incidents
occur that distract
from organizational
efficiency and
worker welfare.
THE NEED FOR ERGONOMIC

To maintain and maximize productivity and

competitiveness
– Ever efficient workplace (simple to human
workers)
– Achievable Quality (within the human
physical and mental capacity)
– Safety ( to minimize unsafe acts)
– Health (to minimize acute and chronic
injuries)
 VALUE OF ERGONOMICS

❖ addressing incompatibilities (“mismatch”)

between needs, abilities, and limitations of an
individual with situations at work and home

❖ safety and welfare issues not just in

organisations but also in societies

❖ managing risks that arise from high

technology and demands at work
ERGONOMIC CONCERN
❖ The main concern of ergonomics is
the interaction between the worker
and the working environment. It is
recommended that the design of the
working area should include the
workplace safety aspects as well as
the productive work environment.
 • At workplace, this concept is concerned with
the how to make the environment
comfortable, happier and healthier and above
all, how to get maximum returns from the
investment made on the human resource.
• To be more precise and accurate
with the definition, workplace
ergonomics makes sure that the
body is in any way not
compromised in the workplace. It
ensures that the body does not
face any discomfort regarding the
posture and the position, which
might be a reason for distraction.
6/16/2018 54
 MAIN PRINCIPLES OF ERGONOMICS
❖ PHYSICAL ERGONOMICS: It is concerned with the interaction
of the body with the equipment and the tools, starting right
from the chair to the computer. It also studies its effect on the
body, for example, repetitive disorder, workplace safety, health
and layout, musculoskeletal disorder and posture.

❖ COGNITIVE ERGONOMICS: It emphasizes the ways of

information processing by the mind and its presentation. It is
related to the motor function, workload, decision-making and
memory-usage. This helps in understanding the interaction
and relation of the human mind with the data presentation.

❖ ORGANIZATIONAL ERGONOMICS: It works on complete

optimization of the workplace, right from quality management
to teamwork. It includes managing everything in the
organization to make it a better place to work.

6/16/2018 55
 ERGONOMICS AND ITS
PRINCIPLES

design and
evaluation of tasks,
jobs, products,
environments and
systems to make
them compatible
with needs, abilities
and limitations of
people
❖ systems-oriented discipline all
aspects of human activity
❖ promotes a holistic approach: physical,
cognitive, social, organizational,
environmental, and other relevant factors
are accounted
❖ practitioners or ergonomists often work in
particular economic sectors or application
domains
 Role of the Ergonomist
• Adapting the job to man
• Adapting man to his job
 JOB

 The task needed to achieve a

result
 Governed by guidelines designed
to prevent muscle overload
 Requires learning, training and
skill
TOOL
 integral part of the
man-machine
system
 powerful, fast,
tireless
 enables man to
accomplish his job
with reduced effort
 TOOL / MACHINE
 an extension of man’s body
 increases man’s strength and
versatility
 enables him to handle other less-
structured equipment
 reduces the risk of associated
hazards
 MAN
• an integral part of the man-machine-
system.
• intelligent, adaptive and versatile
• the basis of existence - survival
 WORKSTATION

➢ Place of deployment
➢ where duties are carried out
➢ where equipment are located
➢ machines are the tools
➢ normally 8 hours are spent
➢ where most accidents / incidents happen
Ergonomic risk factors interact in three areas:

The
Worker

The The
Job Environment
 JOB

MAN

WORKSTATION TOOL
Ergonomics can be viewed in terms of
various aspects:
• Machine and tools are designed in such
a way to accomplish the job effortlessly.
• It makes work more “human”

The Ergonomic Approach offers a technique

to meet these new challenges
Use it to understand the worker and his job
…
It helps to make a better and safer man.
WHAT IS THE AIM OF HUMAN
FACTOR ENGINEERING /
ERGONOMICS
APPLICATION?
• To achieve ease and
efficiency at work
 WHY IMPROVE THE WORKPLACE
Manual activities may expose workers to physical conditions (e.g.,
force, awkward postures, and repetitive motions) that can lead to
injuries, wasted energy, and wasted time.
To avoid these problems, we can directly benefit from improving the
fit between the demands of work tasks and the capabilities of
our workers. Workers’ abilities to perform work tasks may vary
because of PERSONAL RISKS FACTORS:
➢ Differences in age
➢ Physical condition
➢ Strength or Fitness
➢ Sex or Gender
➢ Stature
➢ Anthropometry (size and proportion of the body)

➢ Techniques and Training

➢ and other factors.

6/16/2018 69
WHY IMPROVE THE WORKPLACE
In short, changing your workplace by improving
the fit can benefit your workplace by:
➢ Reducing or preventing injuries
➢ Reducing workers’ efforts by decreasing forces in lifting,
handling, pushing, and pulling materials
➢ Reducing risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (e.g.,
awkward postures from reaching into containers)
➢ Increasing productivity, product and service quality, and
worker morale
➢ Lowering costs by reducing or eliminating production
bottlenecks, error rates or rejects, use of medical
services or facilities because of musculoskeletal
disorders, workers’ compensation claims, excessive
worker turnover, absenteeism, and retraining .
 FACTORS IN
EVALUATING THE
DESIGN PROCESS
• Physical limitations
• Flow of production, production rate
and the work process
• Handling methods between
operations
• Actual movement required by the job
 WHAT TO LOOK FOR
➢ Manual handling tasks may expose workers to physical risk factors.
The main risk factors, or conditions, associated with the
development of injuries in manual tasks include:

➢ Awkward postures (e.g., bending, twisting)

➢ Repetitive motions (e.g., frequent reaching, lifting, carrying)
➢ Forceful exertions (e.g., carrying or lifting heavy loads)
➢ Pressure points (e.g., grasping [or contact from] loads, leaning
against parts or surfaces that are hard or have sharp edges)
➢ Static postures (e.g., maintaining fixed positions for a long time)
Repeated or continual or repeated exposure to one or more
of these factors initially may lead to fatigue, discomfort and
injury to the back, shoulders, hands, wrists, or other parts of
the body may occur over time. Injuries may include damage to
muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels. Injuries
of this type are known as musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs.
In addition, poor environmental conditions, such as
extreme heat, cold, noise, and poor lighting, may
increase workers’ chances of developing other types
6/16/2018
of problems. 72
 WHY THE NEED FOR
ERGONOMIC INTERVENTIONS
Effective ergonomic interventions can lower the physical
demands of tasks, thereby lowering the incidence and
severity of the musculoskeletal injuries they can cause.

Their potential for reducing injury-related costs alone make

ergonomic interventions a useful tool for improving a
company’s productivity, product quality, and overall
business competitiveness.

But very often productivity gets an additional and solid

shot in the arm when managers and workers take a f
fresh look at how best to use energy, equipment, and
exertion to get a job done in the most efficient,
effective, and less effort possible. Planning that applies
these principles can result in wins for all concerned.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH INJURIES:

Eye - strain (brightness), stress (sup. rectus)

Neck - muscle strain (SCM)
Back - (disc) bulging, ruptured, degenerated
Hand - Tenosynovitis (tendon sheaths), CTS (median
nerve), trigger finger
Leg - Muscle strain, varicose veins
Musculo – skeletal – injury of the muscles, tendons,
ligaments, nerves, joints, cartilage, bones or
blood vessels in the arms, legs, head, neck and
back that is caused or aggravated by work
tasks such as lifting, pulling or pushing.
 TRENDS IN ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES

• Problems relating to manual handling or

cumulative trauma injuries could be detected
with analysis of incidence rates and employee
injury trends

• Examine your medical records, accident and

injury statistics.

• These internal reports will provide the tools for

you to arrive at an effective solution to address
your ergonomic related problem and should be
reviewed periodically.
 ABSENTEEISM & EMPLOYEE COMPLAINT

• Job conditions that create excessive or

mental stress may result in absenteeism

• Monotonous jobs with little or no

challenge are also stressful and may
produce more than normal absenteeism

• Both types should be assessed

ergonomically.
FATIGUE
• A deterioration of mental and physical
performance
• In everyday experience, fatigue is the
accumulation of the effects of various
sources.
SOURCES OF ACUTE FATIGUE

➢ Monotony
➢ Environmental factors (heat, light,
noise)
➢ Manual or mental work intensity
➢ Psychological factors (responsibility,
worry, conflict)
➢ Illness, pain, eating habits
RECOVERY PROCESS

➢ sleep
➢ rest pause
➢ leisure time
 CLINICAL OR CHRONIC FATIGUE

➢ from severe, continuous, daily fatigue

➢ a person feels tired even before going
to work
➢ tendency toward
depression
➢ increased irritability
➢ generally weak drive
Generalized Fatigue
 Friday absences
 Late morning risers
 Vague body pains
 Spent candle feeling
RESPONDING TO SYMPTOMS

• Early recognition & treatment

• Inspect employees workstation
• Observe his work habits
• And those doing similar jobs
• Encourage 2-way communication
• Take complaints seriously
OTHER INDICATORS THAT MAY OCCUR
AND BEEN NOTED DURING OPERATION
 Trends in accidents and injuries and
complaints about muscle-skeletal pain
➢ Wearing a support bandage
➢ Shaking or rubbing hands /forearms
➢ Flexing shoulder and back muscles
➢ Rubbing neck, shoulders and back
➢ Taking pain-relief medication
➢ Frequent clinic visits / absenteeism

 Incidence of Cumulative Trauma Disorder

(CTD)
 Absenteeism and employee complaints
about procedures, methods, etc.
OTHER INDICATORS THAT MAY OCCUR
AND BEEN NOTED DURING OPERATION

 Employee generated changes in the

workplace (tool, modification, for
example)
➢ Pillow for back support
➢ Stacked mats or platforms to stand on
➢ Tool handles wrapped in tape

 Poor product quality

 Manual material handling and
repetitive motion tasks
 Working conditions noted by people with
disabilities
 EMPLOYEE GENERATED CHANGES IN THE
WORKPLACE

Typical signs to watch for:

Added padding to hand tools, or have put

padding on the edges of equipment or work
surfaces.
Seats and chairs have been modified

Makeshift platforms are being used to stand

on.
 EMPLOYEE GENERATED CHANGES IN THE
WORKPLACE
Typical signs to watch for:

Workers have designed or modified their own

PPE

Workers have made their own changes in the

design of the workflow

Illumination or ventilation have been modified

Tools, fixtures, or staging areas have been

realigned.
 EMPLOYEE GENERATED CHANGES IN THE
WORKPLACE

Typical signs to watch for:

POOR PRODUCT QUALITY

If product quality is poor, or if

quality control measures seem
to be inadequate, ergonomic
intervention might be needed.
Employee Generated Changes in the
Workplace

Typical signs to watch for:

• Added padding to hand tools, or have
put padding on the edges of equipment
or work surfaces.
• Seats and chairs have been modified
• Makeshift platforms are being used to
stand on.
• Workers have designed or modified their
own PPE
• Workers have made their own changes
in the design of the workflow
• Illumination or ventilation have been
modified
• Tools, fixtures, or staging areas have
been realigned.
 WMSD’s
WMSDs are occupational
disorders of the soft tissues
and nervous system:
• muscles
• tendons
• ligaments
• joints
• cartilage
• blood vessels
• nerves
 MANUAL MATERIAL HANDLING
AND REPETITIVE MOTION TASKS

Musculo - skeletal injuries significantly

increase when one or more of the
following factors are present:
 Object lifted is large or difficult to
handle
 Object lifted is bulky
 Lift originated from the floor
 Frequency of lifting is high.
 ERGONOMIC FACTORS
➢ Two Categories of Ergonomic Factors

1. Environmental
2. Physical
Good ergonomics adapt the job to fit the
person rather than forcing the person to fit
the job. In an ergonomic workplace tasks
and tools are designed to fit individual
capabilities and limitations so people can do
their jobs without being injured. Poor
ergonomics will put our bodies at risks.
 PHYSICAL STRESSORS
➢ Physical stressors place pressure or stress
on parts of the body:
o Joints, muscles, nerves, tendons, bones

➢ Sometimes these injuries are referred to as

“Musculoskeletal Disorders” (MSD’s) or
“Cumulative Trauma Disorders” (CTD’s) or
“Repetitive Strain or Stress Injuries”(RSIs) or
“Repetitive Motion Injury” (RMI) or
“Over-use Syndrome” or
“Activity-related Pain Syndrome” or
“Occupational Overexertion Syndrome”
WHAT CHARACTERISTICS
PUT YOU AT RISK FOR
MSD’s.
➢ PROLONGED
➢ REPEATED
➢ EXTREME EXPOSURE

To Work – related MSD risk

factors
RISKS IN THE JOB

Position
Force
Frequency
Position

 There are positions where the

muscles have the most strength
 Less fatigue
 Less strain on tendons and
ligaments
 WORKING CONDITIONS

 Physical Conditions
– Force
– Pushing

 Physical Conditions
– Lifting
– Handling
 RISK FACTORS OF TASK
➢ AWKWARD (Unsupported) POSTURE - stretches
physical limits since it is a position deviating from
the NEUTRAL which is the optimal pose of each
joint that provides the most control and strength. It
compresses and irritate tendons.
➢ STATIC POSTURE - holding the same position or
using the same muscles for extended periods of time and
can restrict blood flow and damage muscles
➢ EXCESSIVE REPETITION - performing the same
motion or groups of motion excessively or using a
tool in a steady manner can irritate tendons and
increase pressure on nerves.
 RISK FACTORS OF TASK
➢ EXCESSIVE FORCE or STRONG PHYSICAL
EXERTION (the tension produced by the muscles and
transmitted through the tendons) - can contract muscles to
their maximum capability which can lead to fatigue
and possible damage to the muscles and other
tissues. It can be in the form of lifting, pushing,
pulling pinching and / or gripping an unsupported
object
➢ EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES - especially
in environments below 680 can cause nerve damage
and adversely affect a worker’s coordination and
manual dexterity causing him to use more force that
I required to perform the task.
 RISK FACTORS OF TASK
➢ VIBRATION – transmitted from vibrating objects and
high or prolonged exposure to whole body can affect
the skeletal muscles and cause pain.

➢ COMPRESSION - from grasping or contacting edges

like tool handles, can concentrate force on small areas of
the body resulting to soft tissues being compressed
between the bone and a hard or sharp object
thereby reducing blood flow and nerve transmission
damaging tendons and tendon sheaths.

➢ FREQUENCY - refers to how many times a person

repeats a given exertion within a given period of
time.
 RISK FACTORS OF TASK
➢ CONTACT STRESSES - refers to repeated or
continuous contact wirh hard or sharp objects or
unpadded tool handles.
➢ INADEQUATE RECOVERY - refers to insufficient
pauses and rest breaks or when cumulative fatigue
sets in
➢ CONTROL METHODS - refers to machine or
equipment pacing or speed.

➢ QUICK or RAPID MOTIONS

➢ UNFAMILIARITY or UNACCUSTOMED
TO TASK
 PERSONAL FACTORS THAT
CAN CONTRIBUTE TO
WMSD’s
Some people are at greater risk of developing MSDs
due to personal factors
❖ Age and Gender
❖ Physical Condition
❖ Medical Condition (sickness & medication)
❖ Lifestyle
❖ Hobbies
❖ Previous Injuries
❖ Fatigue
DURATION
▪ Duration – You usually need hours of exposure before
risk factors become a concern
▪ Exposure can be all at one time or cumulative over the
day

FREQUENCY
Frequency is often a concern in:
 assembly tasks  software programming
 sorting tasks  telemarketing
 loading or off-loading  customer service
materials
 inventorying products
 product stocking
INTENSITY
Intensity refers to:
Weight of items lifted or carried
Grip or pinch of lifted or manipulated items
Vibration level absorbed
Force exerted

COMBINATION OF FACTORS
Exposure to more than one risk factor at a time greatly
increases the risk of injury.

For example:
• Bending and twisting while lifting
• Repetitive, forceful use of the hands with the wrists
bent
 OTHER FACTORS

Lack of job variation

Poor tools and equipments
Increase work load and timings
Improper use of tools and
equipment
 RISK FACTORS
Risk of injury depends upon:

➢ Duration of exposure

➢ Frequency of exposure

➢ Intensity of exposure

➢ Combinations of risk factors

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

➢ Environmental factors may affect:

– Hearing
– Vision
– General comfort and health
➢ Some examples of ergonomic environmental
problems are:

– Sick Building Syndrome

– Excessive noise
– Improper lighting
– Temperature extremes
WHAT ARE MSD SIGNS AND
SYMPTOMS?
– Painful aching joints, muscles
– Pain, tingling or numbness
– Fingers or toes turning white
– Shooting or stabbing pains
– Swelling or inflammation
– Stiffness or difficulty moving
– Burning sensation
– Pain during the night
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
SYMPTOMS OF WMSD’s?

 Discomfort  Burning

 Pain  Swelling
 Numbness or  Change in color
loss of sensation
 Tightness, loss of
 Tingling sensation flexibility
 Muscle spasm
 Clumsiness
 RECOGNIZE AND
REPORT SYMPTOMS
Report symptoms if:
– Pain is persistent, severe or worsening

– Pain radiates

– Symptoms include numbness or tingling

– Symptoms keep you from sleeping at

night
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT
TO REPORT SYMPTOMS?

 Minor injuries can easily

become chronic injuries
and can sometimes lead to
disability, even surgery

 Early treatment is more

successful
MUSCULOSKELETAL
DISEASE

DISABILITY

Disorders, Injury, Diseases

PRONOUNCED SYMPTOMS
Soreness, Aches & Pains
-Affecting Performance
MINOR SYMPTOMS
Occ. movement problem, Minor aches,Fatigue, Discomfort
-Considered ‘Normal’
 FIVE KEY POINTS TO
REMEMBER

► Ergonomics can help you on your job

► WMSDs can happen in jobs with risk
factors
► Risk factors can be reduced and WMSDs
prevented
► Reporting symptoms early is important
► You can help your company put
ergonomics changes into place
 WHAT ARE THE NEEDED
INTERVENTION
WORKPLACE DESIGN
Provide an environment free of unnecessary stresses.
TOOL DESIGN
Fit the tool to the worker, not the worker to the tool
MANPOWER
Personnel selection, Training, Acquired skills
JOB DESIGN
Frequent review of work process
Elimination of crossovers
Workers position / posture
CONTROL INTERVENTIONS

 ENGINEERING
 ADMINISTRATIVE
 PPE
ENGINEERING CONTROLS

❖ Elimination of source

❖ Distances

❖ Replacement

❖ Guarding
 ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES
Engineering techniques are the preferred
mechanism for controlling ergonomic
hazards. This may entail redesigning,
providing or rearranging the work station,
modifying work methods, and replacing
tools, equipment, work stations, parts,
processes, packaging, products or raw
materials to reduce the demands
of the job, such as exertion,
repetition and awkward
positions.
ADMINISTRATIVE
IMPROVEMENTS
 Alternate heavy tasks with light tasks.
 Provide variety in jobs.
 Adjust work schedules, work pace,
work practices.
 Provide recovery time
 Rotate workers through jobs that use
different muscles, body parts, or
postures.
ADMINISTRATIVE
CONTROLS

❖ Early medical intervention

❖ Proper job practices
❖ Correctly matching workers to
job demands
❖ Job rotation
❖ Hours of exposure
 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS
Controls such as:
❖ Rotating personnel to jobs with dissimilar
physical requirements (different muscles, body
parts, or postures)
❖ Establishing work/rest schedules
❖ Training personnel to use appropriate work
methods when engineering controls are
not feasible
❖ Alternate heavy tasks with light tasks.
Provide variety in jobs to eliminate or reduce repetition (i.e.,
overuse of the same muscle groups).
Adjust work schedules, work pace, or work practices.
Provide recovery time (e.g., short rest breaks).
Modify work practices so that workers perform work within their
power zone (i.e., above the knees, below the shoulders, and
close to the body).
 PERSONNEL REQUIRED
TO HAVE TRAINING
MANAGERS:
Shall have sufficient training on ergonomic
issues to be able to effectively carry out
their responsibilities for health and safety
of their personnel.

Ergonomics is an important aspect of a

manager's role since it assists in
achieving higher quality and greater
effectiveness.

In addition, ergonomic improvements to

the workplace have significantly enhanced
employee job satisfaction.
 PERSONNEL REQUIRED
TO HAVE TRAINING
SUPERVISORS:
 REQUIRE TRAINING TO ENABLE THEM
TO RECOGNIZE HAZARDOUS WORK
PRACTICES AND SYMPTOMS OF CTD’s

 BACK INJURY PREVENTION TRAINING

INCLUDING BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL
FITNESS, HEALTH EDUCATION
AND LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION
IN REDUCING BACK INJURIES
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENTS

❖ Usage is only
when required and
no other means is
available.
DON’T TOLERATE
HAZARDS, CORRECT
THEM, THROUGH …

ERGONOMICS
 THANK YOU
AND GOOD DAY