Safety Dave Speaking! An Environmental Health & Safety Blog by David P. McLaughlin, CSP

Ergonomic problems a strain?

Remember the old adage - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  It went something like that, I think, and it certainly applies well to ergonomics.  Workplace ergonomic problems exist everywhere from office and retail-type settings, to heavy industry and construction.   Although much progress has been made to help EHS professionals get a handle on solving ergo-related issues, and there are many good resources available like OSHA, NIOSH, and ANSI; the real rub for most of us in the field is this:  How can we be more proactive in our approach to solving ergonomic problems, and how can we influence a change in the processes that create them?

Dealing with ergonomics can be a daunting task for any organization trying to better their safety & health programs, and in many cases employers are reluctant to redesign processes that are productive and/or profitable.  In fact, they usually rely on less substantial solutions like awareness training and flexibility drills to shore up any real or potential ergonomic issues that exist in their facilities.  Improper work station design, manual lifting requirements, and activities that involve repetitive motion cause a significant number of strain and sprain type injuries each year.  However, the contributing factors associated with these work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are rarely pursued deep enough so that effective corrective and preventive action can be implemented and validated.