Ergonomic Assessments
Ergonomics is the scientific study of how a workspace and job structure affects worker health and well-being. It includes analyzing the physical workspace setup and adjustability, job structure (time and length of breaks, variety of tasks, and pace of work) and individual work factors.
Examples of situations requiring ergonomic intervention:
- An employee reports symptoms of musculoskeletal dysfunction
- An injured employee returns to work and requires an assessment of his/her workstation to avoid re-aggravation of their injury
- Purchasing new equipment to ensure that it meets the needs of that position or employees using that equipment
- Hiring a new employee in order to adapt their workstation and reduce the risk of injury
What are ergonomic hazards?
An ergonomic hazard is any workplace condition that may cause an employee musculoskeletal injury. Examples of common injuries include "tennis elbow" (inflammation of tendons in the elbow) and carpal tunnel syndrome. Ergonomic hazards include:
- Repetitive and forceful movements
- Vibration
- Temperature extremes
- Awkward postures that arise from improper work methods, equipment or workstations
What can you expect from an ergonomic assessment?
The evaluator observes an individual employee perform the tasks of their position. The evaluator then makes recommendations about how that station can be modified for that specific employee (additional equipment, modifying the height of computer screens, etc.) and what the employee can do to perform their job safely. A comprehensive report is generated that contains information about the workstation evaluation, identification of potentially hazardous workstation conditions and recommendations to prevent or decrease the occurrence of injuries.
Please contact us for more information about this service.