MSD problems with automobile cleaners

1. MSD PROBLEMS WITH
AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
AN ERGONOMICS PROJECT ON TOPIC,
PRESENTATION BY:
(RM&ID)KRITIKA VATS
(RM&ID)RIYA SHAH
(RM&Ergo)JUBAL GOMES
SUBJECT: ERGONOMICS IN EVERYDAY
LIFE
BATCH:2021-2023
SEMESTER 1
FRM DEPT. SNDTWU
1
13/01/2022

2. CONTENT
1. WHAT IS MSD?
2. MSD IN CLEANERS
3. MSD IN AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
4. CAUSES
5. SOLUTIONS
6. CONCLUSION
7. REFERENCE
2
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

3. MUSCULOSKELETAL
DISORDER
The term ‘musculoskeletal disorder’ describes a variety of
strain, sprain, and overuse problems affecting the body’s
muscles, joints and nerves. The back, neck, shoulders and
upper limbs are particularly at risk. Problems include
everything from backache and slipped discs, to upper limb
disorders, tenosynovitis, pain, numbness, swelling and tingling
in the hands and wrists. These conditions are often caused or
made worse by work activities.
Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common form of work
related ill health in Great Britain. There are an estimated 12
million working days lost each year through musculoskeletal
disorders caused or made worse by work with sufferers taking
19 days off on average.
3
13/01/2022 MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS

4. HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THERE IS A PROBLEM?
❖ Important indications of musculoskeletal problems in the workplace are:
❖ Reports of pain and discomfort from cleaners
❖ Reports of problems from safety/union representatives
❖ Low motivation and dissatisfaction among cleaners
❖ Cleaners having made their own adaptations to equipment
❖ Cleaners wearing splints, bandages or back support belts
❖ An increase in accident and injury reports
❖ An unwillingness by workers to perform a specific task or tasks
4
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

5. WORKPLACE MSD PROBLEMS
● CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME:
❖ The U.S. Department of Labor defines CTS as a
disorder associated with the peripheral nervous
system, which includes nerves and ganglia located
outside the spinal cord and brain.
❖ Carpal tunnel syndrome is the compression of the
median nerve at the wrist, which may result in
numbness, tingling, weakness, or muscle atrophy in
the hand and fingers.
❖ CTS affect as many as 1.9 million people, and
300,000-500,000 surgeries are performed each year
to correct this condition
5
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

6. ● ARTHRITIS
❖ The term arthritis is used to describe more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that
affect joints, the tissues which surround the joint and other connective tissue. The pattern,
severity and location of symptoms can vary depending on the specific form of the disease.
❖ Arthritis is a concern in the workplace both because it may develop from work-related
conditions and because it may require worksite adaptations for employees with limitations
or disabilities.
❖ Certain occupations such as automobile cleaning are associated with increased prevalence of
arthritis, specifically osteoarthritis, most often of the knee and/or hip. Common features of
these occupations are physically demanding/heavy labor tasks, lifting or carrying heavy
loads, exposure to vibration, high risk of joint or tissue injury, and prolonged periods of
working in awkward or unnatural postures such as kneeling and crawling.
6
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

7. ● BACK INJURY AND BACK PAIN
Back symptoms are among the top ten reasons for
medical visits. For 5% to 10% of patients, the back
pain becomes chronic.
Data from scientific studies of primary & secondary
interventions indicate that low back pain can be
reduced by:
❖ Engineering controls (e.g., ergonomic workplace
redesign)
❖ Administrative controls (specifically, adjusting work
schedules and workloads)
❖ Programs designed to modify individual factors,
such as employee exercise
❖ Combinations of these approaches
7
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

8. ❖ Cleaning work is demanding and labour intensive.
❖ Many tasks involve using cleaning machines and heavy manual work,
including mopping, wiping surfaces, polishing, moving rubbish bags,
furniture and equipment, putting strain on the heart, muscles and
other tissues.
❖ Cleaners are often required to work in awkward postures for long
periods which may lead to long-term damage.
❖ Cleaners work in buildings which are generally planned for other
workers and not designed with cleaning in mind where issues such as
access, the location of taps and storage facilities, and the use of
unsuitable floor materials can also pose problems.
MSD IN CLEANERS
8
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

9. MSD IN CAR CLEANERS
Musculoskeletal problems may arise from:
❖ Physical factors (eg heavy, static or monotonous work, extreme or
constrained postures, repetitive movements, unsuitable workplaces
and equipment, forces, exposure to vibration
❖ Psychosocial factors (eg work organisation, interpersonal
relationships, short cycle tasks, poor work control, piece-rate payment
system, poor management, unsatisfactory training, lack of breaks)
❖ Personal factors (eg gender, age, seniority, exercise habits, lifestyle,
psychological characteristics and capacities)
9
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

10. ❖ Concentrating only on physical factors may not be as effective in reducing
sickness absence, pain and discomfort as an approach that also takes into
account psychosocial and personal factors.
❖ While not all musculoskeletal problems are caused by work, musculoskeletal
risks in cleaning arise from various activities
10
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

11. CAUSES OF MSDs
Manual Handling Tasks
Manual handling includes pushing and pulling; lifting and lowering; carrying and
holding; loading and unloading; holding and restraining; reaching and holding; grasping
and throwing; and operating levers and controls where force is required.
Causes of problems
● lifting and moving heavy weights
● poor lifting methods
● lack of time to work safely
● restricted workspace
● poorly designed equipment
● heavy physical work
● lack of equipment
● forceful movements
● poor equipment maintenance
● using and restraining heavy equipment
11
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

12. 12
Awkward Postures
Many of the tasks cleaners conduct require awkward or twisted postures (eg buffing,
wiping, and vacuuming) and musculoskeletal disorders may be a result of prolonged static
or repetitive postures.
Causes of problems
● unsuitable work heights
● poor work organisation
● bending, twisting, reaching or crouching
● repetitive movements
● poorly designed equipment
● lack of time to work safely
● forceful exertions
● rapid hand movements
● static postures
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

13. Work Organisation
Poor work organisation combined with the requirement to adopt awkward postures while
conducting strenuous work can contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders.
Causes of problems
● high work speed and intensity
● lack of control over work/breaks
● high workload and time pressures
● poor work schedules
● poor or no training
● little appreciation for cleaning work
● fear of making mistakes
● high turnover in the industry
● role conflicts
● limited career possibilities
13
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

14. SOLUTIONS
❖ Work schedules: it is important for the supervisor/manager to identify the
varying levels of work demand when planning how and when tasks are
conducted, and to consider fluctuations in workload during the day, week,
month or semester.
❖ Teamwork: group work reduces the amount of time the cleaner spends
working alone.
❖ Job extension: consideration should be given to extending the cleaners’ role
to enrich job content; for example, the integration of cleaning and care
work.
❖ Communication/social support: it is important for supervisors and
managers to talk to their staff and allow them a forum to contribute and
participate in decisions about their job;
14
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

15. ❖ Reporting system for musculoskeletal ill health: a system should be in
place for the early reporting and monitoring of musculoskeletal ill health
so that remedial action can be taken.
❖ Training: occupational programmes to improve skills and knowledge
through training and qualifications should be available.
❖ Equipment maintenance: a maintenance programme should be in place
that instigates regular scheduled inspections to ensure that all equipment
is in good working condition, broken or old equipment is reconditioned,
repaired or replaced promptly, and that vibration characteristics of poorly
maintained machines are rectified.
15
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

16. CONCLUSION
❖ Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to
the capability of the working population.
❖ The goal of ergonomics is to reduce stress and eliminate injuries and disorders
associated with the overuse of muscles, bad posture, and repeated tasks.
❖ A workplace ergonomics program can aim to prevent or control injuries and
illnesses by eliminating or reducing worker exposure to WMSD risk factors
using engineering and administrative controls.
❖ Risk factors include awkward postures, repetition, material handling, force,
mechanical compression, vibration, temperature extremes, glare, inadequate
lighting, and duration of exposure.
❖ For example, employees who spend many hours at a workstation may develop
ergonomic-related problems resulting in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
16
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

17. REFERENCES
● https://simshospitals.com/musculoskeletal-disorders/
● https://ergo-plus.com/definition-of-musculoskeletal-disorder-
msd/
● https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/health-
strategies/musculoskeletal-disorders/index.html
● file:///C:/Users/ACER/Downloads/Caring%20for%20Cleane
rs.pdf
● https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/e-fact-39-cleaners-and-
musculoskeletal-disorders
17
MSD PROBLEMS WITH AUTOMOBILE CLEANERS
13/01/2022

18. Thank You!
18