Office Ergonomics by Velocity EHS

© COPYRIGHT 2016, VELOCITYEHS. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT AUTHORIZED CONSENT.
Office Ergonomics –
Top 10 Things You Should Know
Gene Kay, MS CPE
Director of Ergonomics, VelocityEHS

Office Ergonomics: Top 10 Things You Should Know
Learn about the top 10 things employees
and employers should know and often get
wrong about ergonomics.

About us -- MSDSonline
– Chemical Management
– Incident Management
– Air, Water & Waste monitoring
– Ergonomic Programs & Consulting Services
– 12,000 clients -- 8 Million users

About Ergonomics…
•Because one-size does not fit all…
 Fitting the job to the worker

Ergonomic Risk Factors
•Awkward posture
•Static posture
•Repetition
•No rest
•Force
•Vibration
•Cold

We Do This Because -
A better fit means…
•Productivity - Quality
•Fewer Injuries (MSDs)
•Less Cost
•Compliance reasons
•Wellness
•Employee Engagement
•It’s the Right Thing to Do

The top 10 things employees and employers should know
and often get wrong about office ergonomics
1. You aren’t promoting your program
2. Ergonomics is Economics – build your case
3. You’re not sustainable – write standards
4. You are not effectively using your resources
5. You are spending too much on Ergo gadgets
6. You are not fully using the equipment you have
7. Your people don’t know how to sit
8. Your people have their monitors too high
9. Your people don’t know how to type
10.Your people don’t move enough

Promote Your Program
#1 - You are not promoting your program enough

•Create or subscribe to ergo resources
– Office-ergo.com, Cornell ergonomics, VelocityEHS Ergo
•Make it easy to find your resources
– Email, Web site, Office location
Cornell University Ergonomics Web

•Get invited to events
•Steady stream of communication
– Let employees know you’ve got their back
– Cast a big shadow
– Periodic Ergo tips
– Share success stories
– Team up with IT/technologies
– Distribute Ergo Info w new computers

Build Your Business Case
#2 - You haven’t prepared your ROI business case

•Ergonomics-related injuries (MSDs) and (CTDs) are a common
and costly problem with employees who spend long periods
of time in office or laboratory work environments.
•OSHA statistics indicate that MSD-related workers’ comp
expenses cost businesses $15 and $20 billion each year.
•Institute of Medicine estimates the total economic burden
resulting from workplace MSDs – including both the loss of
work and compensation costs – to be as high as $54 billion
annually.
Build Your Business Case -- MSDs

Direct - Medical & Pharmacy Costs
Indirect Costs
• Decreased productivity
• Lost time
• Short-Term Disability
• Long-Term Disability
• Off-Site Travel for Care
• Turnover
• Overtime
• Replacement Training
• Temporary Staffing
• Administrative Costs
• Insurance Costs

OSHA Safety Pays Cost Estimator
Injury Type Direct Cost Indirect Cost Total Cost
Carpal Tunnel $ 30,000 $ 33,000 $ 63,000
All Other Cumulative
Injury, NOC
$ 40,043 $ 44,047 $ 84,090
US Dept. of Labor - OSHA Safety Pays –
https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/safetypays/
Build Your Business Case – MSD Costs

1.7 Injuries Annually
PER
100 Workers
*
*Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
Average Office Ergo Incidence Rate
Build Your Business Case – Incident Rate

Estimate Your Cost:
Headcount X Incident rate X Claim cost
Employee Count 500
BLS MSD Incident Rate 1.7 / 100 Employees
Estimated MSDs for Employee # 8.5
OSHA Estimated Cost Per Claim 60,000.00$
Estimated MSD Risk 510,000.00$
Your Ergonomics Risk Profile
16
Build Your Business Case – MSD Costs

Without
Ergo
Progam
With Ergo
Program
80% Reduction
Without
Ergo
Program
With
Ergo
Program
50% Reduction
50%
80%

Build Your Business Case – ROI & Turnover
Without
Ergo
Progam
With Ergo
Program
87% Reduction
87%
With
Ergo
Program
Without
Ergo
78% Improvement

See Puget Sound HFES web site> www.pshfes.org

Estimate Claims & Cost Reductions
with an Effective Ergo Program:
Employee Count 500
BLSMSD Incident Rate 1.7 / 100 Employees
Estimated MSDsfor Employee # 8.5
OSHAEstimated Cost Per Claim 60,000.00$
Estimated MSD Risk 510,000.00$
50%Reduction in Claims* 4.25
80%Reduction in Cost / Claim* 12,000.00$
Updated Risk Profile 51,000.00$
Estimated Reduction in Risk 459,000.00$
Your ErgonomicsRisk Profile
VelocityEHSErgonomicsBenefits
20
No Ergo Program
Effective Ergo Program
Build Your Business Case

Create & Publish Written Program Standards
#3 - You don’t have written policy documents

Ergonomics Standard
•Workplace Furniture & Equipment Requirements
– Chair
– Work Surface
– Ergonomic Accessories & Equipment
– Laptop Computer Use
– Responsibilities
•Good – Better – Best – Not Acceptable

Ergonomics Standard
•Ergonomic Training and Evaluation
•Issue escalation
– Ergo consultations
– Medical Management of MSDs
– Specialty products & accommodations
•Hotel cube usage
•Virtual Office/ Home Working

Write standards for these audiences:
•Employees & Managers
– What services or assistance is available
– How to get that assistance
•Facilities & Purchasing
– Equipment standards
– Alternative equipment

Use Your Staff More Effectively
#4 - You aren’t using your ergo staff effectively

Traditional methods (expert ergonomics) for
providing ergonomics services are not working…
Sending experts for basic training, injury surveillance
and assistance is expensive, not scalable, and has
other shortcomings.

Traditional Service Delivery -- Challenges
•Staffing
•Distance
•Time
•Buy-in
•Retention
•Costs
• Lost Productivity Costs:
– Lost productivity prior to consult,
Time off during, etc.
• Claims Costs:
– $60,000 - $82,000 per claim*
– *OSHA Safety Pay$ web site
• Time Costs:
– Staff Ergonomist- $30 to $60/hr.
– Consultants- $150 to $200 + travel

Instead,
Let employees Pull services as needed…
The “70 – 20 – 10” Rule
Self-help Services
Remote Help
On-site Help
70%
20%
10%

Answer The Common Questions
•For Chair Adjustments
•For Keyboard Adjustments
•For Monitor Adjustments
•Ordering Supplies
•Getting Assistance
What To Do
How To Do It
Where to Get
Help
Self-help Services

Address Issues Based on Risk
10%
High
20%
Moderate Risk
70%
Low Risk
Self-Corrective
Advice
Virtual Ergo
Coaching
On-site
Consultation

Don’t Over-buy Ergo Gadgets
#5 - You are spending too much on ergo gadgets
– Not everyone needs all of the latest ergo items

•Not everyone needs ergo input devices

•Most people don’t need monitor risers

•A Ball is NOT a chair

Make Full Use of The Equipment You Have
#6 - You are not fully using the equipment you have
– Learn adjustments and get a good fit with what you’ve got

Make Full Use of The Equipment You Have

Your People Don’t Know How to Sit
#7 – Your employees are sitting wrong

Which is the correct way to sit?
FD E
CA B

ANSI/HFS 100-1988
ISO 9241-5 (1998)

Do you sit this way?
Image (c) Ergoweb.com

Lumbar Disc Pressure VS Seated Posture

The Best Posture Is the Next Posture!
OSHA Reference Postures
StandingThighs
Declined
Upright
Sitting
Reclined
Sitting

Your People All Have the Monitor Too High
#8 – Your employees don’t have the monitor set right

Conventional Wisdom: Monitor Placement
1. Place Monitor Eye-Level
2. 15 degree Gaze Angle
3. Place Monitor 18 – 24” Away
“Keep Neck Upright & Neutral”

How’s Conventional Wisdom working?
•60 - 70% of all users report Eye Strain & Neck Pain

Problems With High Monitor Position
Monitor Head-height
•Yes…Neck is “Neutral”
•But…We Have Eye Strain
•And…We have Dry Eyes
Ear-eye line, -11 deg
Good for the Neck
Bad for the Eyes

• Resting Point; 45” (horizontal),
• 35” (downward gaze – 30 deg)
Near Viewing =
Tense Eye Muscles
Hard to Converge
Monitor Too Close – Monitor Too High:
Eye Strain from Convergence

Near
Viewing
Near Viewing =
Tense Ciliary Muscles
•Resting Point; 30” (young), More w/ age
Monitor Too Close:
Eye Strain from Accommodation

Monitor Too High:
Eye Strain from Dry Eyes
Monitor Too High:
•Eyes Open WIDE
•Partial Blink
•Eyes dry out
Lower Monitor:
•Eyes Relax
•Full Blink
•Moist Eyes

Monitor Recommendation:
Use the Normal Reading Position

ISO 9241-5 Monitor Placement Guidelines
Max Upper Limit

Your People Don’t Know how to Key or Mouse
#9 – Your employees don’t know how to type
• NY times computer training,

•Too much mousing
•Bending wrist to side
•Bending up/down
•Tense fingers

1. Maintain Neutral Wrists
2. Never rest wrists while keying
3. Use the whole arm to move
4. Keep fingers curled
5. Use strong fingers
6. Use light touch
7. Use comfortable pace
8. Take frequent breaks
9. Keep fingernails short
10.Stretch frequently
E. Pascarelli, Repetitive Strain Injury

Your People Don’t Move Enough
#10 – Your employees don’t move enough

•Active offices
– Central printer
– Standing meetings
– Walking meetings
– Standing stations
– One up/ Two down stair use

•Your next posture is your best posture…
•20 – 8 – 2:
– Every 20 minutes,
– Stand for 8 minutes,
– then walk & move for 2 minutes
•A 2-minute break is good for your waist

In summary…

You need to:
1. Promote your program
2. Build your business case
3. Write program standards
4. Use staff more efficiently
5. Don’t buy gadgets
6. Learn to use existing equipment
7. Lean back
8. Lower your monitor
9. Rest your hands
10.Move more

Thank you for attending!
• Gene Kay, Director of Ergonomics
• VelocityEHS
• gkay@ehs.com

See www.EHS.com for download
References and Resources

References and Resources
•OSHA Safety Pays
https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/safetypay
s/
•Puget Sound HFES www.PSHFES.org
•www.VelocityEHS.com (search “Ergonomics”)
– Ergonomics Info Graphic download
– Office Ergonomics ROI – 6 Essentials for Large Employers
•www.Office-ergo.com
– Detailed self-help resources for the office worker
•www.Ergo.human.cornell.edu/

Self-Help should be…
•Easy to Find
•Easy to Use
•It Should Answer The Common Questions
Self-help Services

Office Ergonomics by Velocity EHS

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