Setting Up An Effective MSD Prevention Program(Final)
1. Setting up an
Ef fective MSD
Prevention
Program
Presented by:
Nathan Birtch
2. Session Outcomes
Today’s focus:
What is an MSD?
Why a MSD Prevention Program?
Getting Company Buy-in
Basics of Ergonomics
Setting up the Program
Ensuring Success of Your
Ergonomic Program
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3. What is an MSD?
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) –
injuries / disorders that affect muscles, tendons,
ligaments, nerves, discs, joints, etc.
MSDs - linked to ergonomic hazards in the
workplace
Employers - required to make workers aware of
MSD hazards and take ‘every precaution
reasonable’ to protect workers from developing an
MSD.
ALL workplaces need to consider MSD
prevention to avoid costly claims
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4. What is Ergonomics?
Fitting the work and the work
environment to the abilities of the
worker to maximize safety,
productivity and quality.
Fitting the task to the worker,
NOT fitting the worker to the
task.
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5. What Is Ergonomics?
Emphasis on reducing
fatigue and stressors in
the work environment
Generate “tolerable”
work environments and
conditions that don’t
pose known danger to
human health.
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6. What are the goals of a MSD Prevention
Program?
Reduce or eliminate the human
exposure to risk associated with work.
Reduce fatigue, strain
Remove/ reduce exposure to all hazards
Improve overall efficiency of workstation
Improve overall efficiency of work
structure
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7. Benefits of a MSD program
Reduced injuries
Save money
Competitive
Increased productivity
Increased quality
Increased morale
Decreased injuries
Optimize human capabilities, not maximize
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8. Ergonomical Hierarchy (Kroemer 2001)
Tolerable- to generate tolerable working
conditions
Acceptable- to generate acceptable working
conditions in accordance with current
scientific knowledge.
Optimal- to generate working conditions that
achieve physical, mental, and social well
being.
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11. The Impact of Industrial Trends
Corporate Re-structuring
Increased Technology
Flexible and Lean Manufacturing
Aging Workforce
Increasing Female and Temporary Workers
Social Responsibility
Legislation
MOL – MSD Blitz’s – Occuring NOW!
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12. A Business Case For Ergonomics
On average, companies pay over
$75,000 to every injured worker
This amount can reach over
$250,000 if the employee is unable
to return to work
MSD’s now represent over 50% of
all work-related injuries
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14. The Iceberg Effect
Direct costs
Wage Replacements
Treatment
Evaluations & examinations
NEL/ FEL awards (if injury occurred prior
to 1997)
Indirect Costs
Lost Productivity
Replacement workers / training
Accident investigation time
Case management time
Productivity/ Quality issues
Indirect costs – estimated to be 4 –7
x’s the direct cost
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16. Due Diligence – What is Required?
1. Comply with the Occupational Health &
Safety Act
2. Employers must identify all foreseeable
risks
3. Employers must address risks
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20. Ergonomic Risk Factors at Work
Associated with MSD’s
The Big 3 + 1
Force
Awkward Postures
Repetition
+1 = Vibration
Other: contact stress, environmental (noise,
temperature), etc
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21. Force Defined
Strength or energy exerted or brought to bear
i.e. lift/lower, push/pull, carry, grip
External Force vs. Internal Force
Results from external loads
Requires muscle effort
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22. How Force Shows Up as a Risk Factor
The weight of an object
The force required to push/pull, activate, turn,
etc
Force applied to the human from an external
force (i.e. kickback, etc)
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23. Effect of Gloves on Force (Harkonen, 1993)
120%
100%
100%
81%
80% 74%
Grip Strength
62%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Bare Hands Rubber Cotton Heat Resistant
24. Tools
SNOOK (Liberty Mutual Tables)
Niosh
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/erg
onomics/niosh/calculating_rwl.html
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25. Awkward Posture
Extreme postures
Non-extreme postures causing stress on
tendons or other structures
Non extreme postures causing reduction in
tissue tolerance
Static postures
Non-neutral postures in combination with
other risk factors
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27. Fixed or Static Posture Work
Static Dynamic
Forces applied for 20 Contract / relax
secs or longer,
continuous forces should Using many muscles
not exceed 5% of for < 20 seconds
maximum capacity
(Suzanne Rodgers)
When muscle contracted
fully occludes blood
supply to muscles
contributing to decreased
tissue tolerance
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28. Repetition Defined
Define Repetition
Number of times a task is performed in a
given period of time
Tissue strain is experienced as a result of
cumulative exposure
Define Repetitiveness
No universal definition
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29. Repetition
Research has defined repetition as:
Cycle time less than 30 seconds; where the
cycle time is the time to do one operation or
Cycle time for a full task (including rest
periods) is the period covered by an employee
returning to the exact same position as that of
the start position
More than 50% of the time is spent doing the
same fundamental task. (Silverstein et al,
1986)
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30. Vibration Defined
With increased mechanization comes
increased vibration
Segmental- vibration of a limb (usually the
arm- holding a power tool)
Whole body- vibration applied to whole body
(fork lift, etc)
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31. Differentiating Vibration Impact
Whole Body Segmental
Headaches Constriction of blood
Dizziness vessels in the
Nausea muscles of the hand
Hand turns pale,
white and/or cold
(“white finger”)
Pain
Decreased tactile
sensitivity
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32. Mechanical Stress Defined
• Contact stress - pressure applied to body
(i.e. leaning against a conveyer, etc)
• Mechanical stress - Hitting or Striking
with the body (i.e. using hand to attach
trim to a seat pan)
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33. Environmental Stress Defined
Noise Protective equipment required if
noise level is greater than 90db,
detailed noise mapping required
to determine where protective
equipment is required
Lighting Inadequate lighting, overhead
glare
Temperature Hot/ cold environments and the
physiological response
Air Quality Sick Building Syndrome
34. Understanding Ergonomic Hazards
The more hazards present in a task, the
greater potential for injury
Some hazards will be more significant than
others
Hazards in combinations are more harmful
Not all people exposed to hazards will be
effected
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35. Setting Up an Ergonomic Program
6 Follow-up & Evaluation
5 Elimination
4 Prioritization
3 Identification
2 Culture
1 Team
Ergonomic Foundations
36. Step 1- Build An Ergonomics Team
Mixture of management, engineering/
maintenance, and regular workers from
different areas of the facility, and an
ergonomic professional
Monthly meeting; every other month
Strong defined roles within the team
In-depth Ergonomic Training for all members
of the team
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37. Step 2- Build the Ergonomic Culture
General/ broad ergonomic training for all
employees to increase awareness
Ergonomic Signage
Encourage early reporting
Ergonomic Suggestion box
Ergonomic Message board/ social networking
(linkedin, facebook, company website)
Ergonomic Incentives- gift cards, paid day off,
bonus, etc
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38. Step 3 – Develop a Method for
Ergonomic Hazard Identification
Ergonomic Checklist
Pain/symptom diagram
Physical Demands Description
Injury stats, first aid reports, quality reports,
productivity stats.
Questionnaires/ Surveys to all employees
Ergonomic Assessments- Task Analysis
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39.
40. Step 4- Develop a Method for
Ergonomic Prioritization
Recent injuries, multiple injuries
Recent / multiple complaints
Ergonomic Checklist
Results of surveys, questionnaires
Productivity / Quality
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41. Step 5 – Develop Hazard Control/
Elimination Options
Engineering controls- reduce or eliminate the
exposure to the hazard by modifying the work
or workplace
Administrative controls- reduce exposure to
hazards by development of policies and
procedures, training, work structure (S.O.P.’s)
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42. Step 6- Follow up and Evaluate
Success of Controls
Worker feedback on changes
Satisfaction survey
Observe process
Productivity / quality reports
Evaluate practicality, efficiency of controls
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43. Taking Ergonomic
Action
PRODUCTION Ergo Action
DIRECTOR YOU
DATE STEP TAKE
Start Appropria Ongoin
now te to your g
co.
Ergonomic Foundations
44. Identify, Prioritize, Decide…
After team has identified ergonomic
hazards and prioritized jobs:
Decide if:
a) want to provide solutions in house
or
b) call in a professional
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45. In House
Brainstorming meetings - specific members of
the team responsible for making changes (i.e.
engineering, health and safety, line worker)
Hazard Identification
Hazard Control Select Implement
Controls Impacts Controls Controls
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46. 5 Easy Ways to Alleviate Risks In House
Job rotation- proper rotation of jobs helps
1 alleviate the demand on the tissues.
Train employees- proper lifting technique, good
2 posture, etc
Incorporate policies and procedures AND enforce!
3
Incorporate “micro-breaks”
4
Job enlargement- expanding the job to include
5 more tasks, make less repetitive, longer cycle
time.
47. When to Call In a Professional
On-site training is needed
Objectivity is needed
Complicated situations
Ergonomic consultation is needed
Ergonomic assessment is needed
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49. The Follow-up Process is the Key to
Ensuring Success
Evaluate the success of the ergonomic action
taken
Allow some time to pass and then evaluate:
Employee satisfaction
Are the employees following the
recommendations or using the provided
tools/ changes? If not why?
Ensure no new ergonomic risk factors are
present as result of the action taken
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50. Carefully Consider Changes Made
Do the changes made. . . .
Speed up or slow down production?
Make the job easier? Less physically
demanding?
Work with specific employee anthropometrics
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51. Gather Employee/Supervisor
Feedback
Do the ergonomic changes made affect
production speed/ quality?
Do the changes make the job easier or harder?
Is the job less physically demanding now?
Are there any new problems or concerns
because of the control?
Ask ALL workers who do the job/ process, and
surrounding workstations.
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52. Bring All Concerns Back to the
Ergonomics Team
Discuss and problem solve concerns.
Re-evaluate implemented controls at the 3-6
month mark.
Collect production and quality information to
evaluate possible effects the ergonomic
changes have had.
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53. Success is Dependent on Ongoing
Review
Ongoing review
Remember - a good balance is necessary
in ergonomics between balancing
production, quality, and minimizing/
eliminating ergonomic risk.
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54. RESULTS MATTER!
Improves staff morale and includes all in the
process.
Identifies the challenges and failures of the
program.
Indicates it is an ongoing process, and that
everyone’s help is needed.
Informs workers that changes have been made and
that the risk of MSD has been greatly reduced.
Highlights the team approach and how everyone
came together to accomplish the goal.
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55. Methods for Communicating Results
Yearly report for all staff - the goals, the
changes that have been made, and the
successes and challenges
Workplace newsletters, bulletin boards,
emails.
Communicate to Management team
separately in meeting environment. Well laid
out cost/ savings/ benefit analysis. (injury
stats, etc) Get them to think LONG TERM!!
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56. Reinforce Communication Through
Recognition and Celebration
Implement some type of recognition process:
Recognize those individuals who have made
significant contribution (plaque, gift card,
etc)
Celebrate the success- special luncheon, etc
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57. Summary
You just learned:
What an MSD is
Why a MSD Prevention Program is
important
How to get company buy-in
The Basics of Ergonomics
How to set up the program
How to ensure success of the MSD program
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58. Remember It is a process!
The Ergonomic Culture has to be built in
before you start gaining traction.
Communicate results!! You may not actually
get “buy-in” until people see results!
As best you can, communicate to management
in $$.
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59. GOOD LUCK on the battlefield!
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Editor's Notes
STOP and poll the audience with the question. You can do it impromptu style or record it on a flip chart. This is an easy way for you to test the level of ergonomic knowledge of the people in the room and engage them.
Poll and engage the audience. Or if you want are really courageous you can launch Word and type it right into there while they throw out the ideas. Save the Word file and it becomes a take-away/follow-up piece you can email out to them after the session.
Tissue tolerance- all tissues have a threshold When force exceeds tissue tolerance, an injury can occur Can occur acutely or cumulatively over time.
MSD’s account for 42% of all lost time claims, and 50% of all lost time days Ontario lost time MSD’s cost Ontario workplaces hundreds of millions dollars in direct costs billions of dollars in indirect costs
Click on the Excel icon.
Show websites It’s another way to pause and stimulate audience interaction. Ask how familiar they are with each area. Ask what positions in their company is responsible for knowing theses regulations/legislations.
We have animation options that can be set-up for this slide:
Ask how many of the companies supply their workers with gloves Then ask them what types of gloves and if they think they are good or bad for the worker in relation to effect on force. Present your slide (Grip Strength of Non-dominant hand is approximately 10% less then the dominant hand) Therefore more force is required when wearing gloves, than without
SNOOK- take moment to walk people through how to use them. Walk through online calculator as well
PRACTICAL GONIOMETER TIME
Nathan/Troy This is more speaking notes the previously slide than a necessary slide. There’s no added value to the presentation by having it as it’s own slide.
Hazard ID Possible Hazard Controls Possible negative impact from controls Best Long term and short term controls Implement controls
Rotate between jobs with different physical demands. i.e. overhead work alternated with waist level work
Onsite Training Ergonomic Hazards Body Mechanics/ Lifting technique Injury Prevention Employees usually respond better to outside source PDD VERY important that these documents are ACCURATE and DETAILED and OBJECTIVE. In-house may increase the “subjectivity” of the document Ergonomic Consultation Assistance with building the ergo program Assistance with prioritizing things Assistance with difficult ergonomic issues Ergonomic Design of workstations/ process General ergonomic guidance Ergonomic Assessment Once the team has prioritized jobs and identified high risk jobs Professional report giving Hazard ID Direction on how to alleviate / eliminate risk factors/ hazards Supporting documentation for decisions i.e.- making a case for automation, new equipment, workstation change, putting someone on modified duties, etc