musculoskeletal disorders among hospital staff, dr kanagalakshmi

Work Station Evaluation And Proper Ergonomics

Dr. Kanagalakshmi, MD (Com. Medicine)

Staff Student Health Services

Christian Medical College, Vellore

Outline • Ergonomics

• Components of ergonomics

• Good working posture

• Evaluation of workstation

• Our experience

• Summary

Ergonomics • Ergonomics is the science of designing a safe, comfortable

and productive workplace

• Matching the job to the worker and the product to the user.

Components Of Ergonomics

• Physical ergonomics

• Cognitive ergonomics

• Organizational ergonomics

Physical Ergonomics

• Physical ergonomics is the human body’s responses to physical and physiological work loads.

• Includes repetitive strain injuries from repetition, vibration, force, and posture

Cognitive Ergonomics

• Cognitive ergonomics deals with the mental processes and human capacities when at work.

• The application of psycology to work.

• Includes mental strain from workload, decision making, human error, and training.

Organizational Ergonomics

• Organizational ergonomics deals with the organizational structures, policies and processes in the work environment

• Includes team work, motivation, job satisfaction, shift work, scheduling and ethics

Benefits of Ergonomics

• Decreased injury risk

• Decreased mistakes

• Decreased lost work day

• Increased productivity

• Increased efficiency

• Improved morale

Ergonomic Risk Factors

• Forceful exertions

• Awkward work postures

• Repetitive motions

• Prolonged activities

• Localized contact stresses

• Segmental vibration

• Temperature extremes.

Principles Of Ergonomics

• Maintain the ‘S’ curve


• Keep everything in easy reach


• Work at proper heights


• Reduce excessive force


• Minimize static and fatigue load


• Minimize pressure points


• Reduce excessive motion


• Provide clearance


• Move, stretch and exercise

Posture

Seating

Monitor And Keyboard

Accessories at workstation

Bad Posture

Good Posture In Laboratory

Ergonomics In Pipette

• Maintain straight wrists

• Always have a relaxed but firm grip on the pipette

• Keep elbows and your body close to your work

• For every 15 minutes of pipette work, take a 2 minute break

Evaluation Methods Observation and scoring • Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) • HSE upper limb risk assessment (posture, repetition, vibration,

force) • NIOSH lifting equation - Risk of low back disorders with repeated

lifting • PLIBEL- A method assigned for identification of ergonomic hazard • Quick Exposure Check (QEC) • Occupation safety and health administration(OSHA ) computer

workstation checklist

Computerised software analysis • Ovako Working posture Assessment System(OWAS) posture, load

and force • PATH (Posture, Activity, Tool and Handling) • Ergonomic analysis (ERGAN) only posture

Our Experience

• Study was conducted to find the prevalence of neck pain and potential risk factors associated with severe work related neck pain.

• Study was done among the permanent staff in the support services including technicians in all the departments, pharmacist, medical records and computer terminal operators, clerical and administrative staff.

Methodology

• 600 staff were selected randomly and screened for neck pain using self administered questionnaire

• 206 staff who reported to have neck pain within the last 3 months were invited to participate in evaluation of neck pain in detail addressing the duration, etiology and severity of neck pain.

Study Tools

Case control:

- Questionnaire

- OSHA checklist for work station

- ICMR psychosocial stress scale

Prevalence Of Neck Pain

Neck pain – 350, 63%

162, 29 %

44, 8%

Neck pain + 206, 37%

Work Related Neck Pain n=558

Neck pain in last 3months

Severe work related neckpain

Characteristics Of Pain n=206

168 81.6%

61 29.6%

147 71.4%

152 72.8%

169 82%

178 86.4%

38 37 28

59 54

145

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Attributedpain due to

work

No pain atstart ofwork

Pain at endof work

No neckpain when

out of work

Relieved onrest for 48

hrs

Leave onaccount ofneck pain

No

Yes

Risk Factors

• 44 (7.8 %) met the criteria set in this study for severe work related neck pain.

• 43 staff with severe work related neck pain and 124 staff with no neck pain were selected for case control study.

Significant Risk Factors For Severe Work Related Neck Pain

• Female gender

• Being overweight or obese

• Working for more than 3 hours a day with computer

• Lacking job control (control over how a job is performed)

• Job demand (Perceived increased workload)

• Uncomfortable physical work environment

• Job requiring repetitive movements

• Bad work posture

Significant Risk Factors For Severe Work Related Neck Pain

• Being overweight or obese

• Working for more than 3 hours a day with computer

• Lacking job control (control over how a job is performed)

• Job demand (Perceived increased workload)

• Uncomfortable physical work environment

• Job requiring repetitive movements

• Bad work posture

Prevention Program

• Preventive program for work related neck pain will be focused on training on good work posture and serial monitoring on posture.

• Frequent micro breaks in between the work time.

• Efforts to increase job control to the staff in planning their work.

• Motivation program to maintain normal BMI

To summarise….

References

• Office ergonomics. A practical solution for a safer workplace. WISHA Services Division, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries

• Geoffrey David, Ergonomic methods for assessing exposure to risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders, Occupational Medicine 2005;55:190–199

• OSHA Ergonomic Solutions: Computer Workstations e-Tool - Workstation Environment

Thank You

musculoskeletal disorders among hospital staff, dr kanagalakshmi

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