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• Ergonomics means
“fitting the job to the worker”
In this section:
• What are Work-related Musculo Skeletal
Disorders (WMSDs)?
WMSDs
• Common types and symptoms of injury
• Causes and prevention of injury
Work-related Musculo Skeletal
Disorders (WMSDs)?
• Also known as:
– Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs)
CTDs
– Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)
RSIs
– Overuse injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Usually develop gradually, but sometimes can
appear suddenly
• Can be serious, if not taken care of early
What are some of the
symptoms of WMSDs?
• Discomfort • Burning Sensation
• Pain • Swelling
• Numbness • Change in color
• Tingling • Tightness, loss of
flexibility
Reporting In the Workplace
• Overall, research found that
– 22% of all office workers reported pain to the
workplace
• Among those workers with pain (599), 362 (the
majority) did not report pain to the workplace
• So there is a threshold for reporting pain.
• Of the 362 with pain in the last year:
– Most did not give a reason
– 85 did not report because symptoms were mild or not
considered a problem
(Hogg-Johnson et al., in preparation)
What causes WMSDs?
Risk Factors
– Awkward Postures
– High Hand Force
– Repetitive Motions
– Repeated Impacts
– Heavy, Frequent, or Awkward Lifting
– Moderate to High Hand-Arm Vibration
Risk Factors
Risk of injury depends upon:
– Duration (how long)
– Frequency (how often)
– Intensity (how much)
– Combinations of risk factors
Risk Factors
Duration
– usually need hours of exposure before risk
factors become a concern
Awkward postures
Neutral postures
Head level
Shoulders
relaxed
Elbows at sides
Low back
Wrists straight supported
Feet supported
• Sitting
– Feet flat on the floor
– Hips and spine at a 90° angle
– Spine supported against the back rest
Risk factors for WMSDs
• Lifting 75 lbs.
once per day
• Lifting 55 lbs.
more than 10
times per day
Reducing heavy lifting
• Take smaller loads
at one time
• Use mechanical
assistance -
handtrucks, carts,
hoists, conveyors
• Get help from a co-
worker
Frequent lifting
• Squat
– Generally used for heavy lifting
• Staggered
– Generally used for heavy lifting as an alternative to the squat position
• Golfers lift
– Named after the technique golfers used to pick up their tee’s. Used for very light
objects
Safer Lifting
Quiz Time!!