Hazards Series: Ergonomic Hazards in the Workplace
Table of Contents
How to spot the ergonomic safety hazards in your workplace before they harm your employees
How to identify an ergonomic hazard
Questions to ask about ergonomic hazards when assessing your workplace
Evaluating and responding to ergonomic hazards
Engineering vs. administrative controls for ergonomic hazards
Lone workers
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FAQs
How to spot the ergonomic safety hazards in your workplace before they harm your employees
Ergonomic injuries can occur anywhere. They can take place from an uncomfortable chair or a heavy piece of equipment.
Ergonomic hazards are environmental factors that can harm the musculoskeletal system. These musculoskeletal injuries caused by ergonomic hazards often develop gradually over long periods of time and can be difficult to detect. In this post from our “Workplace Hazards” series, we’ll take a look at how you can identify ergonomic hazards and how to remove them from your workplace.
How to identify an ergonomic hazard
The severity of ergonomic hazards often depends on how long and how often employees are exposed to ergonomic hazards. The injuries sustained from these safety hazards can range from sore muscles to long-term illnesses and health issues. Common workplace ergonomic hazards include:
Improperly adjusted workstations and chairs
Frequent lifting
Poor posture
Awkward movements; especially if they are repetitive
Using too much force; especially if it’s done frequently
Excessive vibration
Ergonomic hazards are often a result of the way a space is designed, meaning that planning ahead and thinking about how employees interact with their workspace is crucial.
Questions to ask about ergonomic hazards when assessing your workplace
To properly assess ergonomic risks, ask the following questions about your workplace and team:
Have workstations and chairs been adjusted according to employee height?
Do our workstations encourage employees to use proper posture?
What kind of strenuous activities are employees engaged in throughout the day?
How much force are employees exerting while working?
Are factors in the workplace producing vibrations?
What to do once ergonomic safety hazards have been identified
Evaluating and responding to ergonomic hazards
Additionally, perform an exhaustive hazard assessment of the work environment, conducting this regularly and consulting it for information.
When ergonomic hazards are identified, it may be necessary to redesign aspects of a workspace or employee routine. Anything that could cause employees to experience long- or short-term strain should be evaluated. Any updates and adjustments to procedures, protocols and workspaces should also be considered. If it’s determined that ergonomic hazards cannot be removed from a workplace, controls can be implemented to reduce the risks involved.
Engineering vs. administrative controls for ergonomic hazards
Implementing controls into the workplace that are threatening worker safety can manage the ergonomic hazards or eliminate them entirely. These hazard controls can be broken down into engineering controls and administrative controls.
Engineering controls reduce risk for workers through physical means. Some common examples of engineering controls for ergonomic hazards in the workplace include:
Breaking down tasks and weight loads to reduce the exertion necessary by employees
Limiting employee exertion by using equipment for heavy lifting
Redesigning workspaces to accommodate individuals in order to reduce strain and improve posture
Ensuring that all workspaces provide employees the full range of motion required to complete a task
Repositioning objects and surfaces such as tables in the workplace to reduce the need for reaching
Administrative controls reduce risk by changing work processes and activities in order to make them safer. Some examples of administrative controls for ergonomic hazards are:
Provide employees with break periods that help to reduce short-term strain
Adjusting the pace of work to reduce exertion
Rotate employees working in repetitive or strenuous tasks, to reducing exposure
Store objects and tools where employees can retrieve them while maintaining neutral position
Label any heavy loads with their weight amount
Place requirements on weight loads by introducing group lifting policies
Lone workers
Lone workers are often away from others when injuries from ergonomic hazards take place, lone workers are going to face much more difficulty receiving help. Providing employees with an automated lone worker monitoring system, like SafetyLine, can help make sure that they’re safe at work whether they can call for help or not.
Additionally, lone workers must maintain contact with a safety monitor or supervisor. The most effective and least intrusive way to manage that is through an easy check-in system in which the employee confirms their safety throughout their shift.
Protect Your Team from Hidden Ergonomic Risks—Start Today!
FAQs
Who is SafetyLine Lone Worker for?
SafetyLine is designed for employees who work alone or in isolated environments – such as field technicians, healthcare workers, or remote site operators. It helps employers remotely monitor and protect these workers in compliance with safety regulations.
How does SafetyLine help reduce ergonomic risks for lone workers?
SafetyLine’s monitoring system makes sure that lone workers are regularly checked on, even if they’re performing repetitive or physically demanding tasks. Automated alerts and check-ins can help identify when a worker may be at risk due to strain or injury.
What happens if a lone worker misses a check-in?
If a worker misses a scheduled check-in, SafetyLine will send an automated alert via phone and email. If the lone worker still doesn’t respond, designated monitors/responders will be notified to initiate emergency protocols developed by the organization.
Is SafetyLine difficult to use in the field?
Not at all. SafetyLine is available on Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac, and also supports satellite devices. Workers can check in via smartphone app, web, or even speed-dial, making it easy to use in any environment.
Does SafetyLine comply with lone worker legislation?
Yes. SafetyLine helps organizations maintain compliance with local and international lone worker safety regulations, legislation, and industry guidelines. Employers can find resources and legal guidelines for Canada and other regions directly through SafetyLine’s platform.