ErgonomicsErgonomics

DefinitionDefinition

““Ergon” = Work “nomics” = Study ofErgon” = Work “nomics” = Study of

The applied science of equipment The applied science of equipment design intended to maximize design intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort. fatigue and discomfort.

Scope of Ergonomic Scope of Ergonomic InjuriesInjuries• Cumulative trauma disordersCumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) (CTDs)

are health disorders arising from repeated are health disorders arising from repeated biomechanical stress to the hands, wrist, biomechanical stress to the hands, wrist, elbows, shoulders, neck, backelbows, shoulders, neck, back

• Musculoskeletal disordersMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) (MSDs) affect soft tissue of the body in areas like affect soft tissue of the body in areas like the neck, back, shoulder, elbow, hand, the neck, back, shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist, and fingers. These include nerves, wrist, and fingers. These include nerves, tendons, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons, cartilage, ligaments, and muscles.muscles.

Goals of Ergonomics in Goals of Ergonomics in the Workplacethe Workplace•Reduce the risk of CTDReduce the risk of CTD

• Increase productivityIncrease productivity

• Increase safetyIncrease safety

• Improve quality of workImprove quality of work

•Decrease fatigue and errorsDecrease fatigue and errors

Cumulative Trauma Cumulative Trauma Disorders - StatisticsDisorders - Statistics• Approximately 24% of all workplace Approximately 24% of all workplace

injuries are back injuries.injuries are back injuries.

• Back injuries cost US Business $36 Billion Back injuries cost US Business $36 Billion per year.per year.

Cumulative Trauma Cumulative Trauma DisordersDisorders

100%Fatigue

DiscomfortPain

InjuryPer

form

ance

Time

Most Common CTDMost Common CTD

• Carpal Tunnel Carpal Tunnel SyndromeSyndrome

• Low Back PainLow Back Pain

Risk FactorsRisk Factors• ForceForce: the amount of physical effort : the amount of physical effort

required to maintain control of required to maintain control of equipment or tools, or to perform a task equipment or tools, or to perform a task such as heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, or such as heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, or carryingcarrying

• RepetitionRepetition: performing the same : performing the same motion or series of motions continually or motion or series of motions continually or frequently for an extended period of time frequently for an extended period of time with little variation such as prolonged with little variation such as prolonged typing, assembling components, and typing, assembling components, and repetitive hand tool usagerepetitive hand tool usage

Risk Factors cont.Risk Factors cont.• Awkward posturesAwkward postures: refers to positions : refers to positions

of the body that significantly deviate from of the body that significantly deviate from the neutral position while performing job the neutral position while performing job tasks such as working over-head, tasks such as working over-head, extended reaching, twisting, squatting, or extended reaching, twisting, squatting, or kneelingkneeling

• Static posturesStatic postures: refer to holding a fixed : refer to holding a fixed position or posture such as gripping tools position or posture such as gripping tools that can’t be set down, standing in one that can’t be set down, standing in one place for prolonged periodsplace for prolonged periods

Risk Factors cont.Risk Factors cont.

• Contact stressContact stress: results from : results from occasional, repeated, or continuous occasional, repeated, or continuous contact between sensitive body contact between sensitive body tissues and hard or sharp objects like tissues and hard or sharp objects like resting the wrist on the edge of a resting the wrist on the edge of a desk, or tool handles pressing into desk, or tool handles pressing into the palmsthe palms

Age-Related ChangesAge-Related Changes

• Reaction time lengthensReaction time lengthens

• Workload capacity decreasesWorkload capacity decreases

• Temperature related discomfort Temperature related discomfort increasesincreases

• Visual capabilities decreaseVisual capabilities decrease

Hand ForceHand Force

A power grip can be 5 times stronger than a pinch grip

=

10 lbs. 2 lbs.

Takes 4.6 lbs. of force

Wrist BentWrist Bent

Tool UseTool Use Working with bent wrists decreases grip strength

Use tools that let you keep your wrist straight

Handles get smaller, but hand does notHandles get smaller, but hand does not

Frequent, Frequent, Awkward, or Awkward, or Heavy LiftingHeavy Lifting

Repetitive Repetitive MotionMotion

Awkward PositionsAwkward Positions

Back Bent More Than 30 Back Bent More Than 30 DegreesDegrees

Neck Bent More Neck Bent More Than 30 degreesThan 30 degrees

Shortened muscles compress nerve

Shortened muscles compress nerve

Hands Over Head or Elbows Above Hands Over Head or Elbows Above ShouldersShoulders

Recent HistoryRecent History• MSDs represent over half of all rated MSDs represent over half of all rated

military disabilities and military disabilities and over one thirdover one third of all of all reported civilian injuries and illnesses reported civilian injuries and illnesses within the Marine Corpswithin the Marine Corps

• In recent years there has been an increase In recent years there has been an increase in reporting MSDs for Marine Corps in reporting MSDs for Marine Corps personnel which can be attributed topersonnel which can be attributed to– Changes in work processes and work Changes in work processes and work

center riskscenter risks– Advanced information technology and Advanced information technology and

training have increased awarenesstraining have increased awareness

Management Commitment and Management Commitment and Personnel InvolvementPersonnel Involvement

• A partnership between all working levels is A partnership between all working levels is essential to prevent MSDs and reduce the essential to prevent MSDs and reduce the risk in all workplacesrisk in all workplaces– Management commitment provide the Management commitment provide the

organizational resources and motivation organizational resources and motivation to implement a strong ergo programto implement a strong ergo program

– Personnel involvement is essential for Personnel involvement is essential for identifying risks and developing identifying risks and developing effective abatement planseffective abatement plans

Hazard Prevention and Hazard Prevention and ControlControl

• Eliminate, reduce, or control the Eliminate, reduce, or control the presence of risk factorspresence of risk factors– Engineering controlsEngineering controls– Administrative controlsAdministrative controls– PPEPPE

•DoD doesn’t recognize back belts as DoD doesn’t recognize back belts as or wrist splints as PPE… they are or wrist splints as PPE… they are considered medical appliancesconsidered medical appliances

Engineering ControlsEngineering Controls• Engineering controls or techniques are the Engineering controls or techniques are the

preferred mechanism for controlling preferred mechanism for controlling ergonomic hazardsergonomic hazards

• This may entail redesigning the work This may entail redesigning the work station, work methods, and tools to reduce station, work methods, and tools to reduce the demands of the job, such as exertion, the demands of the job, such as exertion, repetition, and awkward positions repetition, and awkward positions

Administrative ControlsAdministrative Controls

• ControlsControls• Rotating personnel to jobs with Rotating personnel to jobs with

dissimilar physical requirementsdissimilar physical requirements• Establishing work/rest schedulesEstablishing work/rest schedules• Training personnel to use appropriate Training personnel to use appropriate

work methods when engineering work methods when engineering controls are not feasiblecontrols are not feasible

Work Station DesignWork Station Design

• Workstations must be easily adjustable to accommodate the worker performing the task

TrainingTraining

• Training should enable each person to Training should enable each person to recognize risk factors and understand recognize risk factors and understand procedures used to minimize the risksprocedures used to minimize the risks

• Refresher training should be provided Refresher training should be provided annually and retraining should be annually and retraining should be done when personnel are assigned to done when personnel are assigned to a new job with different risks, or new a new job with different risks, or new risks are discoveredrisks are discovered

Back Injury TrainingBack Injury Training

• Anatomy and Anatomy and physiology to physiology to explain how the explain how the back worksback works

• Biomechanics of Biomechanics of liftinglifting

• Weight controlWeight control• How to avoid back How to avoid back

injuriesinjuries• Physical fitnessPhysical fitness

Other methods to reduce the potential of back injury.

Standing PostureStanding Posture

• Keep your spinal Keep your spinal column aligned in column aligned in its natural curvesits natural curves

• Prop one foot up Prop one foot up on a stool to on a stool to reduce stress in reduce stress in your lower backyour lower back

Shift and StretchShift and Stretch

• Shift your posture Shift your posture oftenoften

• Stretch frequently Stretch frequently throughout the daythroughout the day

• Keep your body Keep your body flexible (not rigid or flexible (not rigid or fixed)fixed)

• Don’t force your body Don’t force your body to conform to its to conform to its workspaceworkspace

Push not PullPush not Pull

•Can you Can you slide it slide it instead of instead of lifting it ?lifting it ?

Use Lifting DevicesUse Lifting Devices

• Use proper Use proper equipmentequipment– Hand trucksHand trucks– ForkliftsForklifts– DolliesDollies– Use gloves if Use gloves if

neededneeded

Stretch and be ReadyStretch and be Ready• Have you stretched Have you stretched

your muscles or your muscles or warmed up before warmed up before liftinglifting

• Are you wearing Are you wearing slip resistant shoesslip resistant shoes

• Have you cleared a Have you cleared a pathway before pathway before you move the itemyou move the item

Lift With Your LegsLift With Your Legs

• Plant your feet firmly - get a stable basePlant your feet firmly - get a stable base

• Bend at your knees - not your waistBend at your knees - not your waist

• Tighten your abdominal muscles to Tighten your abdominal muscles to

support your spinesupport your spine

• Get a good grip - use both handsGet a good grip - use both hands

• Keep the load close to your bodyKeep the load close to your body

• Use your leg muscles as you liftUse your leg muscles as you lift

• Keep your back upright, keep it in its natural Keep your back upright, keep it in its natural postureposture

• Lift steadily and smoothly without jerkingLift steadily and smoothly without jerking

Supervisors Supervisors ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

• Supervisors sSupervisors shall hall receive sufficient receive sufficient training on ergo training on ergo issues to issues to effectively carry effectively carry out their out their responsibilitiesresponsibilities

• Ensure personnel Ensure personnel receive trainingreceive training

• Request assistance Request assistance for managing risk for managing risk factorsfactors

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPSUNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY SERVICESMARINE CORPS COMMUNITY SERVICES

Certificate of Training

This is to certify that

HAS SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED

Ergonomics Online TrainingErgonomics Online Trainingat

Camp Pendleton, California

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