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CAW HEALTH & SAFETY DEPARTMENTCAW HEALTH & SAFETY TRAINING FUND

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TELEPHONE 416-495-65581-800-268-5763

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e-mail: [email protected]: www.caw.ca/healthsafetyenvironment

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1IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT – A Manual for Workers

Page NumberMessage from Buzz Hargrove

CAW President....................................................................................................................................................................5

Message from Jim O’NeilCAW Secretary-Treasurer .............................................................................................................................................6

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................7What Is Ergonomics? ......................................................................................................................................................9Ergonomics – Definition...............................................................................................................................................9What Is the Scope of Ergonomics?.....................................................................................................................10Ergopus.................................................................................................................................................................................10How Our Bodies Work................................................................................................................................................11

Back Pain ..................................................................................................................................................................................13Occupational Back Disease ......................................................................................................................................15

Facts on the Back......................................................................................................................................................15Structure and Mechanics of the Back .........................................................................................................15How Does the Back Work?.................................................................................................................................16Back Treatment ..........................................................................................................................................................17Does Your Back Hurt – Worksafe ...................................................................................................................18Back Pain in Canada:

Back Pain Study – CAW Members at General Motors ................................................................19

Repetitive Strain Injuries .....................................................................................................................................21Symptoms, Signs and Types of Injury................................................................................................................23

Key Signs of Injury ...................................................................................................................................................23Types of Injury ............................................................................................................................................................24

Repetitive Strain Injuries – What Are They, What Are the Causes and Treatment? .........25Shoulders, Arms & Hands....................................................................................................................................25Tendinitis or Tenosynovitis .................................................................................................................................25Carpal Tunnel Syndrome......................................................................................................................................26Guyon’s Canal Syndrome.....................................................................................................................................26Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).....................................................................................................27Epicondylitis .................................................................................................................................................................27Bursitis..............................................................................................................................................................................28Thoracic Outlet Syndrome..................................................................................................................................28Other RSIs ......................................................................................................................................................................28

Myths About RSIs ...........................................................................................................................................................29

Ergonomic Solutions .................................................................................................................................................31Getting Started on Solutions .................................................................................................................................33What is an Ergonomic Process? ............................................................................................................................33

IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT – A Manual for Workers2

Ergonomic Process – Step 1..............................................................................................................................35Define Ergonomic Hazards......................................................................................................................................37

Physical Hazards ........................................................................................................................................................37Psychological Hazards............................................................................................................................................38Work Organization Hazards..............................................................................................................................38Personal...........................................................................................................................................................................40Stress .................................................................................................................................................................................41

Ergonomic Process – Step 2..............................................................................................................................43Strategies to Identify Hazards...............................................................................................................................45Workers’ Symptoms Survey .....................................................................................................................................46Computers: Workers’ Symptoms Survey .........................................................................................................49

Ergonomic Process – Step 3..............................................................................................................................51Methods to Assess Hazards .....................................................................................................................................53

Common Sense Approach...................................................................................................................................53Technical Approach.................................................................................................................................................53Combination Approach ........................................................................................................................................54Hazard Assessment ..................................................................................................................................................54

Ergonomic Risk Factor Checklist...........................................................................................................................55

Ergonomic Process – Step 4..............................................................................................................................61Communicate Problems and Develop Solutions........................................................................................63

Hazard Control...........................................................................................................................................................63Engineering Controls .............................................................................................................................................64Administrative Controls........................................................................................................................................64

Weight Lifting or Lumbar Support Belts in Manual MaterialsHandling Work...........................................................................................................................................................66

Ergonomic Process – Step 5..............................................................................................................................67Principles for Job Design – 3 Keys.......................................................................................................................69Tools and Equipment Principles ...........................................................................................................................70

Tool Design ...................................................................................................................................................................70MSI Prevention Guidance Sheet...........................................................................................................................72Workstation Design Principles...............................................................................................................................74

Reaching.........................................................................................................................................................................74Static Loading .............................................................................................................................................................75Control Panels.............................................................................................................................................................75Display Design ............................................................................................................................................................76Auditory Design.........................................................................................................................................................76Standing..........................................................................................................................................................................77Sitting...............................................................................................................................................................................78Sitting or Standing ..................................................................................................................................................79


Manual Material Handling Principles ...............................................................................................................80Lifting...............................................................................................................................................................................80

Preventing Low Back Pain........................................................................................................................................82Repitition.............................................................................................................................................................................82Work Organization Principles................................................................................................................................84Our Union’s Perspective on Job Rotation ......................................................................................................86

Union Collective Agreements...........................................................................................................................86Group Jobs ....................................................................................................................................................................87Skilled Trades Workers Become Production Workers .......................................................................87Production Workers Become Skilled Production Workers.............................................................88Production Workers Become Lean Production Workers.................................................................88Ergonomics ...................................................................................................................................................................89Conclusion .....................................................................................................................................................................89

Prevention...........................................................................................................................................................................90

Ergonomic Process – Step 6..............................................................................................................................95Implementation and Document Solutions....................................................................................................96Contract Language: Ergonomics Committees.............................................................................................96

Ergonomic Process – Step 7..............................................................................................................................97Share Strategies ..............................................................................................................................................................98Job Improvement Cycle..............................................................................................................................................98Contract Language: Joint CAW-Ford Ergonomics Process ..................................................................98

Ergonomic Process – Step 8..............................................................................................................................99Review and Revise ......................................................................................................................................................100Contract Language: Job Assessments ............................................................................................................100

Ergonomic Process – Step 9 ...........................................................................................................................101Education and Training...........................................................................................................................................102Contract Language: Ergonomic Resources .................................................................................................102

Participative Ergonomics...................................................................................................................................103What Is Participative Ergonomics?...................................................................................................................105Gaming Workers’ Health & Safety Research Project............................................................................106

Body Mapping .........................................................................................................................................................106Hazard Mapping.....................................................................................................................................................107Ergonomics and Work Design .......................................................................................................................107Action ............................................................................................................................................................................107CAW Local 444 & Windsor Casino Collective Agreement

2001-2004 – Letter of Understanding #14 Ergonomics...........................................................108Airport Check-In Workers in Pain.....................................................................................................................109

Key Findings: Backs and RSIs ..........................................................................................................................111Prevention Measures ...........................................................................................................................................111


Regulations.........................................................................................................................................................................113Ergonomics Regulations .........................................................................................................................................115B.C. Regulations – Ergonomics (MSI) Requirements ............................................................................115Newfoundland and Labrador .............................................................................................................................117Presentation on RSIs and Ergonomics to St. Catharines City Council,

March 10, 2003........................................................................................................................................................117Proposed Resolution on RSIs................................................................................................................................118

Getting Back to Work............................................................................................................................................119Rehabilitation and Treatment ............................................................................................................................121Return to Work.............................................................................................................................................................121CAW Return to Work or Modified Work Checklist...............................................................................124

Who Are Ergonomists? .......................................................................................................................................125Who Are Ergonomists?............................................................................................................................................127What Do Ergonomists Do?....................................................................................................................................127

Collective Bargaining.............................................................................................................................................129Ergonomics and Collective Bargaining .........................................................................................................131CAW General Motors Master Agreement 2002-2005

VIII Ergonomics........................................................................................................................................................132a) CAW National Ergonomics Co-Ordinator.........................................................................................132b) Master Ergonomics Committee..............................................................................................................133c) Local Ergonomics Committees .................................................................................................................134d) GM/CAW Ergonomics Standard Operating Process ..................................................................134

Building Awareness Among the Members.................................................................................................135

Leaflets for CAW Members ............................................................................................................................137Protect Your Back........................................................................................................................................................138Protect Your Hands, Wrists and Arms............................................................................................................139Protect Your Shoulders............................................................................................................................................140Protect Your Feet.........................................................................................................................................................141International RSI Awareness Day......................................................................................................................142

Glossary, Resources, Web Sites .................................................................................................................143Glossary of Terms ........................................................................................................................................................145Resources ..........................................................................................................................................................................149Ergonomic Internet Sites of Interest ..............................................................................................................150

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................................152


REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURIES (RSIs) occur every day in Canadian workplaces. In fact,RSIs occur more frequently than any other type of occupational injury.In some provincesRSIs account for more than 50 per cent of occupational injuries and illnesses,and of this30 per cent are injuries to the back.

In this high-tech age, employers have developed many sophisticated ways of speedingup work while little attention has been paid to the effect that work is having on thehuman body. Take a look around you.Is your job comfortable? Do you feel as good whenyou leave your job at the end of the day or the shift as you did when you arrived at work?RSIs do not develop when jobs are correctly designed to fit workers. RSIs are a directresult of poor job design. Employers assume workers are capable of lifting anything,working in awkward postures, never tiring, and continuously having their work paceincreased. If workers ignore symptoms of injury and don’t question the design of theirjobs they are vulnerable to disabling conditions that may be incurable. Acquiring infor-mation about causes and types of injuries, and participating in health, safety andergonomic education and training create the knowledge that is needed to make change.Working with our members, our local unions and workplace union leadership gives usthe strength to compel employers to make changes to the workplace.

Our union has made significant gains in improving the design of the work environmentacross the country.The CAW has been in the forefront of launching a national campaignfor Ergonomics Regulations across the country, and succeeded in British Columbia andSaskatchewan. We have negotiated language into our collective agreements such asergonomics checklists and processes, union input into job-machinery-process designs,ergonomics awareness training for workers and anti-discrimination policies to ensureworkers with disabilities are accommodated. Ergonomics is a necessity for the modernworkplace. It’s about “Fitting Jobs to Workers”and not the other way around.


THIS PUBLICATION will help workers and their health and safety committees understandthe principles of ergonomics and job design to improve the workplace and prevent futureworkplace injuries.

We want you to know about the signs and symptoms of injuries, poor job design andwhat you can do about them.Taking the issue of workplace design a step further,we needto consider the barriers that exist which prevent many from having the opportunity towork in our workplaces such as having no ramps or elevators provided for mobilityimpaired persons. Our union believes the workplace should be designed to take intoaccount the abilities and limitations of the widest range of the workforce. In other words,design should consider size, strength, gender, age, healthy workers, injured workers, andworkers with temporary or permanent disabilities.With the technology and informationavailable to employers today,there is no reason our workplaces cannot be far more safelydesigned. Safe workplaces create happy, healthy and productive employees.

This manual will give you a good starting point.You will have to pursue new designsand redesigns in the same manner as all other health and safety problems in the work-place.You will have to identify problems, document them, develop solutions, and organ-ize and mobilize leadership and membership support to achieve those solutions.Educa-tion and action are the best defense workers have against haphazard job design thatplaces the demands of production before the needs of health and safety.Like everythingelse in health and safety, change will come about because of your work and your com-mitment.


What is Ergonomics?NEARLY THREE CENTURIES ago BernardinoRamazinni “the father of occupational medicine”wrote about work related complaints in his pub-lication Diseases of Workers. While the earlyindustrial revolution focused on increasingworker productivity, leading to increased injuryand disease, it was World War II that highlightedthe need for ergonomics. Sophisticated fighterplanes could be compromised and errors madewhen cockpits were poorly designed. Confusingcontrols in cockpits that were not designed forvariation in pilot size prompted these errors.While men were abroad, women faced the issueof toiling in workplaces that were designed formen.

The word “ergonomics” comes from the Greek“ergo” meaning work and “nomos” meaning law.Ergonomists study how workers interact withtheir tasks, workstation layout, tools, equipmentand the organization of the work.The science ofergonomics is used in engineering and jobdesign in an attempt to ensure the design of theworkplace and the demands of the work do notexceed the abilities of humans. In the book,Fitting the Task to the Man,author Etienne Grand-jean outlined the following objectives forergonomic research: “Fitting the demands ofwork to the efficiency of a worker in order toreduce stress … designing machines,equipment,and installations so that they can be operatedwith great efficiency, accuracy and safety …working out proportions and conditions of work-places to ensure correct body posture … adapt-ing lighting, air-condition, noise, etc. … to suit theworker’s physical requirements.”

As you can see, much of what we do as healthand safety activists comes under the definition ofergonomics.However,health and safety is not theonly area in the workplace where ergonomicsplays a role.Ergonomics,like safety,is best viewedas a process that must be fully integrated withother workplace programs involving work organ-ization, production standards, workers’ compen-sation, and accommodation.

At the most basic level,ergonomics focuses onhuman functional (physical and psychosocial)abilities. No matter what aspect of ergonomics isbeing studied the basic principle remains thesame, “Fit the job to the worker and not theworker to the job.” Unions understand thatworkers’ needs go beyond simply reducinginjuries and illnesses. Our goal is to improve ourworkplaces by properly designing the work toprevent injury and illness.In that way,workers canenjoy their health, described by the WorldHealth Organization and the InternationalLabour Organization as “the highest state ofphysical, social and mental well-being”.

Any worker can suffer an injury. No job iswithout risk.Sprains and strains are theleading type of occupationalinjury. Ordinary movementssuch as pushing,pulling,lifting,carrying, twisting, gripping,sitting or standing can causeworkplace injuries. They canbe the result of an acute inci-dent or the result of a gradualaccumulation of many smallerinjuries. In this manual we willdiscuss some actions that give rise tothe greatest risk and how to prevent them.To begin to understand how repetitive straininjuries are caused, it is important to understandsomething about how our bodies work.

Ergonomics – Definition“Ergonomics is human-centred design.Ergonomics is the process of designing ormodifying tools, materials, equipment, workspaces, tasks, jobs, products, systems andenvironments to match the mental and phys-ical abilities and limitations and social needsof all people affected.”

Professor Richard Wells,University of Waterloo


What is the Scope of Ergonomics?Ergonomics includes interventions aimed at improving work, products and services both at the level ofthe individual (micro-ergonomics) and at the level of the work organization (macro-ergonomics).

BENEFITS

MEDICAL

ERGONOMICS

ENGINEERING

HEALTH &SAFETY

WORKORGANIZATION

WORKERS'COMPENSATION

HUMANRIGHTS

ACCOMMODAACCOMMODATION/TION/RETURN TO WORKRETURN TO WORK

Contract LanguageERGONOMIC PRE START-UP REVIEWS

The company and the union agree to ask management to encourage members of Local ErgonomicCommittees to participate in the review process of new machinery, equipment and work processes priorto start-up for production. The review will be done with a view to providing constructive recommen-dations to management. During this review process, management representatives will give considera-tion to comments from Local Ergonomics Committees when the health and safety of employees maybe affected.Bargained 2002 CAW/General Motors Collective Agreement


O Skeletal muscles move our bones. Repetitivestrain injuries involve skeletal muscles.

O Using the bones as levers,the skeletal musclesenable us to move – to raise our arms,wrinkleour foreheads.They are very elastic and con-tract and relax easily. Most muscles workunder voluntary control.

O There are about 400 skeletal muscles ofvarious shapes and sizes, and they make up40-50 percent of the weight of the body.

O Apart from keeping us moving, they generatea large part of our body heat.

O The covering tissue of the muscle generallytapers off at the end to form the tendon bywhich the muscle is attached to a skeletalcomponent.

O Joints are the connections between adjoiningbones of the skeleton. Joints make movementpossible. The ends of the bones are coveredwith cartilage that creates a smooth surface toreduce friction. Some joints have interior car-tilages, meniscuses and discs that aid themovements.

O Capsules surround all joints. Lining the interi-or of the capsule is the synovial membrane,which secretes fluid to lubricate the joint.Special tissue bands called ligaments attachto the bones to increase joint stability. Theymay be combined with the joint capsule, orseparated from it. Muscles and tendons giveadditional strength to the structure.

This is howMUSCLES andJOINTS work:

O Most joints are hinge joints and permit move-ment only about a single axis, much like thefingers or knees.Ball and socket joints like theshoulder where one rounded bonehead fitsinto a cavity of another bone, permit move-ment in all directions.

O The joints of the spine are plane joints thatallow small movements in all directions.Although individually small, the sum of themovements of all the vertebrae add up to asizeable range of motion in all three axes – weare able to twist and bend our backs quiteconsiderably.

(Adapted from the book “ Your Body at Work” published by theSwedish Work Environment Association)

The description above gives you only thebarest outline. Any one of the parts of theskeletal muscle system – the 400 muscles,attaching ligaments, tendons, bones, andjoints – can be injured by the work you do.Any injury may result in a level of perma-nent disability.


CervicalVertebrae

ThoracticVertebrae

LumbarVertebrae

Sacrum

PostureAnterior

Skull

Structure andMechanics of the Back

The back is made up of vertebrae, discs, liga-ments, muscles, the spinal cord and nerves.Together these structures keep our body upright,stabilize our heads, and protect the most criticalcomponents of the body’s electrical communica-tions system. The back enables our bodies tobend, lift, twist, and carry.

There are twenty-four (24) vertebrae in theback. The upper seven (7) in the spinal columnare called the cervical vertebrae, the next twelve(12) are the thoracic vertebrae, and the lowestfive (5) are the lumbar vertebrae.

Between each of the vertebrae are jelly-likediscs that act as shock absorbers.They allow thespine to bend without causing damage to the

“In order to prevent occupationally related back disease, workplaces must be designed correctly withhuman beings (not machines, production quotas, and cost-cutting) as the number one concern…Lower back pain is not an injury, but a disease, a clinical syndrome often caused by working conditionson the job. For the vast majority of people it must be considered an occupational disease.”

Dr. Linda Rae Murray, MD, MPHFirst occupational health physician, Manitoba Federation of Labour

Occupational Health Centre

FACTS ON THE BACK1. Occupational back disease is the most

common strain injury suffered byworkers.

2. At least thirty percent of all workercompensation claims in Canada arepaid to workers suffering from occu-pational back disease.

3. In Canada, the annual bill for backpain is $1.5 billion (not including lostproductivity, lowered morale, absen-teeism, retraining costs or lost skillsestimated to be $1.1 billion more fora total of $2.6 billion).


bones. Ligaments are bands of connective tissuethat bind together the vertebrae, support thespine and prevent excessive movements.

The short muscles of the spine expand andcontract enabling us to make delicate move-ments. Over the short muscles are many layers oflonger back muscles. Covering them all is thegroup of muscles which runs the entire length ofthe spine. When it comes to overall structuralsupport, the abdominal muscles play a key role.When the abdominal muscles and the backmuscles are more or less equal in strength, theywork together, and maintaining an erect postureis relatively easy. However, if the abdominalmuscles are much weaker than those of the back,the spine becomes more vulnerable to wear andtear. The spinal cord and associated nerves arethe most complex part of the back. It runs from

Plus9 kgsLOAD

9 kgsEFFORT

Plus9 kgsLOAD

36 kgsEFFORT

Equal distance from fulcrumTotal load is 18 kg.

Total load is 45 kg.

Example 1: (Teeter Totter)

Example 2:

Plus9 kgsLOAD

90 kgsEFFORT

Example 3:

5 cm 50 cm

5 cm 50 cm

99 KGSTOTAL

=

the base of the brain down through the verte-brae.At intervals it branches out into nerves thatsupply the various limbs and other areas of thebody.

An Egyptian physician was the first to describethe “occupational back disease” he saw in con-struction workers who built the Sakkara pyramidin 2500 B.C. Five thousand years later, physiciansstill cannot locate the precise source of painexperienced by many sufferers of occupationalback disease.

Damage to the vertebrae, discs, ligaments,muscles, spinal cord and nerves can result inback pain.Typically,doctors treating workers withlow back pain make a diagnosis of non-specificoccupational back disease. A “slipped” or “herni-ated”disc,as evidenced by the changed shape ofan inter-vertebral disc creating pressure on anerve, is found in less than 2% of workers suffer-ing occupational back disease. The widespreadbelief that work-related low back pain must bethe result of a specific injury or accident is simplynot true. This pain can develop as a result ofstresses in the muscles,bones,cartilage,and discsof the back over a long period of time.

So How Does the Back Work?First let’s look at something familiar to many of

us, the teeter-totter.When two people of the sameweight occupy opposite ends of the teeter-totterand the balance point, called the fulcrum, islocated in the middle then both people can goup and down with ease.

The mechanics of the back work in much thesame was as a teeter-totter. Our spine acts as thefulcrum, its associated muscles as one personand the objects we lift as the second person.

See the diagrams to left.


On average, there is a 5 centimeter thick layer ofmuscle between the skin of the back and thespine. Obviously, we can’t get a load as close as 5centimeters in front of our spine.This is one waythe spine differs from the teeter totter. Example2 shows how a 9 kilogram object located 20 cen-timeters from the spine (fulcrum) would require36kg of effort (force) by the back muscles tocounter act the weight of the object and lift theload. Because the load is 15 cm further awayfrom the spine than the muscles performing thework, the effort required to complete the task iscompounded. Similarly, Example 3 depicts aload located even further from the spine and theresultant effort required by the back muscles tocomplete the task. This is the reason for thegolden rule…

Many factors determinewhether manually liftinga load is hazardous:O Weight of the object being liftedO Position of the centre of gravity of the loadO Frequency,duration and the pace of the liftingO Stability of the loadO Handles of the loadO Layout of the work area, whether the person

has to lift and twistO Pace of production

O Nature of the floor surfaceO Workplace environment – factors such as

temperature,humidity,lighting,noise,vibrationO Stability of the feet

People in their work who are sitting or stand-ing for long periods of time also have a higherthan average rate of back disease. Peopleexposed to whole body vibration may also expe-rience back problems.

Back TreatmentOne of the most troubling aspects of back pain isthe lack of agreement on how it should betreated. Most attacks of pain related to occupa-tional back disease subside without medicaltreatment. However, the damaged tissues cannotbe repaired. Many treatments are designed tohelp cope with chronic back pain, not prevent itand are primarily based on personal solutions.None of them address the need to design work-places differently to promote healthy backs.Common treatments include short-term bed rest,exercise or limited continued daily activity, phys-iotherapy, acupuncture, painkillers, psychiatry orchiropractic treatment. Surgery is another treat-ment option but most physicians and orthopedicspecialists agree that many people have under-gone surgery unnecessarily.Rather than improve,back problems can get worse after surgery.

“Lift all loads as close to your body aspossible to reduce the amount ofeffort or force generated by themuscles of your back.”


Does Your Back Hurtwww.worksafebc.com

Back FactsO Back pain does not necessarily mean that you

have a back injury.

O Eighty percent of North Americans will have backpain at some time in their lives.

O Many different factors can work together to causeback pain.

O Most back pain comes from the muscles, liga-ments, and joints in the back when they are notmoving the way they should.

O Muscle tension can cause spasm resulting in pain.

O Smokers and people with previous back pain aremore likely to get back pain.

Back PostureYour spine is one of the strongest parts of your

body. It is strongest in its natural curves. When youput your back in a position that does not follow thenatural curves, the back has to work harder to do thesame job. Poor posture fatigues the muscles fasterand over time can produce back pain.

Where possible, the following back posturesshould be avoided because they do not maintain thenatural curves of the spine.

Back MythsMyth: “I have a slipped disc.”

Fact: It is impossible for a disc to slip “outof place.” Discs can bulge or herniate,however.

Myth: Back pain is usually caused by apinched nerve.

Fact: Pinched nerves are very uncommon.

Myth: Prolonged rest is the best treatmentfor back pain.

Fact: Bed rest for more than a day or twois bad for your back. The best thing to dois to get mobile as soon as possible (forexample, go for a walk).

Myth: Taking a pain killer or muscle relax-ant will cure back pain.

Fact: Pain killers and muscle relaxantsoften mask the pain so that we think weare better. We may then move in ways thatdo not allow the injury to heal.


ANNUAL COST $2.6 BILLION

OverviewLow back pain remains a major occupational health problem in most industrialized countries, accounting forabout 20-30% of all workers’ compensation claims and up to 50% of all direct compensation costs.

Objectives of StudyThe University of Waterloo, McMaster and the Institute of Work and Health researchers wanted to determinewhich work-related physical and work organization factors were associated with an increased risk of back pain.

MethodsAt the GM car and truck plants in Oshawa, workers with back pain were compared with other workers who didnot have back pain. Workers were interviewed. Workers’ physical demands at their job were carefully measuredby the researchers using sophisticated methods. Data was analyzed statistically.

ResultsWorkers with back pain:

Had Physical Risks– lifted heavier objects– had to lift heavy objects from more bent over

positions– had to bend and twist more– had to lift more objects over time (cumulative

load higher)

Had Work Organization Risks– physically demanding job– poor workplace social environment– inconsistency between job and education level– low job control

Surprisingly, those with back pain reported better job satisfaction and better co-workers support than thecontrol group.

The effects of this study helped to set the stage for bargaining CAW ergonomic representatives in the GMOshawa plants and CAW national ergonomic co-ordinators. They have been able to address many of the mostpoorly designed jobs and reduce the risk factors.

Back pain risk factors in this study:O biomechanical 31.4%O psychosocial 11.5%O personal 4.7%

The message from the researchers:Reduce injuries and create a healthier workplace by improving both the physical and workplaceorganizational environment.

Back Pain Study – CAW Members at General Motors


Symptoms that act to prevent the movement ofthe limbs.Restricted movement is a key indicatorthat the muscle may need rest from the actionscausing the symptoms. Always take symptomsseriously. They are the first indicator thatsomething is wrong with your body!

You cannot rely on symptoms alone to tell youwhen work is injuring your body or a co-worker’s.As with other risks in the workplace, ergonomichazards often do their damage silently. It is forthis reason you must look at the jobs and themovements in your workplace in the same wayyou inspect for chemical or other safety issues.Whether it is signs or symptoms, they are theresult of poor job design.

Key signs of injury include:Workers suffer a variety of health and eco-

nomic effects from poor ergonomics. Illness,work restrictions, permanent disability, financialloss and loss of quality of life are but a few. Poorergonomics impacts employers as well.Increasedaccident frequency, higher workers’ compensa-tion assessments (premiums), production losses,reduced quality, increased scrap, increased war-ranty claims and loss of worker expertise andexperience all have a significant economic cost.

Your Wrist

The most common symptoms of repetitivestrain injuries include:

O Numbness O Tingling O Swelling O RednessO Discolouration O Heaviness O Fatigue O Eyestrain O Mental strain O Other long term achesor pain

Key signs of symptoms include:

O Increased medical visits O Increased workercomplaints O High turnover on jobs O Increasedabsenteeism O Reduced performance at workand at home

Smart employers should recognize the benefitsergonomics has to offer. Not only is it the rightthing to do in order to maintain the health andsafety of the entire workforce, but it also createslong-term benefits for both the workers and theemployer.

In the sections that follow we will look at someof the specific strains and sprains that workersexperience.Remember,however,you may discov-er causes of strains and sprains that we have notdiscussed.

“What happens to all of those people, oftenyoung, who are obliged to leave their jobsafter numerous operations? What do weknow of the long-term effects of these oper-ations? And most of all, how many peoplemust lose their physical integrity before theworkplace is changed?”

Nicole Vézina, PhD. ErgonomieGoupe de récherche-actionEn biologie du travailDépartement des Sciences biologiquesUniversité du Québec à Montréal


WORK LOADS ARE BAD61% of workers employed in the Canadianautomotive components sector reported thattheir workload was either:O Too fast,O Too heavy,O Required to be done by too few people

or,O Required to be completed in too little

time.Source: CAW/TCA Canadian Auto Parts Working Condi-tions Benchmarking Study 1995

…AND THEY’RE GETTING WORSE52% of those same workers reported that inthe last two years their work load hadincreased, becoming either:O Heavier,O Faster or,O Required to be done in less time.Source: CAW/TCA Canadian Auto Parts Working Condi-tions Benchmarking Study 1995

Types of InjuryIt is important to understand that sprains and

strains are referredto by a variety ofterms having thesame meaning.Youwill hear a varietyof acronyms – RSI,CTD, MSI, WMSD etc. whenpeople refer to work-relatedinjuries.

Recall our earlier discussion of howour bodies function, the three types ofmuscle in the body and the fact that repetitivestrain injuries involve skeletal muscle. Most re-searchers use the common umbrella term “Work-related Musculo-Skeletal Disorder (WMSD)” todescribe this type of injury. Below, you will seeother common acronyms and their definitionsoften used to describe the same types of injuries.We will be using the term Repetitive StrainInjury (RSI), a more familiar and widely usedterm among workers and the Canadian public.

RSIs – Repetitive Strain Injuries

MSIs – Musculo-Skeletal Injuries

CTDs – Cumulative TraumaDisorders

STIs – Soft Tissue Injuries


“Never agree to surgery without an opinionfrom a second surgical specialist. The mostimportant thing to realize is that medical sur-gical treatments will not cure these problems.At most, physicians may be able to stop painand prevent further damage.You must find a doctor you can talk to,someone who will answer your questions inplain language. If you don’t understand whatyour doctors are saying, insist that they takethe time to carefully answer your questionsor find another doctor.”

Dr. Linda Rae Murray, MD, MPHFirst Occupational Health PhysicianManitoba Federation of LabourOccupational Health Centre

Shoulders, Arms and HandsAlthough statistics show back problems as the

most common injury type, they are not the onlypart of the body subject to injury in the work-place.The next most common injury type occursto the upper extremities – the arms, hands andshoulders.

Tendinitis or TenosynovitisTendons are very strong, smooth, flexible struc-tures that supply the connection betweenmuscles and bones. Rapid, frequent and repeti-tive movements, especially when combined withgreat force or twisting of the joint, can causemicroscopic damage to tendons. Tendinitisoccurs when that damage leads to inflammation.A related condition, tenosynovitis, involvesinflammation of the tendon sheath,the protectivecovering surrounding the tendon.

“Trigger finger” is an example of tenosynovitis,more specifically stenosing tenosynovitis. Grasp-ing an object with a pinch grip or pistol gripplaces strain on the tendons of the fingers andthumb. Bending the wrist while gripping acceler-ates muscle fatigue even further.The capacity ofthe tendon to move within the sheath becomesrestricted causing a jerking or snapping motionor even “locking.”

Tendinitis can happen to any tendon. Repeti-tive lifting of the arms can lead to shoulder prob-lems.Work that requires arm movement or liftingaway from the body, especially with the rotationof the arm at the shoulder, can cause rotator cufftendinitis.Without intervention, this can result inthe thickening of the tendons.This produces dis-comfort, a dull aching feeling in the affectedtendons and may produce reddening and localheat.


Tendons are exceedingly tough, resilient struc-tures and require only a minimal blood supply.Asa result, healing tendon damage is a slowprocess. Complete rest for the tendons overseveral weeks is necessary. Physicians may pre-scribe treatment by non-steroidal or anti-inflam-matory drugs, by the use of a splint or the appli-cation of heat. Treatment cannot be effectiveunless the motions that caused the damage inthe first place are eliminated.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is an increasinglycommon disorder caused by compression of themedian nerve.The carpal tunnel is a very narrowchannel within the bones and ligaments of thewrist. The median nerve, blood vessels andtendons used to flex the fingers pass through thischannel. When the hand is bent forwards, back-wards,or sideways, the median nerve, the tendonand their sheaths are stretched. Bending andstraightening the wrist rapidly and repeatedlywhile under load creates friction that causes

scarring of the sheath. As scar tissue builds upand pressure develops within the tunnel, thetendons, blood vessels and the nerve becomecompressed.

Impaired function of the median nerve resultsin sensations of numbness, burning, tingling, andpain. A damaged nerve impairs electrical trans-missions thus inhibiting proper motor function.Muscles of the hand may atrophy (decrease insize) and in some cases the skin of the handsdevelop a shininess or sheen.

Early symptoms are rarely recognized as beingwork-related and are often ignored.If exposure toaggravating factors continues, symptoms willworsen and eventually cause chronic pain andloss of use.To make a diagnosis of carpal tunnelsyndrome, physicians use a nerve conductiontest. If symptoms are diagnosed early and expo-sure to aggravating factors ceases, compressionof the median nerve will lessen and eventuallydisappear through natural healing. Physiciansmay prescribe a splint or wrist brace to providesupport and ensure that tissues rest.Work shouldnot be continued while wearing either of theseexternal appliances. They are only effective inrestricting movement and do nothing to restrictcompression.That is the intent of the prescribedrest period.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory med-ications such as aspirin may be prescribed. Asmall minority of cases can involve surgerywhich sometimes,but certainly not always,works.Anyone with severe carpal tunnel syndrome cannever safely return to the same work unlessworking conditions are changed.

Guyon’s Canal SyndromeGuyon’s canal syndrome, while similar to

carpal tunnel syndrome, involves an entirely dif-ferent nerve. Sometimesboth conditions are presentin the same hand. Afterleaving the side of the neck,the ulnar nerve travelsthrough the armpit, downthe arm to the hand andfingers. As it crosses thewrist, the ulnar nerve andassociated artery runthrough the tunnel knownas Guyon’s canal. Two


bones, the pisiform and hammate and the liga-ment that connects them form this tunnel.

After passing through the canal, the ulnarnerve branches out to supply feeling to the littlefinger and half the ring finger. Branches of thisnerve also supply the small muscles of thehand. If these fingers are involved in any symp-toms of numbness, compression of the ulnarnerve in Guyon’s canal may be present. It is criti-cal that the area of compression be localized toeither the wrist (Guyon’s canal), or the elbow(cubital tunnel), by physical examination andelectrical studies prior to deciding on a treat-ment plan.This syndrome is much less commonthan carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but may bepresent along with CTS.

Regardless of the location of the compressionof the ulnar nerve, the symptoms are thesame.They begin as a tingling feeling in the ringand little finger,most noticeable when first awak-ening in the morning.Without relief, this tinglingprogresses to a burning feeling followed bydecreased sensation and eventually the inabilityto grasp or hold on to objects.

Hand-Arm VibrationSyndrome (HAVS)

A worker’s body can also be damaged byvibration. The most common of these disorders,Vibration White Finger Disease, is also know asRaynaud’s phenomenon,dead hand or traumaticvasospastic disease.

The constant vibration from hand held toolscan cause damage to blood vessels resulting inan inability to supply nutrients and oxygen to thefingers. The fingers turn white, become numb,experience an increased sensitivity to tempera-ture and pain and may develop sores on the fin-gertips. If exposure to the vibration continues, achronic form of the Raynaud’s disease with per-manent disability may result. The problem canmove up into the arm as well.

The only way to cure white finger is to elimi-nate exposure to vibration. Most symptoms dis-appear with early removal from exposure.Without removal from exposure, damage will bepermanent and result in a lifelong sensitivity tocold. Shock absorbers and vibration dampeninggloves assist with prevention. Reducing the force

REGARDING HEALTH RISKSAND STRESS

55% (52% of women and 55% of men)reported working in pain or physicaldiscomfort half the days in the lastmonth.

58% Reported distaste at going to work atleast half the time.

Source: CAW/TCA Canadian Auto Parts Working Condi-tions Benchmarking Study 1995

of the grip when holding tools helps toprevent white finger disease. The mosteffective prevention is designing andpurchasing tools with little or novibration.

EpicondylitisEpicondylitis is a strain injury of

muscle and tissues in the elbow.Muscles used to bend the wrist andfingers forward and backward areattached at the upper ends to bone andligament just below the elbow joint.Theinjury can be caused by a variety of jobssuch as hammering, bricklaying, liftingwith out-stretched fingers or bending thewrist against a resisting force.

There may be tenderness and swellingin or near the elbow and pain may bemore acute if the hand is moved. Ath-letes often develop this type of RSI. Thename “tennis elbow” is also called lateralepicondylitis and “golfer’s elbow” isknown as medial epicondylitis.


BursitisA bursa is a small fluid filled, protective sac

located around joints and where ligaments andtendons pass over bones. The bursa serves toease friction caused by movement of these struc-tures against the bone. Excessive use may causeinflammation and swelling of the bursa, a condi-tion known as bursitis. In the case of the shoul-der,these protective cushions can swell and dete-riorate as a result of prolonged pressure or jolts tothe joint. The inflammation produces pain andmay restrict movement of the joint. In a severechronic case, tendinitis can develop.

Thoracic Outlet SyndromeThe nerves and blood vessels supplying the armand hand originate from the side of the

neck. Arteries arise from the aorta at thetop of the heart. Nerves exit from thespine through small openings between

each vertebra called foramen.Wherethey leave the spine, the nerves arereferred to as nerve roots. Multiple

spinal nerve roots then join together toform the nerves that will run into thearm and hand. Together, the bloodvessels and nerves travel between twomuscles in the neck (the scalenemuscles), over the top of the rib cage,under the collarbone (clavicle), through

the armpit (axilla) and down the armto the hand.The area where the nervesand vessels leave the neck between

the two scalene muscles and over the

first rib is know as the “Thoracic Outlet.”Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is a dis-

order caused by damage to, orchronic compression of, the nervesand blood vessels passing throughthe thoracic outlet. When thearms are lifted up and out fromthe body, the nerves and bloodvessels to the arms become com-pressed.Carrying heavy loads with thearms down at the side has the samecompressive effect. Compressionobstructs the flow of blood to themuscles, ligaments and tendons of the arms andhands. Chronic compression can damage themain nerve supply to those areas.Pressure on thenerve can cause numbness and weakness to theshoulder, arm or hand.

Ice decreases the size of blood vessels in thesore area,decreasing inflammation and relievingpain. Surgery to relieve the constant rubbing ofimpingement is not uncommon. When surgerybecomes necessary, its goal is to increase thespace between the acromion and the rotator cufftendons.

Other RSIs The previously described occupational injuriesand diseases does not consist of an all-inclusivelist. It is however a good start in becoming famil-iar with the more common work-related muscu-loskeletal disorders.


RSIs know no limits regarding where and howthey attack workers. Injuries can occur to theback, neck, shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, andfingers. Injuries may also occur to the legs andfeet though they are less common. Let’s look atsome of the familiar myths about RSIs.

Myth: RSIs, they are just in your head.Just because there is no visible trauma does notmean an injury is non-existent.Those who makethis claim have not themselves suffered from anRSI.RSIs are injuries that rarely can be seen.Evenso, countless researchers have shown that theseinjuries not only exist but can be extremely debil-itating.

Myth: Most repetitive strain injuries arenot work-related.In spite of its everyday name, playing tennisseldom causes “tennis elbow”. Although somenon-work activities can contribute to repetitive

strain injuries,the physical work stresses imposedby lengthy, repetitive work schedules are mostoften the cause.

Myth: Women are more vulnerable toRSIs than men.Although women have had more workers’ com-pensation claims for sprains and strains, work-place studies show when men and women are

exposed to the same working condi-tions,the rate of development of symp-toms is similar. However, women con-tinue to do most of the jobs at thehighest risk for repetitive strain injury.

Myth: Ergonomics is too costly.Employers cannot afford toinvest in jobs designed to fitworkers.The costs of inefficiencies, productquality loss, worker lost time, workerturnover, workers’ compensation andjob redesign are far greater than thecost of applying ergonomic principlesat the design stage.At the design stage,many ergonomic solutions requirelittle or no capital investment. Rather,the investment should be in properworkplace planning. Even if the work-place or work station has been poorlydesigned, many ergonomic changessuch as moving the height of a benchare low cost.


Myth: By using pre-employment screen-ing methods like x-rays, medical exams,and functional assessments employerscan screen out job applicants who arevulnerable to strains and sprains.There is no test or measurement that can predictthese disorders. All workers are at risk. In fact,many of these tests are considered discriminato-ry and thus illegal under human rights legisla-tion.

Myth: No pain, no gain.This slogan never applies to the workplace eventhough many like to compare workers to athletes.

Collective AgreementBOMBARDIER AEROSPACE,DE HAVILLAND DIVISION

AND CAW LOCAL 112The Company and the Union agree to estab-lish a site-wide Workplace Ergonomics Com-mittee, which will function as a sub commit-tee of and report to the Joint Health andSafety Committee. The Ergonomics Commit-tee mandate will be to review workplace con-ditions, tools, equipment, practices and pro-cedures relative to bargaining unit jobassignments or physical tasks and to makerecommendations regarding their design,use, modification or improvement, effective-ness and potential for injury or other nega-tive effects. The Committee’s composition,meeting frequency and format, resource andtraining requirements and other relatedmatters will be established through joint con-sultation between the Company and theUnion within the mandate of the Joint Healthand Safety Committee.

Pain is a warning signal generated by injury ordisease.Workers do not gain by working in a waythat hurts.The elimination of work practices thatcause pain should be the goal.

Myth: It is safe to keep on working ifyou take aspirin or other pain relieversto reduce the pain. Drugs may help to reduce inflammation and canreduce pain, but if workers continue to beexposed to the hazard, damage will increase.Treatment must include removal from the hazardso the affected tissues have time to heal.

Myth: Work and the natural effects ofaging cause aches, pains, stiffness, andrheumatism. They are inevitable andyou should ignore them.Studies show workers do not develop RSIs whenjobs are properly designed. Ignoring symptomsdoes nothing to change the working conditionsand lessen their disabling impacts.


PREVENTING health, safety and ergonomichazards on the job has long been a priority of theCAW. Our approach is to provide education andtraining so that people are able to recognize thehazards they experience at work. Workers knowtheir job and workplace better than anyone andare the most valuable asset in identifying hazardsand finding solutions.

Not all workplace hazards can be solvedovernight. Resources and time are required tosolve problems requiring work process andproduct design changes. The resources of theNational Union are available to assist you in yourefforts. The workplace’s ergonomic and healthand safety efforts can be assisted in many ways,from training at the workplace level, to collectivebargaining at the local and national level, to lob-bying for ergonomics regulations and enforce-ment at the political level.

“The remedy for repetitive strain injuries is toprevent the problem from occurring in thefirst place, not to wait until the pain or loss offunction is intolerable and then to subjectpeople to surgical repair work. In any case,such repairs seldom stand up to the acid testof a return to work with the result that therewill only be more agony and a return to the“repair” shop.

The solution lies in the design (or choice)of equipment, furniture and work layout tominimize postural stress, excessive ranges ofmovement and high forces; careful consider-ation of factors such as task duration, workpace and rest intervals; and effective trainingto ensure that design advantages are fol-lowed through in practice.

Early warning signs such as discomfortshould be actively sought out and taken seri-ously as an indication that one of thesefactors is moving outside suitable limitsrather than being dismissed”.

Robert Webb, PhD.President, Humansystems IncorporatedMilton, Ontario

Collective AgreementCLIPPER NAVIGATION AND CAW

LOCAL 114, VICTORIA, BC

Education and Training

No employee shall be required or allowed towork on any job or operate any piece ofequipment until he or she has receivedproper education, training and instruction.Such training shall include ergonomics train-ing.

What is an Ergonomic Process?As with everything else we do in health andsafety, ergonomics needs a process to give direc-tion to its efforts. Health and safety committeesuse monthly inspections to identify hazards.Ergonomics must also have a method to identifyergonomic hazards in the workplace. It is verylikely the ergonomic process you develop in yourworkplace will be very similar to the health and


…AND THEY’REGETTING WORSE!

Of the workers surveyed41% Said they’re health risks at work are

higher now than 2 years ago.45% Said they are more tired after work

than 2 years ago.44% Said their job is more tense than it was

2 years ago.52% Said their work load is heavier now

than 2 years ago.Source: CAW/TCA Canadian Auto Parts Working Condi-tions Benchmarking Study 1995

WORKING CONDITIONSARE BAD…

Of the workers surveyed40% Said they worked in pain at least half

the time.55% Said they couldn’t keep up the current

pace until age 60.53% Said they worked as fast as they could

most of the day.37% Said they worked in an awkward posi-

tion at least half the day.Source: CAW/TCA Canadian Auto Parts Working Condi-tions Benchmarking Study 1995

safety process. In most cases health and safetycommittees will have their duties expanded toinclude ergonomics. A good ergonomicsprocess is a joint workplace process thatincludes full consultation with and participa-tion by the health and safety committee.Larger workplaces may set up a separateergonomics committee which should worktogether with the health and safety commit-tee while smaller workplaces includeergonomics as part of the work of the healthand safety committee. The process shouldcontain the following steps:

1. Define what ergonomic hazards couldexist in the work environment.

2. Outline strategies to identify ergonomichazards in the work environment.

3. Define methods to assess the identifiedhazards.

4. Communicate the identified hazards to theaffected workers, the current controls inplace for the hazards and discuss a work planto eliminate or at least further reduce thehazards. Develop permanent solutions toeliminate or minimize the hazard.Where per-manent solutions will be delayed temporarymeasures must be implemented.

5. Use job design principles.

6. Implement and document solutions.

7. Develop a procedure to share strategies toeliminate or minimize hazards with otherlocations or areas within a location.

8. Establish a period to review and revise orupdate the ergonomic changes and/orprocess.

9. Provide education and training on theergonomics process.

10. At all stages of ergonomics, fully involvethe workers. After all, they are the onesinjured and are well placed to offer goodideas for injury prevention.

Now that you have an understanding of thedirection of ergonomics, we will move on to thenext important issue - ergonomic hazards. If youdo not know the ergonomic hazards that canexist in the workplace you cannot design thework environment to be free of such hazards.


Collective AgreementCANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

AND CAW LOCAL 101The importance of ergonomics trainingwas discussed. Both the Company and theUnion are committed to improving theenvironment for our employees and haveagreed that Union representatives will beoffered an off-site training course inergonomics. Each Union Representativewill be entitled to a one (1) full day sessionduring the life of this Agreement.

REGARDLESS OF THE industry, there are com-mon ergonomic hazards that put workers at riskof developing repetitive strain injuries. Manage-ment would prefer we take a narrow approach toidentifying ergonomic hazards and focus on themost common three – Force, Posture and Repeti-tion. As a union we believe workers deserveattention to all the details of their work andworking environment. The following list ofergonomic hazards gives a more detailed view ofthe potential hazards to be found in the work-place.Hazards can generally be divided into fourcategories, Physical, Psychological, Organization-al and Personal.

ForceForce is the effort required to accomplish a

task or element of a task. This hazard requiresclose attention, as it can be very deceptive. Wesometimes think of force in terms of heavy orawkward work. The force required to grip slip-pery or small items on a regular and constantbasis, however, may also cause damage.

PosturePosture can be divided into two categories,

“neutral vs. awkward” and “static vs. dynamic.” Inergonomic terms there are neutral positions forall of the joints in our body. Neutral postures aregenerally the body’s most naturally relaxed posi-tions. Extreme deviations from neutral positionsare what we call awkward postures.

Static postures result from job demands thatrequire us to hold our bodies in neutral or inawkward positions, in one place for prolongedperiods of time. Workers who are required tostand in one position for prolonged periods areat risk of developing varicose veins and experi-encing lower back pain.Sitting also puts the backunder static load. Dynamic postures are thosethat occur during movement.

Static LoadingStatic loading of muscles occurs during pro-

longed muscle contractions required when grip-ping a tool or part while completing a task suchas sawing or sanding. A job with much staticloading results in high stress which weakensjoints, ligaments, tendons and the contractingmuscle.A job which imposes frequent,prolongedstatic loading should be redesigned.Clamps, jigs,or other mechanical means should be used inplace of the hand.


RepetitionRepetition refers to the fre-

quency of performing a taskor movement.Repetition canbe looked at within jobcycles or, if the cycle is ofshort duration, as the entirecycle itself.Factors to consid-er when looking at repetitionare time and frequency.

Mechanical StressThis type of stress occurs when portions of the

body come in contact with hard or sharp sur-faces either repeatedly or continuously.

VibrationVibration is divided into two

categories, local and wholebody.The use of power tools arean example of local vibration.Whole body vibration is experi-enced by operators of trans-portation and construction ma-chinery, press operators, indeedby anyone who is exposed tovibration that gets transmittedthroughout the entire body.

Temperature extremesExtreme high or low temperatures are well rec-

ognized conditions that make work more diffi-cult and the body more prone to injury.Extremesare stressful and cause the body to function in adifferent manner than it otherwise would undernormal temperature conditions.Cold impairs thesense of touch and reduces hand dexterity.Extreme heat causes whole body physiologicalstrain.

NoiseNoise is a regulated physical

stressor. It is readily recognizedfor its ability to damage hear-ing.The psychological aspect isbeginning to be consideredand should be part of ergo-nomic assessments.

LightingInsufficient or excessive

lighting affects our abili-ties to accomplish ourtasks without eyestrain. Inparticular, poor lightingcauses workers to adaptpoor postures in order tobe able to see and com-plete required tasks.

Air qualityLike noise, there are regulations that enforceminimum standards of air quality. Wherever it issubstandard or borderline, we must have airquality considered in an ergonomic assessment.

Any factor that may increasepsychological stress

From experience, we intuitively recognize thecontribution stress plays on workers. Pressures ofwork such as speed up, excessive workload, toomuch overtime, lack of control at work, boredomand monotony, missed holidays or vacations, allcan contribute to stress. Harassment (from anysource, and for any reason), layoffs or the threatof layoffs, parts or equipment changes, processchanges, as well all can contribute to stress. Thelist can become quite extensive.When employerstry to move towards group work and “qualitycircles”, stress increases on workers if they areplaced in the uncomfortable position of policingeach other.

DurationDuration refers to the length of time a person

is exposed to a particular hazard or hazards.Duration may range from a 30 second cycle timeto the length of the entire workday. Nearly allergonomic research is based on an eight hourworkday. The longer the exposure to a hazard,themore the hazard will need to be reduced. Many


jobs today, from health care to mining, either vol-untarily or by design, have workers putting in 10or 12-hour shifts.The union movement fought forthe 8 hour day so workers would have more timeto rest.

Insufficient Rest Rest can be divided into two categories,

muscle group rest and whole body rest.The mus-culoskeletal system requires both to functionproperly. With short duration activities, theamount of rest required for a muscle group is dic-tated by the amount of force applied and thetime over which it is exerted. The harder andlonger the muscles work, the longer the immedi-ate recovery period required.The opposite is trueas well. Muscles recover faster and require lessrest in shorter duration and lower force activities.

At the same time, theday’s total physical activityrequires whole body rest.Consider the activities ofathletes and the activitiesof workers. It is rare for ath-letes to have a 12-monthcompetitive season. Theoff-season gives athletesthe opportunity to rest

their minds and bodies following the rigors of thecompetitive season.Like athletes,workers requirethe same down time for physical and mental rest.Where the proper rest time does not occur thebody becomes more susceptible to breakingdown. Injury and illness might be considered thebody’s way of forcing you to give it the rest itrequires. Vacations are the equivalent of anathlete’s off-season. A vacation is the negotiateddowntime for the body and mind which enablesworkers to be able to work successfully till retire-ment.

Machine paced workA job where the operator has no independent

control over machinery is machine paced work.The machine starts and stops its cycle whetherthe operator is ready or not. The pace of workmay not necessarily coincide with operators’abilities and rest periods may not coincide withthe actual amount of rest required.

Unfamiliar workThe science of ergonomics presumes workers

are properly trained and experienced with theirwork. Unfamiliar work poses a hazard on both

EASY ERGONOMICS1. Ask workers where they hurt from strains

and sprains.

2. Ask them what they think could bechanged in their job to prevent the pain.

3. If it makes sense, do it.

Collective AgreementALCAN AND CAW LOCAL 2301,

KITIMAT, BCArea OH&S Committees will develop relevantsub committees such as accident investiga-tion review and ergonomics. These commit-tees will meet and report regularly, as deter-mined by the area OH&S Committee. Themembership of these committees will bemade up of an equal number of union andmanagement appointees.

The union Modified Work and BenefitsRepresentative shall participate in theErgonomics Committee.

the body and the mind. Proper job training andbreak-in times are essential. Jobs must bedesigned in such a way that they are understand-able and can be done safely in the allotted time.

Shift workShift work negatively affects the body’s normal

biorhythms and is documented as having anaffect on a person’s overall physical and mentalstate and ability to function.

AgeGeneral studies on aging have found that the

average 60-year-old North American male retains80% of the physical strength of an average NorthAmerican 25-year-old male. But jobs in manyworkplaces are designed for 100% able-bodiedhealthy young men. The 1992-1994 CAW Bench-marking Studies on Working Conditions foundmany of our older members not only feared thecurrent workloads and work pace but werehighly concerned about being able to keep upuntil age 65. Ergonomic research is generallyconducted on groups that contain old andyoung,tall and short,strong and weak.Because ofthis, researchers claim that age is accounted in


the averages it calculates.Our experience as workers is immensely dif-

ferent. We come to the workforce with our ownpeculiarities. Our body’s ability to withstand therigors of age is one of these peculiarities. Somepeople never experience the pain of arthritis.Forothers, the onset of this disease begins relativelyearly in life. It is obvious to all of us that wecannot work at the same pace in our fifties as wecould in our twenties. This is one of the reasonswe treasure a seniority structure that allows olderworkers to move to preferred areas and jobs.

GenderIt was not long ago that many workplaces were

dominated by men and jobs in the workplacewere designed accordingly. in today’s environ-ment, where a progressively increasing percent-age of the workforce is female, it is illogical anddangerous to continue designing jobs only formen. Our sisters have the right to any job in theworkplace so every job should be designed withthe differences between men and women inmind. Force requirements must consider weakeroperators, reach requirements must considershorter workers. Height requirements must con-sider both tall and short operators.

PregnancyWhen population averages

are studied, they do notinclude pregnant women.From a biomechanicalstandpoint, the progressivechanges in the body’sdimensions and center ofgravity increase the distancefrom the spine that loads arelifted and carried. What were previ-ously considered safe loads can become unsafe.The risk for injury increases greatly when spinalloading increases. Additionally, hormonalchanges and increased swelling in the femalebody during pregnancy increase the risk ofinjury.

Workers, health and safety committees,supervisors, and engineers must be able toidentify ergonomic hazards and must beaware of the increased risk of injury when


multiple hazards work together. Only thencan they begin to work towards effectivecontrol and ultimately the elimination ofRSIs in the workplace.

Have you ever been “hot under the collar”when a supervisor has criticizedyou unfairly before yourfellow workers? If this hashappened to you, youwere exhibiting a stressresponse.

Types of stressorsinclude: physical stres-sors such as heat or cold;chemical stressors such as carbonmonoxide or ammonia; and emotional stressorssuch as speed up or harassment by a supervisor.

The Stress ResponseThese stressors produce a biological reaction

in a person which is called a stress response.Thestress response includes increased blood pres-sure; increased metabolism (eg. faster heartbeatand breathing); increased stomach acids;increased production of blood sugar for energy;faster blood clotting; increased cholesterol andfatty acids in blood for energy productionsystems and decreases in the synthesis ofprotein, digestion, immunity and allergic re-sponse systems.

The stress response is therefore called “non-specific”. Regardless of the type of stress (physi-cal, chemical, or emotional) the biologicalresponse is always the same.

The stress response undoubtedly served auseful function in primitive humans. Confrontedby a physical threat, the body understandablyactivates its alarm system so that maximumenergy is available for meeting and combatingan emergency, or for fleeing, if that is the logicalalternative. Because of this, the stress response issometimes called the “fight or flight” reaction.

Stress can cause ill healthThe reason that too much stress is harmful is

because the biological aspects of the stressresponse can produce ill health. The stressresponse is useful in the short run but whenstress is chronic, it can lead to many harmful dis-eases. The stress response was designed to beused only for a short period of time. At work,however,we are exposed to stress throughout ourshift, during the work week and often during ourentire lives at work.

Chronic stress can produce harmful effectssuch as excessive production of stomach acidscombined with steroid production (also part ofthe stress response) which eats away at the

REGARDING JOB INSECURITYAND FAMILY LIFE

78% (79% of women and 78% of men) ofthose under the age of 50 felt it wasunlikely they could sustain their currentwork pace until age 60.

77% (86% of women and 75% of men)reported having enough energy fortheir families after work half the timeor less.



stomach lining and can produce peptic ulcers.Heart disease can result from a rise in cholesteroland changes in fatty acid and blood-sugarcontent, all part of the stress response.The lattereffect of course can contribute to diabetes.Persons exposed to excessive stress producefewer white blood cells increasing their suscepti-bility to infectious diseases.

Reducing the Stress ResponseAdverse physical stresses must be reduced if

the effects of ill health are to be eliminated. It isimportant to remember that a physical stresssuch as noise can produce the stress response ata level below that required to produce hearingloss. Chemical agents should be reduced tolevels below those recommended in order to

protect workers from ill health effects specific tothat chemical.

Reducing the emotional stressors in the work-place is a difficult task but is central to the com-plete application of ergonomics. Job securitythrough seniority provided in union contractsand control of the employer’s authority throughunion protection are important first steps downthe road to reducing the level of stress in theworkplace.

Fighting speed up and pressures to increasethe pace of work, giving workers more controlover their work, ensuring workers’ concernsabout tool, work station and workplace designare listened to and their needs met are importantsteps in reducing the emotional or work organi-zational causes of stress.


International RSIAWARENESS DAY

The last day of February each year is used topromote awareness of sprains and strainsinjuries. An email from a Canadian injuredworker proposed February 29th, 2000 as thevery first International RSI Awareness Daybecause it was the only non-repetitive day ofthe year. Via the internet, the idea spread tomany other countries. In non-leap years it isobserved on February 28. In 2001, the CAWlaunched a national campaign for ergonomicregulations on International RSI AwarenessDay.

A VARIETY OF procedures may be used to iden-tify ergonomic hazards. Every workplace shouldjointly develop procedures to identify ergonomichazards as part of the ergonomics process.

Unfortunately, first aid and medical statisticsare among our strongest arguments for imple-menting an ergonomics program.We wish we didnot have to point out injuries before changesoccur but they do provide workplace-specificproof of the need for change. In the situationwhere your employer has more than one facility,supporting evidence may be derived from firstaid and medical data from other facilities. Statis-tical information should be easily accessiblesince statistics are not confidential.Occupationalhealth and safety legislation outlines the right ofworker health and safety representatives toobtain information.

Workers’ compensation statistics may also beextremely helpful but in some cases there isunder-reporting due to the system of experiencerating. Experience rating means that workers’compensation assessments on employers (theseassessments are 100% paid by employers) varyaccording to the costs of workers’ acceptedclaims. Employers may get an increase in their

assessments if the costs go up and may getreduced assessments or rebates if the costs godown. Many employers react to this by discour-aging workers from making workers’ compensa-tion claims or engage in inappropriate return towork practices.

Employers must instead be persuaded toprevent injuries from occurring in the first place.Workplaces with high injury rates have a greateropportunity to make workplace improvements.Smart employers should see the cost of theirinjuries as a ready-made budget to improve par-ticular jobs and implement an overall ergonomicprogram. Very smart employers will realize thatworkers’ compensation assessments and repeat-ed injuries are continual expenses whereas elim-inating the risk is a one time cost.

Some of the regulated and negotiable proce-dures which will help to provide you with evi-dence of the need to make ergonomicchanges in your workplace may include anyof the following:

1) Oral and Written Complaints andRecordsO Worker complaints and concernsO Worker surveys and questionnairesO Work refusalsO First aid reportsO Injury and illness reportsO Accident investigation reportsO Workers’ compensation, short and

long term disability benefit recordsO Policy, guidelines or procedure

reviews

2) Health and safety committee workplaceinspections

3) Past experience with similar hazards4) Ergonomic and health and safety check-

lists5) Application of ergonomic standards and

or guidelines


Workers’ Symptoms SurveyName:_________________________________________ Date: _________________________________________

Department: ___________________________________ Job/Position: ___________________________________

Other jobs you have done in the last year for more than 2 weeks:

Department: ________________ Position Held: ________________ Time on Job: _________________



(Include jobs you worked on the most)

Have you had any pain or discomfort in the upper extremities during the last year?

l Yes l No

If YES, carefully shade in the area of the drawing representing the body part that bothers you the MOST.


Put a check beside the body area where you experience symptoms:

l Neck l Shoulder l Elbow/Forearm l Hand/Wrist l Fingers

l Upper Back l Low Back l Thigh/Knee l Low Leg l Ankle/Foot

(The following series of 13 questions must be completed separately for each of the above checked areas)

1. Put a check beside the words that best describe the problem:

l Aching l Numbness (asleep) l Tingling

l Burning l Pain l Weakness

l Cramping l Swelling l Other

l Stiffness

2. When did you first notice the problem? Month________________________Year________

3. How long does each episode last? (Mark an X along the line)

_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 6 Months

4. How many separate episodes have you had in the past year? ______________________________________

5. What do you think caused the problem? ________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Have you had this problem within the past week or two? l Yes l No

Symptoms Survey (continued

7. How would you rate this problem? (Mark an X on the line)

NOW

____________________________________________________________________________________Faint Ubearable

When the problem is at its WORST

____________________________________________________________________________________Faint Ubearable

8. Have you had any medical treatment for this problem? l Yes l No

9. If NO, why not? _____________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________


10. If YES, where did you receive treatment?

l At Work Number of times in the past year? ____________________________________

l Personal Physician Number of times in the past year? ____________________________________

l Other Number of times in the past year? ____________________________________

Did treatment help? l Yes l No

11. How many workdays have you lost in the last year because of this problem? _________________________

12. How many days in the last year were you on restricted or light duty?________________________________

13. Please comment on what you think would help improve your symptoms.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Symptoms Survey (continued


Computers:Workers’ Symptoms Survey

Please complete the following:

1. Does your workstation ensure proper posture, allowing for…

Horizontal thighs? l Yes l No

Vertical lower legs? l Yes l No

Feet flat on the floor or on a foot rest? l Yes l No

Neutral wrists? l Yes l No

2. Does your chair…

Adjust easily? l Yes l No

Have a padded seat with a rounded front? l Yes l No

Have an adjustable backrest? l Yes l No

Provide Lumbar Support l Yes l No

Have casters? How many? ________________ l Yes l No

3. Are the height and tilt of the work surface on which the keyboard islocated adjustable l Yes l No

4. Is the keyboard detachable? l Yes l No

5. Do keying actions require minimal force? l Yes l No

6. Is there an adjustable document holder? l Yes l No

7. Are arm rests provided where needed? l Yes l No

8. Are monitor and/or eyeware glare and reflections avoided? l Yes l No

9. Does the monitor have brightness and contrast controls? l Yes l No

10. Do you judge the distance between your eyes and the monitor to besatisfactory for your viewing needs? l Yes l No

11. Is there sufficient space for your knees and feet? l Yes l No

12. Can the workstation be used for right and left-handed activity? l Yes l No

13. Are adequate rest breaks provided for task demands? l Yes l No

14. Can prolonged, high keystroke rates be avoided by self pacing? l Yes l No

15. Have you been trained in…

Proper posture? l Yes l No

Proper work methods? l Yes l No

When and how to adjust your workstation? l Yes l No

How to seek assistance for your concerns? l Yes l No


Notes

53

THE HEALTH and safety committee or theergonomic committee must develop proceduresto identify hazards and then decide the priorityof each. Once hazards have been prioritized, thecommittee should determine by what methodsthe hazards will be measured in further detail.

Workplaces may use one, or a combination, ofthe following ergonomic approaches:

1) Common sense approach2) Technical approach

Common Sense ApproachWith a common sense or subjective approach,

workplaces depend much less on technicalergonomic tools. Ask workers where they hurt.Ask them what they think would make their jobbetter and less painful. Using the suggestionsdescribed in this manual, your understanding ofjob design principles, information you havelearned in any ergonomic courses you may havetaken and your own experience,devise a solutionto the problem. Persuade the employer to makethe change. See how it works in practice. In con-sultation with the workers concerned,change it ifnecessary. This approach is most practical for

REGARDING WORKLOAD ANDCHANGE IN WORKLOAD

75% (69% of women and 76% of men)reported their workload as either:

O too fastO too heavyO done by too few people, orO done in too little time

73% (68% of women and 73% of men)reported that in the last two years hadincreased in at least one of the abovefour categories.


small workplaces without many resources.Patience and the use of a “practice makesperfect”method are required.The advantages arespeed and ease in evaluating hazards. A disad-vantage may be accuracy.

Technical ApproachA technical or objective approach uses many

of the scientific ergonomic research tools avail-able. We will not describe these tools in detailhere as it is beyond the scope of this manual.These tools go by names such as NIOSH LiftingEquation, Snook Tables and the like. See theappendix for internet sites where you can findout more information about these tools. In mostcases,people using these tools have special train-ing in ergonomics and should be certifiedergonomists.Nonetheless,even the experts some-times battle over which tools are appropriate touse for a given issue. Like any imperfect science,there will be instances where there may be notool available to address the problem. It shouldbe noted that there is no single tool that can

IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT – A Manual for Workers


Contract LanguageERGONOMIC PILOT PROJECT

The parties agreed to establish a joint task-force consisting of representatives from theCAW and from management to focus specif-ically on four ergonomic concerns. Theseconcerns include working overhead, walkingbackwards/sideways, working in crampedpostures and over extended reach. The goalof this taskforce will be to identify operationscontaining these factors and to make recom-mendations for the reduction/elimination ofthem.Bargained 1999 CAW/Daimler Chrysler Collective Agreement

assess every hazard.Many of the ergonomic toolsare hazard specific.The disadvantage with a tech-nical approach is that it can be time consumingif you have multiple hazards and jobs to assess.An ergonomist may use an ergonomic tool,decide a job is adequately designed and thus nochange is necessary. But the worker still hurts!When this happens, it is the job of the union rep-resentative to continue to argue for ergonomicimprovements. Remember, ergonomics shouldimprove jobs for every worker, not just the“average”worker.

Combination ApproachOften, health and safety committee members

may not have the time or expertise to use a tech-nical approach to ergonomic hazard assessmenteven though they realize that a critical, objectiveeye is needed. A quick and easy resource to aidthe technical or objective approach is to apply anergonomic checklist. Many workplaces use rela-tively short, quick yet somewhat technical check-lists as a way to identify and prioritize hazards ina short period of time. No real expertise isneeded other than proper training in how toapply the checklist accurately and consistently.There is no such thing as the perfect checklist.They can vary greatly depending on the work-place and type of work. Many workplacesdevelop their own checklist with the assistanceof someone with technical knowledge inergonomics.The checklist in this manual will giveyou a good start.

An Example ofa Hazard Assessment

Consider the following example. The work-place has a job where workers are required toregularly lift and carry a 16 kilogram object.Thecommittee will need to come to an agreement asto how they will assess such a hazard.

Common Sense Approach“We have had several workers sustain injuries

where they were required to lift and carry morethan 16 kilograms.As well our records show thatfor some workers 16 kg’s was too heavy and assis-tance was required. Therefore we will aim toreduce all lifting loads to 13 kg’s and provideassistance where necessary.”

Technical ApproachThis approach must decide which ergonomic

tool will be used to assess the lifting and carryinghazard. The available list of tools for this type ofrisk includes:

O NIOSH Lifting EquationO Snook and Cirello Lifting TablesO Mital TablesO University of Michigan 3D Biomechanical

ModelEach of the tools in the list can be legitimately

applied in this example. Each has its strengthsand weaknesses depending on the specific situa-tion. Choosing the appropriate tool or toolsrequires advanced ergonomic education andtraining and work experience.

RISKFACTORS

RISK FACTORCATEGORY

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

6.Pinch more than

1 kg.

7.Neck:

Twist bend(twisting neck >20°,

bending neck forward>20° or back <5°)

8.Shoulder:

Unsupported arm orelbow above mid-torso

height

321

0

1

1

2

2

3


ERGONOMIC RISK FACTOR CHECKLIST

UPPER EXTREMITY RISK FACTOR CHECKLIST

Date: ______________ Analyst: ________________ Job: ________________ Location: _________________

Upper LimbMovements

Keyboard Use

Hand Force(Repetitive or Static)

EXPOSUREIs the risk

factor presentwithin the job

or task?

0% to25% oftotal job

time

25% to50% of

time

50% to100% of

time

If total timefor job is>8 hrs.,add 0.5per hour

TIME

1.Moderate:

Steady motion withregular pauses

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

2.Intensive:

Rapid steady motionwithout regular pauses

3.Intermittent keying

4.Intensive keying

0 1 2

1

0

0

0

1

1

3

2 3

5.Squeezing hand with

the hand in apower grip

k YES

k NO0 1 3

AwkwardPostures

SCO

RE

Do this checklist for each job. Higher scores mean more problems. Higher scores determine your priorities fordeveloping ergonomic solutions.

TOTAL UPPER EXTREMITY SCORE


13.Localized vibration

(without dampening)

14.Whole-body vibration(without dampening)

15.Lighting

(poor illuminationor glare)

16.Adverse temperatures

17.One control factor

present = 1Two or more controlfactors present = 2

0

0

0 0 0

0 0 0

1 2

1 2

RISK FACTORCATEGORY

RISKFACTORS

EXPOSUREIs the risk


or task?


time

25% to50% of

time

50% to100% of

time


TIME

SCO

RE

9.Rapid forearm

rotation

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

10.Wrist:Bend

ordeviate

11.Hard/Sharp objects

press into skin

12.Using the palm ofthe hand or wrist

as a hammer

Contact Stress

Vibration

Environment

Control OverWork Pace

0 1 2

1

0

1

1

2

2

3

2 3

Extension

Flexion

RadialDeviation

UlnarDeviation


RISKFACTORS

RISK FACTORCATEGORY

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

23.Standing stationary or

inadequate foot supportwhile standing

24.Foot action (pedal).Standing stationary

with inadequate footsupport, balancing

25.Kneeling/squatting

26.Hip abduction

(repetitive/prolonged)

27.Repetitive ankle

(extension/flexion)

1

0

0

2

1

1

3

2

2

BACK AND LOWER EXTREMITY RISK FACTOR CHECKLIST

Date: ______________ Analyst: ________________ Job: ________________ Location: _________________

AwkwardPostures

EXPOSUREIs the risk


or task?


time

25% to50% of

time

50% to100% of

time


TIME

18.Mild forward or

side bending of torsomore than 20° but

less than 45°

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

19.Severe forward

bending of torsomore than 45°

20.Backward bending

of torso

21.Twisting of torso

22.Prolonged sittingwithout adequate

back support

0 1 2

1

0

1

0

0

0

1

2

1

0

1

2

3

2

1

2

2 3

SCO

RE

TOTAL BACK AND LOWER EXTREMITY SCORE

PLUS Total Upper Extremity Score

PLUS Manual Handling Checklist Step II Score

PLUS Manual Handling Checklist Step III Score

TOTAL: ERGONOMIC RISK FACTOR CHECKLIST TOTAL SCORE


RISKFACTORS

RISK FACTORCATEGORY

31.Moderate load

32.Heavy load

33.One control factor

present = 1Two or more controlfactors present = 2

ContactStress

Vibration

Push/Pull

Control OverWork Pace

EXPOSUREIs the risk


or task?


time

25% to50% of

time

50% to100% of

time


TIME

28.Hard/sharp objects

press into skin

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YES

k NO

k YESk NO

k YESk NO

29.Using the knee as ahammer or kicker

30.Whole-body vibration(without dampening)

0 1 2

1

1

0

1

2

2

1

2

3

3

2

3

SCO

RE

k YES

k NO

44. Lift while seated/kneeling 1

Factor


STEP III SCORE

MANUAL HANDLING CHECKLIST

Determine if the liftis near, middle, or far

(body to hands)

– Use an average horizonaldistance if a lift is madeevery 10 minutes or less.

– Use the largest horizon-tal distance if more than 10minutes pass between lifts.

Estimate theweight lifted(Kilograms)

– Use an average weightif a lift is made every 10minutes or less.

– Use the heaviestweight if more than 10minutes pass betweenlifts.

– Enter 0 in the totalscore if the weight is4 kg. or less.

NEAR LIFT MIDDLE LIFT FAR LIFT34(a). STEP I:

34(b). STEP II: NEAR LIFT MIDDLE LIFT FAR LIFT

DANGERZONE

DANGERZONE

CAUTIONZONE

CAUTIONZONE

SAFEZONE

SAFEZONE

DANGERZONE

CAUTIONZONE

SAFEZONE

More than23 kg.

5* points

8-23 kg.

3 points

Less than8 kg.

9 points

More than16 kg.

6 points

5-16 kg.

3 points

Less than5 kg.

0 points

More than13 kg.

6 points

4-13 kg.

3 points

Less than4 kg.

3 points

35. Twist torso during lift

36. Lift one-handed

37. Lift unexpected loads

38. Lift 1-5 times/minute

39. Lift > 5 times/minute

40. Lift above the shoulder

41. Lift below the knuckle

42. Carry objects 10-30 feet

43. Carry objects > 30 feet

Occasional lifts(<1hr./shift)

Frequent lifts(>1hr./shift)34(b). STEP III:

Determine the points forother risk factors

– Use occasional lifts if more than 10minutes pass between lifts.

– Use the more than 1 hour points ifthe risk factor occurs with most liftsand lifing is performed for more than1 hour.

1

1

1

1

2

1

1

1

2

1

2

2

1

3

2

2

2

3

2

*If lifts are performced more than 15 times per shift, use 6 points. STEP II SCORE:


ALL TOO OFTEN, problems are discussed andsolutions are developed without including all thekey people. Anyone with a vested interest in theproblem should assist with developing solutions,especially and most importantly the workers whohave had problems and who will be affected bythe change. It is important to ensure that every-one who can provide valuable input be includedand given the opportunity to provide feedback.Unfortunately, the perfect “paper” solution is of-ten not a workable answer.Those who have directexperience with the problem and/or an under-standing of past solutions will provide the mostvaluable insight. In all cases where hazards areidentified, it is essential to communicate withand include the affected worker(s) when devel-oping solutions.The affected workers are the trueexperts and will be the people most affected bythe applied solutions.The health and safety com-mittee’s job can often be simplified by tappinginto the ideas of someone who, in all likelihood,already has some good ideas for eliminating thehazard.

Keep in mind that the ultimate responsibilitylies with the employer. All provinces, territoriesand the federal jurisdiction have “duties ofemployer” clauses as part of their occupationalhealth and safety legislation. Employers arerequired to “take every precaution reasonable inthe circumstance for the protection of a worker”(wording from Ontario Occupational Health andSafety Act.) Worker input is smart, worker input isimportant, but responsibility remains with theemployer.

Below you will find a few important tips toremember when developing solutions to controlworkplace hazards:

O Employers should aim to permanentlycontrol hazards to below prescribed expo-sure levels where they exist by preferablyeliminating or at least significantly reducingthe exposure.

O Employers should further reduce exposure

where injuries/illnesses continue to occur,regardless of whether the technical calcula-tions would require change.

O Where permanent engineering controls willbe delayed, interim administrative controlsshould be implemented immediately.

O When hazards cannot be eliminated orreduced other measures such as personalprotective equipment (PPE) or administra-tive controls such as job rotation, workenlargement, work rest cycling, or work reor-ganization should be implemented.

O New solutions should not create new hazardsin the work environment.

O Education and training should only be usedto supplement other forms of prevention andcontrol and not be seen as a control itself.

Hazard Control There are two main methods of controlling

ergonomic hazards:1) Engineering controls (permanent solutions)2) Administrative controls (interim or tempo-

rary solutions)


O Redesigning the product being producedO Redesigning the production processO Redesigning the organization of the work

Administrative ControlsEven though administrative controls should

never be considered as permanent solutions toan ergonomic problem, they are often a largepart of the solution when engineering controlsare not immediately available or feasible.Admin-istrative controls should be used as a last resortwhere hazards cannot be entirely eliminated orreduced. They should be used to temporarilyreduce exposure to hazards and should be fol-lowed up with permanent solutions.Three typesof administrative controls are listed below:

1) Job Rotation2) Work/Rest Cycling (2 types)3) Job Enlargement

1. Job RotationAlthough this method is by no means a solu-

tion to an ergonomic problem, it can be usefulwhen engineering controls are not feasible oruntil long-term, permanent changes are made.When implementing a job rotation schedule it isimportant to ensure good sound ergonomictheory is used. The intent of job rotation is toreduce the repetition risk factor and insureworkers have the ability to use different musclegroups at each stage of the rotation. Job rotationis only effective when all the jobs in the rotationare properly designed and workers are notsimply being rotated between several poorlydesigned jobs.

Contract LanguageERGONOMIC COMMITTEES

AND MEETINGSAs for the frequency of local joint ergonomiccommittee meetings, these meetings shall beat least monthly. A forum shall be estab-lished for reporting the ergonomic commit-tee recommendations to management. Timeallotment for committee members toperform ergonomic committee functions willbe determined.Bargained 1996 CAW/General Motors Collective Agreement

ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTSEngineering departments often have differ-ent roles in different workplaces. In manymanufacturing settings engineering spansthe range from product and process designright through to facility maintenance. As partof product design, engineering may also beresponsible for product quality and forsetting production standards to assemble theproducts. Ergonomics needs to be integratedthroughout these processes. It is counterpro-ductive to design products that cannot beassembled without the risk of injury. Processdesign and production standards should relyheavily on ergonomics. If a product isdesigned with human abilities in mind for theuser of the product, so too should theprocess used to manufacture the product bedesigned to be within human capabilities.Both engineering disciplines, product designand manufacturing design, must worktogether to ensure people’s needs are met.

Engineering Controls Engineering controls are permanent solutions.

This is the preferred control method since it isdesigned to eliminate the hazard.These types ofcontrols correct ergonomic hazards at thesource. Some examples of engineering controls:

O Replacing manual tools with powered toolsO Installing a mechanical assist to eliminate a

lifting task


2. Work/Rest CyclingWork/rest cycling can occur in two forms, by

providing ergonomic relief or by adding addi-tional workers. Ergonomic relief reduces hazardexposure and provides the necessary recoveryfrom exposure by providing a worker with addi-tional, frequent breaks.This control is particularlyuseful when dealing with hazards like heat stress,high frequency work or excessive force. Addingan extra person to assist with a task while devel-oping and implementing permanent controlshelps to contain and minimize hazard exposure.

3. Job enlargementThe modern push for increased production

rates and efficiency has resulted in shrinkingcycle times and ever increasing repetitive move-ments in our work. Job enlargement is a conceptthat attempts to address the problem by expand-ing the number and kind of tasks we do into alonger time frame. Properly implemented, jobenlargement enables workers to increase thevariety of muscle groups required to completetheir work thereby reducing the repetition on anygiven body part over any given time period. Anauto factory enlargement might look somethinglike this:

An operation with a high level of awkwardposture is combined with two other jobs havingno postural hazards.The cycle time is tripled and3 workers are individually responsible for all thetasks on every third vehicle rather than eachworker having a smaller number of tasks onevery vehicle.

This concept can be used in any work setting.Office workers charged with data input couldhave their responsibilities enlarged to includefiling, photocopying, answering phones and anyother duties that would allow them the opportu-

REGARD CONTROLAND AUTONOMY

58% of workers surveyed reported they hadlittle if any opportunity to vary thepace of their work during the day.


nity to move around and utilize different musclegroups in different postures.

Like rotation, this effort is only effective whenall the elements of the enlarged job are properlydesigned and workers are not simply beingexposed to new, unsafe tasks.

A well thought out plan to reduce risk mayinclude a combination of engineering andadministrative controls. Suggestions for engineer-ing controls can be found in Step 5: Principles forJob Design.

Wrist and Back Support DevicesWrist supports, elbow splints and back braces

are becoming too common in workplaces.Thesewere all designed as medical devices to be usedfor treatment when prescribed by a physician.They are intended to restrict movement in aneffort to supply rest to an injured area.They werenever intended to be marketed as “ergonomic”solutions and should not be used for control-ling ergonomic hazards. Their use outside themedical arena is a classic example of attemptingto fit a worker to the job,which is the opposite ofthe intent of ergonomics.

There is no evidence to show back beltsreduce back injuries.

After a review of the scientific literature,NIOSH (National Institute for OccupationalSafety and Health) in the U.S.has concluded that,because of limitations of the studies that haveanalyzed workplace use of back belts, the results


cannot be used to either support or refute theeffectiveness of back belts in injury reduction.

One large U.S. retail hardware chain requiredworkers to wear back belts and claimed a 34%reduction in back injuries. What they failed tomention is, at the same time, they introducedmore lift trucks, exercise programs and manda-

WEIGHTLIFTING OR LUMBAR SUPPORT BELTSIN MANUAL MATERIALS HANDLING WORK

Produced by Professional and Specialized Services and the Occupational Health andSafety Branch, Ontario Ministry of Labour.

INTRODUCTION: The Ministry of Labour has received inquiries about the use of weightlifting or lumbarsupport belts or “back belts” in the workplace. The question asked is whether they will reduce the riskof low back injuries in jobs, which involve the manual lifting and moving of materials. These belts shouldnot be used generally as a means of preventing back injuries. They are suitable in certain well-definedcircumstances (outlined below), but there is no evidence that they reduce the load on the back in mate-rials handling work. However, there is solid evidence that job redesign — workplace changes based onergonomics principles — does reduce the load on the back and prevents back injuries.

BACKGROUND: There are conflicting findings as to the usefulness of back belts in the scientific litera-ture:

O Some literature suggests that belts act to increase intra-abdominal pressure during lifting. In turnthis is believed by some authors to increase back support and consequently back stability. On theother hand, the increase in intra-abdominal pressure causes an increase in cardiovascular stress. Thewearing of the belts by people with cardiovascular disease is not advised. Moreover, the presenceof cardiovascular disease is not always apparent.

O Another possible advantage suggested by some authors is that the belts are likely to make usersmore aware that they are bending to the side or twisting, and so may make them limit these activ-ities. Both sideways bending and twisting should be avoided during materials handling work.

O Despite the fact that weightlifters commonly use these belts, they do not reduce the muscular effortrequired to perform lifts. Weightlifters do not gain any biomechanical advantage by using them. Abelt may assist a highly skilled weightlifter but if so, the belt helps only indirectly, by improvingnervous system co-ordination during symmetrical, high-weight lifts. In any case, competitiveweightlifting cannot be taken as a guide in occupational materials handling since it is a very differ-ent kind of physical activity.

O There are concerns that long-term, habitual use of the belts may cause a loss of strength in theabdominal muscles. In turn, this may lead to back injuries when the person is not wearing the belt.Some evidence does suggest that injuries increase in people who are not wearing a belt after aperiod of wearing one.

O Another cause for concern is that back belts may give wearers a false sense of security, with theresult that they may injure themselves by handling loads beyond their physical abilities.

O Finally, wearers of some types of belts have complained of excessive heat under the belt or pres-sure and pinching of ribs.

GUIDELINES: The weight of the evidence on back belts suggests that they do not offer benefits inreducing occupational injury rates or absenteeism. Back injuries are a serious problem in Ontario work-places: the use of back belts will not prevent these injuries. Prevention of back injuries can best beaccomplished by following accepted ergonomic principles in designing jobs, tools and work environ-ments. An important adjunct to good ergonomic design is education in wellness and back care for bothworkers and managers. Back belts do have a place in the treatment of low back pain, particularly in thecase of a person returning to work after an injury. It is recommended that they be worn at work onlyon the advice of the worker’s physician or chiropractor.

tory drug testing. Would you report back pain ifthe boss told you you had to then pee into abottle?

We are opposed to workers routinely usingback belts. When workers wear back belts theymay think they are stronger than they are and liftobjects that are too heavy.


THERE ARE THREE keys to RSI prevention.

Key #1 – Proactively design the work envi-ronment using ergonomics. Proactive ergo-nomics attempts to design the work environmentproperly so injuries do not occur at all.This is theonly genuine method of injury prevention.Redesigning unsafe jobs is not injury preventionbut rather a reactive approach to a problem.Thatdoes not mean the effort has no value,only that areactive ergonomic process should not be con-fused with a proactive or preventative process.There are benefits for everyone involved inproactive ergonomics. Management often arguesabout the expense of incorporating ergonomicsinto the original design but studies have repeat-edly shown that the costs to redesign are farhigher. Smart employers understand that properjob design benefits everyone.

Key #2 – Redesign the work environmentwhere bad jobs exist. Ask workers if they are inpain and what suggestions they may have forimprovements to their job to eliminate theproblem. Then implement what they suggest.And,“if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”Just because the first attempt did not work doesnot mean you cannot make it work.Most hazardsrequire only minor changes to make majorimprovements for workers.Your thinking must becreative. In many cases, the worker can supplythe solution for improvement by explaining whysomething did not work. Don’t reinvent thewheel. Find others who have had a similarproblem and determine whether all or part oftheir solution will work for you.

Key #3 – Anthropometry is the foundationupon which ergonomics is built. Anthropom-etry is the study of the physical and functionaldimensions of the human body. Ergonomics usesanthropometry to define the “average human”and then attempts to design as broadly as possi-ble around that. Is average really average? Wemust recognize that physical differences crossmany lines, particularly ethnicity and gender.Many people from Asia or Central America are

considerably smaller in stature than North Amer-icans.To illustrate the differences in anthropome-try,P.Ashby (Ergonomics Handbook 1 – Body sizeand strength) showed that,using available data,apiece of equipment designed to fit 90% of theNorth American male population, would fitapproximately 90% of Germans, 80% of French-men, 65% of Italians, 25% of Thais, and only 10%of Vietnamese.These calculations used 1979 dataand may no longer be relevant as better nutritionand medical care has altered the physical size ofsome populations. They do, however, give us anidea as to the difficulty faced when workplacesare designed and why we need to be aware thatbody size plays a very significant role in jobdesign. We cherish the diversity in our unionwhich reflects our multi-cultural Canadiansociety.We must do our utmost to ensure all ourmembers are protected from harm.

Those involved in workplace ergonomics willfind after the experiences and informationobtained from operator complaints and medicalvisits, the next most critical sources of informa-tion are anthropometric and strength data. Inorder to design any workplace properly there aresome basic ergonomic design principles thatmust be applied.We have divided design princi-ples into 5 categories,O Workstation design principlesO Work organization principlesO Tools and equipment design principlesO Manual material handling design principlesO Display, control and auditory signal design

principles


To prevent hand and wrist disorders, tools andequipment should be designed to keep handsand wrists in the same position as they would beif they were hanging relaxed at your side. Theshape of each tool should be made to preventawkward hand positions.Look at these modifica-tions of traditional knives, for example, makingcutting in various situations much easier.

Bend the tool,not your wrist.Sometimes a toolthat is correct for one operation is incorrect inanother.

Well-designed tools reduce repetitive motions.For example, the hazards of working continuous-ly with an ordinary screwdriver can be reducedwith a tool that incorporates a pistol grip toprovide for a straighter wrist and better leverage,a “yankee drill” mechanism which rotates the bitwhen the tool is pushed forward; and a ratchetdevice to drive hard-to-move screws efficiently.

Your thumb and finger should slightly overlaparound a closed grip.

A hand grip should not be so large that it is dif-ficult to grasp, close or hold. The grip cannot betoo small either, causing strain just to hold.

The handle or grip should be about 10 cm. to

O Well-designed tools and equipment allowworkers to maintain wrists in a neutralposture.

O Tools and equipment should comfortableand easy to handle.

O Tools and equipment that accommodateboth left and right-handed workers should bereadily available.

O Allow more comfort for workers by providingadjustable grips or different size tools.

O Tool and equipment handles should becovered with comfortable slip-resistant mate-rials.

O Workers should not use tools with sharpedges or short handles that place contactstress on palms of hands.

O Where possible substitute power tools formanual tools.

O Power tools should be well balanced to elim-inate or at least reduce awkward postures orapplications of high force.

O Select power tools and equipment with anti-vibration properties.Use handle coatings thatsuppress vibration.

Tools and equipment must be properlymaintained and in good working order.

IN A POULTRY PROCESSING PLANT A VARIETY OF SPECIAL KNIFE HANDLES WERE DEVELOPEDSO THAT EACH CUT COULD BE MADE WITH STRAIGHT WRIST


“Trigger Finger”is a common problem that canbe caused by using some pneumatic tools inassembly jobs. The trigger should work easily toreduce the effort needed to pull it. Some designsprovide for the use of the middle finger. Somedesigns use a thumb trigger.

Many hand toolsshould have twohandles to permitbetter manipulationand easier holdingof the tool. Double-handed tools shouldhave stoppers toavoid any pinchpoints.

Hand tools shouldnot be too heavy foreasy handling.

“Repetitive strain injuries must be treated early. Late treatment guarantees prolonged suffer-ing and an illness that is very difficult or impossible to treat.”

Roland Wong, MDOccupational Health Physician, Toronto, Ontario

13 cm. in circumference for maximum gripstrength.This equivalent to a 4 cm. diameter of aclosed grip.

Tools that provide a comfortable grip to aperson with a very large hand may be awkwardfor someone with a very small hand. Workerscome in a variety of sizes and shapes; so shouldtools.This is particularly important to rememberas women and visible minorities enter jobs for-merly only performed by Caucasian men.

Sharp edges or a small surface area on toolhandles and equipment can create a pressurepoint on sensitive tissue. This can contribute topoor circulation and can damage blood vesselsand tendons.

Often a soft plastic covering over the toolhandle can reduce pressure. Putting covers onhand grips also helps in other ways: protectinghands from heat and cold; reducing vibration;reducing slipperiness of grip enabling a morerelaxed hold.

There should be a means to return the tool toan open position, such as with a spring.

Pinch points where parts of the hand can becaught during tool use should be eliminated.

BAD DESIGN GOOD DESIGN

GOOD DESIGNBAD DESIGN


Risk Factor: Local Contact Stresses

ExamplesSample occupations where local contact stresses may be present include the following:

PurposeThis guidance sheet, produced by the BC Workers’ Compensation Board, can be used to identify and assess therisk of MSI due to local stresses.

Description and General ConceptsLocal contact stresses result from contact between the body and hard or sharp objects. Stress intensifies withincreasing force and decreasing contact surface area. Adverse outcome can be injury or irritation to the skin,underlying nerves, bursae and blood vessels. Exposure to local contact stress may be sustained (continuous) orintermittent in nature.

The amount of pressure, duration and frequency of exposure to the pressure, andarea of body subject to exposure are important considerations in assessing the risk.Areas of the body that may be sensitive because tendons, nerves and blood vesselsare located close to the surface and underlying bones include the sides and backs offingers, sides and centre of palm, base of wrist, elbow, shoulder and knee.

The normal contact areas of the hand are covered with fat pads, covered with skinso as to maximize friction, grip conformity and sensory feedback. When loads, espe-cially point loads are applied elsewhere, such as the sides of the fingers, where thedigital nerves and blood supply are located, injury can result. An example of suchpressure can come from prolonged use of scissors.

When parts of the body strike an object such as using the hand as a hammer orwhen using tools, whose handles press into the palm, irritation of the skin and under-lying tissue may result. The pain of the hand contains a branch of the ulnar nerve thatis vulnerable to local pressure.

The wrist area is vulnerable to pressure from supporting the weight of the handand also to pressure applied over the carpal tunnel area. Local mechanical stressesmay also occur at the elbow and forearm; these are commonly used to support partof the body weight on work surfaces. The ulnar nerve runs across the inside of theelbow and can be compressed relatively easily when leaning on that side of theelbow.

Housekeeping:Kneeling to clean

surfaces.

Manufacturing:Kneeling on pitted

concrete.

Healthcare:Crushing pills for patients.

Bakery:Pushing doughthrough press.


Risk Factor Identification for Local Contact StressesDetermine if local contact stresses are present through observation of tasks and discussions with workers aboutcontacts or sore points.

Local contact stresses can result from:

– Tasks involving handling objects with sharp or uneven edges.– Handles with sharp grooves or edges pressing on small joints of the hand.– Working movements that require contact with hard surfaces.– Palm-type control buttons.– Using power tool triggers with sharp edges.– Tool handles that are too short resulting in pressure on the base of the hand.– Handles made of hard, resistant material which presses on the base of the hand.– Kneeling, resting or leaning on a sharp or hard surface (for example the wrists resting on the edge of a

desk).– Striking a hard surface with a part of the body.

Risk Factor Assessment for Local Contact StressesThe greater the pressure exerted on the skin, the greater the magnitude and greater the risk of injury. Deter-mine the magnitude through subjected reporting by workers exposed to the risk factor, pressure marks on theskin and any discolouration that may be present. The greater the total time over which the skin in a particularbody area is subjected to the local contact stress (contact time), the greater the risk of injury. Sustained expo-sure can generally be expected to pose a greater risk than intermittent exposures totalling the same duration.Use of gloves or other protective coverings or paddings used to protect the area of contact will reduce the riskof MSI.

Control Options– Locate work or modify workstations so the body does not contact sharp edges.– Round or pad the edges of sharp or uneven-edged objects.– Avoid using tools that rub the wrist.– Use a spring rather than the fingers to open tools such as pliers or scissors.– Use a jig or fixture to hold an object during precise work to avoid resting elbows on a hard work surface.– Use a tool such as a hammer or a mallet to strike an object rather than using the hand or palm.– Distribute pressure over as wide an area as possible.– Use tools with long enough handles so they don’t dig into the palm.– Pad or round surfaces with softer material (wrapping tools, wrist rests, padded edges of work surface)

that the body contacts.– Round surfaces and avoid contours. Use gloves or knee pads if force not an issue.– Avoid use of hand, knee, etc. for striking objects.

(Thanks to B.C. WCB for producing this guidance sheet)


O Locate tools and materials within a shortreach distance.

O Where there are multi-shift operationsconsult with all operators and ensure jobdesign considers everyone, for example,ensure workbenches are adjustable.

O Proper flooring surfaces should be used toreduce back pain and foot and leg fatigue.

If possible, jobs should be designed so armsare not raised above shoulder height on a regularbasis.Keep your arms low and shoulders close toyour body.

Working in a pit with arms raised overhead toreach the assembly points on a machine is a poorjob design which will harm the arms.

Many auto plants are equipped with deviceswhich hold the machine on one side which elim-inates the stresses on the arm caused by reachingoverhead.

Working with the elbows raised and out cancause thoracic outlet syndrome. The correctlydesigned assembly line permits the worker to dothe job without raising the elbows.

This worker throwing parts into a crate behindhim every half-second or so, day in and day out,will eventually experience symptoms of tendini-tis in his right shoulder and thoracic outlet syn-drome.

The problems can be avoided altogether byproviding the worker with a bin or chute besidehim underneath the conveyor belt.

PREVENTION OF RSIs cannot effectively takeplace unless there is a conscious effort made toproperly design the work environment from thestart. Redesigning the work environment reac-tively is not prevention. Redesigning is simplyhazard control. Below is a list of general princi-ples for workstation design.O A well-designed workstation will permit

workers to reach objects, controls and dis-plays without adopting awkward postures.

O Good design should control and/or eliminatethe need to work in awkward bending, twist-ing or reaching postures.

O Good design should reduce or eliminate theneed to work while holding arms at or aboveshoulder level whether in forward or over-head position.

O Good design should allow workers to workwith elbows at a comfortable height.

O Well-designed workstations allow room to dowork comfortably and to vary body postures.

O Where feasible, provide a sit/stand stool forjobs that require workers to stand all day.

O For static work, where feasible, provide asmall stool or support bar to rest a foot onand alternate between feet to reduce fatigue.

BAD DESIGN GOOD DESIGN


Twisting, stretching or leaning with a heavyload may cause back problems. Jobs should bechanged to eliminate these reaching motions.Move the parts closer. Use a long tool or a “rake”.Provide a stepping stool for standing reaches.

Always consider the interface between theworker, parts storage containers, and racking orshelving.

Often jobs are designed without enoughthought to the differences between tall and shortpeople or even to the normal reach of an averageperson.

Design to provide enough space for the largeworker – shorter workers will have all the moreroom.

Design standing work for the taller worker andthen use movable platforms or benches forshorter workers.

Design tasks requiring reach for shorterworkers – this way taller workers will be able toreach as well.

In designing workplaces for the smaller worker,you also ensure that jobs will not be automatical-ly “sex” stereotyped. Too often in the past, jobdesign characteristics have been used to excludewomen from traditionally men’s jobs with allega-tions that – “women aren’t strong enough” or“women aren’t tall enough”.

Static LoadingClamp it down. Holding your muscles tense in

a fixed position is more fatiguing than usingmoving muscles. The movement allows the

muscles to relax momentarily. This difference isoften referred to as ‘dynamic’ work versus ‘static’work.

As general principle, ‘static’ work should bedesigned out. For example, use tools and clamp-

ing devices instead of holding by hand.Use body strengths. Work tasks should be

designed to use postures for the limbs and bodywhich give the best mechanical advantages forthe muscles used. This avoids overloading themuscles.

For example, for some jobs which require armstrength, the exertion should be in and out andnot across the body.

Control PanelsA number of simple ‘rules’ apply to the design

of control panels.Most important displays (signals, gauges) are

place within easy sight.Information presented by displays is simple

and easy to read.Panels, consoles, worktables, etc. are sufficient-

ly large and all their parts are easily seen from thenormal position.

Sometimes it is impossible to look at the joband operate the controls at the same time.

Clearly, in this case, the controls must bemoved and the job redesigned.

Instruments, displays and controls are clearlymarked to show what they are for.

Differences in size, colour, shape and locationare used to make different instruments, displaysand controls distinguishable. Remember, how-ever, that some workers are colour blind socolour alone should not be relied upon.

All gauges are easy to read whether they are inthe normal functioning position or not.

Emergency controls are easy to find andoperate.

Accidental activation of controls is preventedby proper spacing, resistance, shield, etc.

Direction of operation controls is easy tounderstand according to local custom.

Switched or other points of manipulation arelower than shoulder height.

Display DesignTake these factors into consideration in

designing displays for control panels or otherdisplays with which workers must interact:

O Display visibility - the use of colours and con-trast in presentation

O Display design - integrate information by theuse of visual and auditory displays whichenhance the perception of information

O Control design, e.g. voice control - reduceinformation overload due to excessivedemands on dual task performance

O Decision support - reduce information over-load

O Use of colours O Design of symbols O Information coding O Consistency in display design across applica-

tions O Layout of information on displays O Principles for integration of information O Where colour coding is used, provisions and

considerations should be made for colourblind people and other people with visualdisabilities

O Operable with low vision and limited orno hearingO Provide at least one mode that permits

operation by users with visual acuitybetween 20/70 and 20/200, withoutrelying on audio output.

O Operable with limited manual dexterityO Provide at least one mode that does not

require user fine motor control or simul-taneous actions

O Prevention of visually-induced seizuresO Visual displays and indicators must mini-

mize visual flicker that might induceseizures in people with photosensitiveepilepsy.

O Provide a variety of modes that considerall forms of limitations e.g. visual,hearing, manual dexterity, reach andstrength, cognitive skills, and speech.

Auditory Design Reduce noise in workplaces at the source to

ensure hearing loss and stress are reduced. For

76 IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT – A Manual for Workers


hearing impaired persons, this is even moreimportant. Here are recommendations fordesigning for hearing impaired workers:

O Use sounds with strong mid-low frequencycomponents, 500-1500 Hz. (for alarms use atleast 2 strong mid-frequency components).

O Provide adjustable volume control,preferablywith easy to see (visual) indication ofvolume.

O Use loud default volume settings (77dB) O Provide loudest possible undistorted volume

capacity O Reduce background noise and noice level of

internal components O Allow warning signals to exceed normal

sound level by 15 dB,or any maximum soundlevel with a duration of 30 seconds by 5dB(with an upper limit of 120 dB)

O A variety of complex tones, sounds, andspeech should be used for displaying differ-ent types of information.

StandingStanding still too long can put excessive stress

on the spine and back muscles,causing pain andeven permanent damage to body tissues. Butsolutions do exist.

Provide a foot rest (like the classic “brass rail”in a bar) and stand with one foot up.This lessensthe stress on the back. Change legs often.


Provide mats and floor coverings. The harderand less-giving the floor surface, the more stressthis places on the body.

Provide a stool with a back rest for support,where suitable. Provide opportunities to changepositions, move around, or alternate betweensitting and standing.

Working height allows work with the back nat-urally straight and shoulders relaxed.

Work is done with a natural hand position asclose to the body as possible.

Enough room is available for the legs and feet.

SittingSitting is often preferable to standing,but make

sure the chair is correctly designed for the joband the person. Poorly designed or mismatchedchairs and workbenches may cause fatigue anddiscomfort,circulation problems and pressure onnerves.

Seats should be padded and the height indi-vidually adjustable.

Seat height should not put pressure on thelower side of the thigh. Feet should be able to beplaced firmly on the floor.

Good design prevents poor posture.A backrestwith padding gives comfortable support to theback.

A footrest is used when seat height is un-changeable.

Enough leg room is secured for easy change ofleg positions.

Provide opportunities to change positions,move around or alternate between standing andsitting. (In some provinces, legislation prescribesseating where feasible.)

Organize work so that workers can movearound during the shift. No one should have todo the same thing in the same position all thetime. When considering job rotation, it is impor-tant to remember that there is no point in doingit unless different muscle groups are used.

Table or hand position height is at the level ofthe elbow.

Materials are placed within easy reach.All chairs and workbenches should be evalu-

ated and adjusted for proper height.Proper work height may depend on the nature

of the job. Precision work (with the need to seeclosely) should be high, with excellent non-glarelighting. Work which requires heavy manipula-tion, pressure or lifting should be lower.

These design principles and guidelinesassume that workers can always control how theywork. In most workplaces this is not the case. Butlike all other health and safety issues, with hardwork, preparation and careful presentation, wecan win improvements in our working condi-tions, and we can reduce the numbers of strainsand sprains suffered by our members.


SINCE YOUR legs are strong and since the inher-ent strength of the natural curves of the spine isgreatest while standing,heavier assembly jobs aredone standing. If you work on an automotiveassembly line, it is usually impossible for you tosit to do your job because you have to movearound. In fact, it is important that you do movearound because static standing (standing in oneplace) can create discomfort and risk of injury tothe feet and legs. In these types of jobs, it isimportant to ensure ergonomic matting andproper foot wear are provided.

In other types of jobs, from electronics assem-bly to office work, seating should be provided. Ifyou are working in a seated position, it is impor-tant to pay attention to the following issues:

O Watch the weights of parts – sitting eliminatesmost of the use of the large muscles of thelegs and hips that aid in lifting.This increasesthe risk to the lower back for any givenweight.

O Watch reach distances – sitting automaticallyputs the trunk in a 90° posture. A 20° trunkflexion while standing now becomes a 110°flexion, increasing risk to the lower back.

O Adjustability is paramount in work surfaces,chairs or both. The seated work posture mustnot cause workers to “hunch”over their workcreating constant strain on the small muscles

of the shoulders and neck. As well, workersshould not need to support their upper bodyweight on their elbows causing contact stresson the forearms.

O Consider lighting – poor light causes workersto lean forward to see what they are doing.

O Consider eyewear - a seated position usuallymeans having to work at closer visual ranges.Seated workers wearing bifocals may lose theability to work at a visually comfortable dis-tance resulting in exaggerated neck exten-sion being needed to perform their tasks. Tri-focals or glasses designed for the workdistance should be provided.

These are just some of the main considera-tions. On the surface, seated workstations seemlike an intuitive and simple ergonomic interven-tion. The real experience may be the oppositeunless thorough and thoughtful design principlesare applied. Always remember, seated workcreates a whole new set of ergonomic risks andhas the potential for causing its own set of prob-lems and injuries.


4. Objects to be lifted should have handles andbe packaged compactly.

5. The horizontal distance between the objectto be lifted and the feet should be mini-mized.

6. The height of the lift and the distance theobject is to be carried should be minimized.

7. The starting position of the lift should bebetween 100 and 150 cm above foot level.

8. For workers in a standing position, relativelyheavy objects should be lifted with twohands in a plane parallel to the front of thebody.

9. Lifting or carrying of heavy loads should bemechanized as much as possible.

10. Sufficient staff must be available to lift safely.11. When lifting is combined with pushing, one

foot should be placed ahead in the directionof movement.

12. Twisting the body while lifting should beavoided.

13. Keep lifting and handling to a minimum.Where possible eliminate lifting altogether.

14. Use well designed mechanical aids such aslift tables, hoists, handcarts and conveyors.

15. Reduce overall weight and capacity of con-tainers.

16. Use containers with well-designed handlesthat allow for proper grip and two-handedlifts.

17. Reduce carrying distances.18. Change the shape of the object or container

so it can be held closer to the body.19. Redesign workstations to bring heavier mate-

rials closer to the worker.20. Where lift assists are not available ASK FOR

HELP!

LiftingSafer lifting is less lifting. Many studies verify

that workers who lift heavy objects, lift frequentlyand with inadequate rest periods experience ahigh incidence of damage to their backs.

As with other occupational health problems,engineering controls are the only proven way toprevent these injuries.

Based on the U.S.government agency,NationalInstitute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) research, guidelines for lifting havebeen developed:1. The lifting of heavy objects should be

avoided.2. Frequent lifting should be avoided.3. Objects to be lifted should be stable and bal-

anced.

Avoid lifting and handling materials aboveshoulder height, below knee level, and whilebending or twisting.


A commonly recognized problem is liftingobjects from the floor. But lifting objects over-head is also hazardous. It is better to build plat-forms to store objects off the floor (above kneeheight) to eliminate the need for stooping andalso keep the materials below shoulder height.

Provide shelves, supports, or roller conveyorson which objects can slide in order to eliminateunnecessary lifting.

Reaching down into a bin is an example ofpoor workplace design.It is better to keep the binoff the floor and tilted to ease loading andunloading. A powered assist can be installed toadjust the tilt angle. Also, spring loaded bins canbe used,which lift the parts ups as they are beingunloaded.

Pulling and pushing objects can also causeback injuries. Proper equipment design andmaintenance can reduce these problems. In theabove illustration, the floor needs repair, thewheels should be larger and a better handle pro-vided.

Work that involves the bending of the backshould be avoided as much as possible. Changethe work station to eliminate the need to workwith a bent spine.Angle the workbench,not yourback.

Many jobs have combinations of backhazards. For example, loading a machine from abin on the floor combines sidestepping, twisting,low lifting and reaching. It is better to re-locatethe bin to minimize these movements.


O When you need to do thesame task for a long period oftime, try to change yourposture as often as possible.

O When lifting loads, use atwo-handed grip wherepractical and maintaina straight back withyour head up.

Risk Factor CombinationsBack pain is caused by many factors. When two or

more risk factors are present at the same time, youare at a much higher risk of injury. The most commonpoor postures used when handling objects areforward bending, twisting, and extreme side bending.

Preventing Low Back Pain

O When repetitively handling objects, turn yourbody by moving your feet and getting into a stableposition.


Reduce repetition.Repetitive elbow and shoul-der movements can often be eliminated bychanging material handling practices.

For example, the common practice of tossingrejected parts into a bin has been linked witharm and back problems.The work layout can bechanged to eliminate this practice, such as bydropping parts onto a chute to the bin.

Material handling in some assembly jobs canbe mechanized to eliminate repetitive armmotions.

Continued repetitive movements of the fingersshould be avoided.

Use of special tools with ratchet devices canreduce stressful repetitive motions.

Repetitive work motions which duplicate thiswringing motion are very hazardous. Even whenlittle force is used, the cumulative effect of ten-dinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome is eventuallyinevitable.

When motions like this are a common and fre-quent part of a job,alternatives such as mechani-cal wringers must be made available.

This twisting motion repeated thousands oftimes in a work day triggers tendinitis and carpaltunnel syndrome.


Contract LanguagePROACTIVE ERGONOMICS

The company and the union discussed theirjoint commitment to efforts, where feasible,to improve the interface of employees withthe workplace through the use of ergonom-ics principles reactively and proactively.Bargained 2002 CAW/Ford Collective Agreement

PIECE WORK HURTS“About 15 years ago, when I was working inthe North of England, I negotiated a bonussystem for data entry clerks based on thenumber of entries, which members werereally pleased with at the time as it was a verygood deal in money terms. However, I oftenthink back to that agreement and wonderwhat happened to those women. Knowingwhat I do now about RSI, I would nevernegotiate such a scheme again.” (Tradeunion negotiator)

(RSI Hazards Handbook, London, England)

implementation of the latest business concept.Work organization strategies need to be subject-ed to ergonomic design principles.

The term work organization refers to how,when and where work is done and how thosewho do the work are rewarded for their efforts.The principles of work organization deal not onlywith the physical content of the job but also withthe needs and expectations of workers.Issues likework pace, isolation, boredom, work scheduling,hours of work and incentive pay systems allimpact on health and safety. Take incentive paysystems as an example. This method of organiz-ing work either forces or invites workers toexceed their normal abilities. A pace of work is

The way in which work is organized is closelylinked to the health and well being of workers.

O Provide workers with proper training on howto use tools, equipment, and job proceduresto ensure they take advantage of well-designed workstations and jobs.

O Provide workers with time to adjust to thedemands of new work or after an extendedperiod of time away from work.

O Provide frequent short breaks to give musclesa chance to recover.

O Limit where possible the total time per dayspent on continuous repetitive work byenlarging the work or alternating tasks.

O Develop work schedules where workers canbe productive and have adequate restbetween changes in schedules.

O Allow for time off the job and out of the work-place to allow time for the body and mind torest and recover.

Have you ever thought that your workingmethod made no sense? Management is alwayschanging something in the workplace whetherfor increased efficiency and productivity or


Contract LanguageERGONOMIC TRAINING

AND SHARING STRATEGIESThe parties agree that the Master ErgonomicCommittee will plan and implement annuallyfour (4) days of meeting/training for appro-priate members of the Local ErgonomicCommittees from each plant location.Bargained 2002 CAW/Ford Collective Agreement

created that exceeds their normal daily function-al abilities.

Work organization often has decisions madefrom a labour relations perspective. Every daynew management work systems are being devel-oped to increase productivity.We’ve seen systemssuch as Kaizen, Team Concept, Lean Productionand others implemented in our workplaces.Theemployers’ goal is to increase workloads for pro-ductivity improvements.There has been virtuallyno consideration of human abilities in the designof these systems even though they may be mar-keted as such. Newer systems like “material han-dling marketplaces”or “supermarkets”go beyondissues such as productivity by having long-termgoals of outsourcing. Our first response as aunion to combat this speed up in our work envi-ronments is to get ergonomics on the table aspart of the discussion when these new systemsare being considered. The provincial Employ-ment Standards Acts as well as the CanadaLabour Code, Part 3 sets out some parameters forhow work can be organized so those doingergonomics should be familiar with theseparameters.

Ensure workers get sufficient rest breaks.Lunch and coffee breaks are important as areweekends, holidays and vacations. Excessiveovertime can easily lead to strains and sprainsthat might otherwise not have occurred. Piece-work, speedup and incentive programs can havean adverse effect on the injury rate. We need tosee the issue of the pace of work as an ergonom-ics issue.

Issues such as hours of work and staffing areergonomics issues even though the employermay try to claim these are labour relations issues.

When redesigning work areas remember toallow for the social interaction among workers.The boredom of assembly line work can berelieved if workers have an opportunity to talk asthey work.

In some workplaces, hostile, authoritariansupervisors restrict our movements and ourability as workers and union members to com-municate among ourselves,both to socialize andto collectively work to redesign our workplaces.We need to challenge the authority of supervi-sors and empower ourselves to reduce unac-

ceptable stress which makes our work unpleas-ant and unhealthy.

There is no question that people are muchhealthier, with greatly reduced harmful stresslevels, if they have increased control over theirlives.As workers in the workplace we need morecollective control.

Many of our workplaces are gloomier thanthey need to be. In addition to preventinginjuries, workers should have the power to beable to redesign workplaces and work stations tomake them more pleasant to be in. Everythingfrom ensuring that the walls are painted regular-ly in attractive colours to ensuring there are asmany windows as possible to allow in naturallight and a view of the outside should be consid-ered. In some Northern European countries fac-tories are as nicely designed as some NorthAmerican offices.We need to make these exam-ples our goal in Canada.


IntroductionJob rotation is a controversial issue within our

union. There is no national policy on this issue.Rather,union leadership at particular workplacesor in particular local unions have often taken afirm stand, often opposed but sometimes infavour of job rotation. In many CAW workplacesjob rotation has gone on for years. In other work-places, when job rotation is raised by manage-ment, workers resist. Why is this so? The issue ofthe possible effect of job rotation on injuries mustbe seen in the context of important issues of sen-iority and the history of bargaining the work-place collective agreement.We look at the issueof job rotation from the perspective of our unionand focus particularly on short-cycle vehicleassembly jobs.

We take the position that there is nothinginherently beneficial or detrimental about jobrotation. Rather, three factors must be analysedwhen making a determination about whetherworkers and the union should support or rejectjob rotation. They are: 1) who controls the rota-tion? 2) what are the staffing levels? 3) is thepurpose to hide bad jobs? All three questionsmust be answered before unions can decide ifjob rotation is good or bad.When a rotation is setup, it must be ergonomically sound, not simplyrotating workers among several bad jobs.

Job rotation can be beneficial if differentmuscle groups are used and if it reduces psycho-logical stress. It can be detrimental if there ismore complexity added to the job without suffi-cient time or technological support.

We put job rotation into a context. Whenworkers control the rotation, have sufficientnumbers of workers to perform the work, andknow the problems of bad jobs will beaddressed,they may support rotation.When theseissues are not dealt with to their satisfaction, theyresist.

Union Collective AgreementsUnion collective agreements are documents

bargained to erode management power. Theyseek to introduce standards of fairness forworkers in the area of job opportunity so thatmanagers cannot play favourites in awardingjobs to friends or family or people who pay themoff. This is the reason unions were organized inthe automobile assembly plants in the first place,including the bitter strike to establish the princi-ple of seniority in 1937 at General Motors inOshawa.Within most collective agreements, jobsare awarded on the basis of seniority.Those whohave been in the workplace longest have theopportunity for better jobs. The job posting pro-cedure is usually spelled out in detail in the col-lective agreement. Sometimes jobs are awardedby strict seniority. In some agreements ability isalso taken into consideration. Seniority usuallymeans younger workers do harder jobs and theycan look forward to getting easier jobs when theyare older.

In Canada today most large vehicle assemblyplants are characterized by jobs which take amaximum of 45-60 seconds to complete. Mostvehicle assembly jobs are of this nature. Theentire production facility and organization ofwork is built around these incredibly repetitivejobs where tiny fractions of a second are takeninto consideration in timing the jobs when man-agement decides how much work each workerwill do.While union production standards repre-sentatives can challenge the timing of individualjobs, the nature of the system remains.


In the past, vehicle assembly workers had anopportunity to get off the assembly line and intosub-assembly jobs such as repair work or benchwork. These sub-production jobs were often per-formed sitting down and workers worked at theirown pace rather than being driven by the pace ofthe assembly line.These sub-assembly jobs wereawarded on the basis of seniority and these pre-ferred jobs went to the senior people.Since thesewere older workers who had often been standingon the assembly line for twenty years or more,thesystem seemed sensible and fair.Today, however,in the large vehicle manufacturing facilities inNorth America, the sub-assembly jobs have beenintegrated into the assembly line or in someinstances contracted out.As a result,workers facespending their entire working lives standing onthe assembly line.

Within assembly lines and vehicle assemblyfacilities there are preferred jobs and jobs whichare shunned.Given the opportunity to drive a caroff the end of an assembly line, or inspect paintfor defects,most people would choose these jobsover physically demanding jobs involving a lot ofreaching, stretching, climbing in and out of vehi-cles and fitting parts in vehicles at a rapid pace.Union collective agreements have been built onthe premise that senior workers will have achance to successfully bid on these preferredjobs. Some collective agreements provide for aSadie Hawkins day, the day once a year when allof the assembly jobs are posted and everyone isallowed to bid. Since the jobs are 45 secondslong and do not take a long time to learn (usuallya few hours at most), this system makes senseand allows workers who are bored or who wanteasier jobs to bid around,based on seniority.Mostplant collective agreements allow bidding whenjobs are vacated.

Group JobsWithin some vehicle assembly facilities such

as the Japanese transplants,workers do their jobsas part of a group.There may be a dozen workersas part of the group and the workers rotate withinthe dozen jobs they are responsible for.The rota-tion may be stipulated such as a rotation everyfour hours or the rotation may be permitted onthe basis of a group decision.Work in the Japan-

ese transplants has been organized on the basisof group work in order to ensure workers canperform a variety of similar tasks which makesthem more flexible and benefits the employer.When workers are away, the remaining workersare often obliged to fulfil the same productionrequirements. Since this is quite difficult, it putspressure on workers to report for work even if illor injured so their fellow workers will not be dis-advantaged. And when they do return injured,they are unable to do the harder jobs so theirfellow workers are disadvantaged just the same.

Skilled Trades WorkersBecome Production Workers

When automobiles were first produced in theearly 1900s they were built by machinists. Eachpart was made for the vehicle and each car wasassembled piece by piece. The work wasundoubtedly extremely interesting for the skilledtrades workers concerned.

Henry Ford and Frederick Taylor changed allthis. Mass production meant the de-skilling ofjobs so that each worker repetitively did the samejob over and over again. Machinists were notneeded to produce vehicles but only to maintainthe machines of the assembly line itself. Jobswhich had been fascinating became boring. Pro-ducing a car which had involved a wide varietyof tasks and different muscle groups, now meantworkers’ arms and wrists repeated the samemotion day after day,year after year.Power whichhad resided in the hands of the machinist whocontrolled his own pace of work was now shifted


Contract LanguageERGONOMIC CHECKLIST

In carrying out job station design at introduc-tion of new processes or procedures or thechanging of job assignments all IndustrialEngineers shall use an Ergonomics checklist.The checklist will be explained to the JHSCbefore its launch when they may make rec-ommendations. The checklist may in thefuture be computerized.Bargained 1996 CAW/Daimler Chrysler Collective Agreement

chy consisting of only two layers of man-agement and no first-line supervision.”1,2

Although the workers did not machine partsso therefore could not be called skilled tradesworkers, the Uddevalla experiement effectivelyturned production workers into skilled produc-tion workers.The work was more interesting.

Production WorkersBecome LeanProduction Workers

Japanese transplants in North America used a“team concept” as well. Small groups of workerswould assemble cars. But the concept was com-pletely different from Uddevalla. The smallgroups of workers at CAMI, for example, a jointventure Suzuki/General Motors plant in Ingersoll,Ontario certified with the CAW, have no autono-my over their work.The assembly line, just-in-timeproduction requirements and electronic moni-toring ensure workers at CAMI must follow thedictates of production and certainly not theother way around.

But work is organized differently at CAMI thanin other, conventional vehicle assembly plantscertified with our union.Small groups of perhapseight workers each, rotate jobs within them. Thecycle of the job is less than a minute but the cycleof work is much longer. Jobs will be rotatedwithin the group perhaps every four hours.Whilefar from democratic, assembly workers at CAMIfind the nature of their work more interestingthan a conventional assembly line and the vastmajority (more than 90% in two surveys) support

to the owner of the assembly line. CharlieChaplin’s movie, Modern Times graphicallydepicted the reality of the monotony of thefactory, the control of the pace of work by theemployer and the dangers of the work.

Production Workers BecomeSkilled Production Workers

The Swedish economy was very strong duringthe 1960s and early 1970s and unemploymentwas very low. With a Social Democratic govern-ment, a 90% unionization rate as well as a unionmovement with a strategy to move in the direc-tion of democracy in the workplace, the SwedishMetalworkers union was well placed to bargain anew way of assembling cars with Volvo.The VolvoUddevalla plant became the model for a com-pletely new way of assembling vehicles inSweden. Production workers would require ayear or more to learn how to assemble an entirevehicle in small groups rather than the few hoursof training required for conventional assemblyline jobs.

“Small, parallel work teams, each of whichbuilt a car from start to finish, handled allinspection and repairs,determined the allo-cation of tasks,were able to vary the pace atwhich they worked, and took on recruit-ment responsibilities. Team autonomy wasinsured by an extremely flat control hierar-


the retention of the work group system. “Theworkforce uses rotation not only to relievemonotony but also to regulate work and torestrict managerial flexibility.”3

At CAMI, job rotation has been used to attemptto reduce the incidence of repetitive straininjuries, which are rife in the auto assemblyindustry. However, one manager was candidlyready to explain the consequences of job rota-tion,“One thing you can say about rotation is,youknow, they’re sharing the pain. It’s not the elimi-nation of it, it’s a sharing of pain, a spreadingaround of pain.”4

The fights with management (including a diffi-cult strike) at CAMI have not been about job rota-tion but rather, who controls the rotation, arethere enough workers to do the work, and is jobrotation being used to hide bad jobs.

ErgonomicsThe vehicle assembly plant collective agree-

ments in the CAW have extensive provisions onergonomics, the science of making the tool,workstation, workplace and work organization meetthe needs of the worker,rather than the other wayaround. We have bargained full time nationalergonomic coordinators, chosen by the unionand paid by the employers, in the Big 3 (GeneralMotors, DaimlerChrysler and Ford) master col-lective agreements. We have bargained jointergonomic committees in these workplaces andin a number have bargained full time unionergonomic representatives. They see their job asadvocating changing the job either throughdesign or retrofit, to prevent injuries.They usuallyoppose the idea of job rotation both for unionseniority reasons and because they feel that jobrotation means that problem jobs do not getfixed and more workers are injured as a result.The wording of the collective agreements dopermit job rotation as a temporary solution toinjuries.

ConclusionJob rotation is no panacea in preventing

injuries to workers.Nor,however, is job ownershipof one boring 60 second job a point of principlenever to be challenged. Volvo’s Uddevalla plantshowed that a different kind of production

system which would make vehicle assemblywork both interesting and with less repetitivestrain injury, is possible. Short of that, changingthe job to prevent injury is key. The key issues:who controls the job rotation, workers or man-agement? are there sufficient numbers of workersto perform the work? is job rotation used as amanagement excuse to neglect fixing bad jobs?must all be answered to the satisfaction of theworkers and the union if job rotation is to be sup-ported.

References1. James Rinehart, Christopher Huxley, and

David Robertson, Just Another Car Factory?Lean Production and its Discontents, CornellUniversity, 1997, p. 105.

2. Berggren, Christian, Alternatives to Lean Pro-duction: Work in the Swedish Auto Industry.Ithaca, New York: ILR Press, 1992.

3. James Rinehart, Christopher Huxley, andDavid Robertson, Just Another Car Factory?Lean Production and its Discontents, CornellUniversity, 1997, p. 57.

4. James Rinehart, Christopher Huxley, andDavid Robertson, Just Another Car Factory?Lean Production and its Discontents, CornellUniversity, 1997, p. 57.

Risk Factor Preventing Risks


This table does not include all possible options for preventing strains and sprains injuries. It is a startingpoint for the selection of appropriate prevention measures. Priority should be given to controls that donot rely primarily on changes in worker behaviour to reduce the risk of RSIs. First try to eliminate therisk, but if that is not practicable (capable of being done), minimize the risk. Engineering or adminis-trative controls must be used before personal protective equipment.

Force: Lift, loweror carry

Eliminate the need to manually lift, lower, or carry objects by using engineeringcontrols such as hoists, pallet jacks, carts, and conveyors. If that is not practica-ble, consider options such as the following to minimize risk:

O Minimize the distance of the load from the worker (eg., use turntables;move the worker closer to the object; don’t place obstructions close tothe object).

O Minimize the vertical distance over which the load is lifted or lowered(e.g., use pallet jacks; limit shelf height).

O Avoid tasks below knuckle height (eg., use scissor lifts, pallet jacks).O Avoid tasks above shoulder height (eg., limit shelf heights; improve

storage practice, raise the worker).O Avoid stooped or twisted positions (eg. provide unrestricted work space;

arrange the workstation to minimize twisting when the worker picks upor puts down a load).

O Minimize the size of the load (eg., order loads in smaller containers; haveworker take two trips rather than one).

O Minimize carrying distance (eg. have a well-designed work flow).O Avoid handling heavy or unbalanced objects while sitting down (eg.

stand so that stronger muscles are used to perform physically demand-ing tasks; avoid handling more than 4.5 kilograms while sitting down).

O Improve the grip on the load (eg. provide good handles on containers;add clamps or other devices to improve grip).

O Change the design of the task (eg. from a lifting task to a lowering task;from a lifting, lowering, or carrying task to a pushing or pulling task).

O Use pause periods or job enhancement to permit muscles to recoverfrom applying force for prolonged periods.

Force: Push or Pull Eliminate the need to manually push or pull objects by using engineering con-trols such as conveyors, hoists, and gravity-fed systems. If that is not practicable,consider options such as the following to minimize risks:

– Use carts that are well designed and appropriate to the task:

O Handles can be grasped between waist and shoulder height (eg., verti-cal handles that can accommodate workers of different heights).

O Load can be secured on the cart if necessary (eg., belts or clamps pro-vided).

O The size, number, and type of wheels are appropriate for the floorsurface and weight carried.

O Moving parts are maintained (preventive maintenance).

Risk Factor


Preventing Risks

Force: Push or Pull

Force: Grip

O The worker has good visibility when pushing the cart.

– Use carts in an unrestricted area:

O The worker is able to push and is not forced to pull the cart.O The worker can assume a comfortable position to initiate and maintain

movement of the load.O The worker is not forced to assume awkward postures because of

restricted work space or poor visibility.

– Use carts in areas with proper flooring or surface:

O The floor is clean (eg., no debris or clutter on floor).O The floor does not slope and is not slippery.O There is no thick, plush, or shag carpet.O The surface is level (eg. minimize surface height changes in areas such

as the entrance to elevators; fill potholes and cracks in surface).

– Reduce the load (eg. make two trips).– Reduce the total time spent pushing or pulling , or break the total time into

smaller blocks of time doing that task.

Eliminate the need to manually grasp or handle objects by using engineeringcontrols such as clamps or automated tools. If that is not practicable, consideroptions such as the following to minimize risk:

O Maintain a straight wrist (neutral position) through:

– Improved design of handles (eg., bent instead of straight handles).– Improved design of workstation (eg., parts containers that are tilted

instead of flat; use of in-line tools).– Improved work practice (eg., conscious effort to keep wrist straight).

O Use power grip to grasp objects through:

– Improved design of objects of handles on tools (eg. using boxes withcut-outs to permit power grip; adding handles to objects).

– Improved layout of workstation (eg., objects positioned to permiteasy access to handles).

– Improved work practice (eg., conscious effort to avoid pinch grip).

O Avoid strong or hard grasping of vibrating tools through:

– Improved design of tools (eg., tools with built-in vibration-dampen-ing sleeve).

– Improved work practice (conscious effort not to grasp too hard).– Use of personal protective equipment (eg., well-fitting vibration-

dampening gloves to reduce grip force).

O Avoid handling objects with cold surface temperature through:

– Improved work practice (eg., at the end of the day, store the nextday’s supplies inside instead of keeping them outside where they willbe cold by morning).

– Improved work procedure (eg., avoid skin contact by using tools orutensils for grasping; use warm water periodically to warm hands).

– Use of suitable gloves.

O Improve grip while handling slippery objects by using friction-enhanced,well-fitting gloves or gloves with fingers removed.

Reduce the total time spent manually gripping objects, or break the total timeinto smaller blocks of time doing that task.

GOOD

BAD



Repetition

Work Posture

Eliminate highly repetitious tasks by using engineering controls such as mecha-nization (eg., power tools) or automation. If that is not practicable, consideroptions such as the following to minimize risk:

O Combine or eliminate some parts of work to reduce the pace of repeti-tion.

O Incorporate flexibility over pace (eg., allow the worker to take rest breaksand micro-pauses or to control the speed of the conveyor).

O Use good work techniques (eg., avoid unnecessary repetitions as withmultiple scanning of grocery items or multiple turning of lumber forgrading).

O Reduce the duration of exposure to repetition (eg., offer job rotation orjob enhancement).

Eliminate awkward postures by using engineering controls such as adjustingwork heights, minimizing reaching distances, changing orientation of work,changing layout of workstation, using adjustable or angled tools and equip-ment, and using turntables, conveyors, tilted surfaces, or spring-loaded surfaces.The objective is to enable the worker to work in a comfortable posture. Everyposture requires periodic changes and movement or it becomes static. If elimi-nation of awkward postures is not possible, consider options such as the fol-lowing to minimize risk:

O Minimize awkward postures of the trunk:

– Minimize forward bending by increasing the work height or movingobjects closer (eg., use turntables, improve layout of workspace).

– Minimize side bending by reducing the reach distance or moving objectsto the front of the worker (eg., improve layout of work space; movecloser to the objects).

– Minimize twisting by reducing reach distance or moving objects to thefront of the worker (eg., improve layout of work space; move closer tothe objects).

O Minimize awkward postures of the shoulder:

– Minimize reaching forward by reducing the reach distance or loweringthe work height.

– Minimize reaching sideways by reducing the reach distance, loweringthe work height, or moving objects to the front of the body.

– Minimize reaching behind by moving objects to the front of the worker.– Minimize reaching across the body by moving closer to the objects or

transferring objects from one hand to another.

O Minimize awkward postures of the wrist by selecting the required tools withappropriate handles (eg., angled handles).

O Minimize forearm rotation by using power tools or mechanical turners.O Minimize squatting and kneeling by raising the work.O Minimize static postures:

– Provide footrests to allow the worker to transfer weight from one to footto another.

– Provide opportunities for the worker to move about periodically.

O Minimize awkward postures while sitting by providing an appropriate chairthat is adjusted to give good back support, maintain a comfortable posture,and minimize contact stress.

O Provide a tilted sit-stand stool to take weight off the worker’s feet and legswhile allowing mobility.



Local Contact Stress

Environment

Work Organization

Eliminate or minimize exposure to local contact stress:

O Change or modify equipment (eg., use a long-handled screwdriver toprevent the butt from digging into the palm).

O Change or modify work area to prevent sharp edges from digging intothe skin (eg., pad sharp or metal edges).

O Use personal protective equipment (eg., use knee pads while kneeling;use padded gloves when lifting heavy objects by narrow plastic strap-ping).

O Improve or change work practice:

– Avoid resting or leaning against sharp edges.– Avoid using a body part (eg., hand or knee) as a hammer.

BAD

Eliminate or minimize exposure to whole-body vibration:

O Avoid sitting or standing for prolonged periods on a vibrating surface ifpracticable (eg., catwalks on vibrating machinery).

O Isolate the source of vibration from the rest of the work space to preventtransmission of vibration to the sitting or standing area (eg., isolation oftruck cabs from diesel engine vibration).

O Keep equipment well maintained to reduce vibration.O Reduce total exposure to vibration by breaking up driving tasks or incor-

porating job rotation.O Keep road surfaces well maintained where possible

Keep the body warm at a comfortable temperature:

O Use local source heating.O Wear warm clothing.O Take rest breaks in warm areas.

Ensure that lighting is proper for the task being performed and glare is avoidedso that the worker does not assume awkward postures to compensate for glare,brightness, or inadequate lighting.

Ensure that repetitive or demanding tasks incorporate opportunities for rest orrecovery (eg., allow brief pauses to relax muscles; change work tasks; changepostures or techniques).

Incorporate task variability so that the worker does not have to perform similarrepetitious tasks throughout the full shift. Provide the worker with the opportu-nity to vary work tasks by rotating jobs or increasing the scope of the job.

Ensure that work demands and work pace are appropriate.

This table is taken from the B.C. Workers’ Compensation Board’s publicationPreventing Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSI)


THE COMMITTEE should develop a work planthat specifies the time frame for implementationof prevention and control measures for ergo-nomic hazards. As part of this plan, all affectedparties should reach a consensus and be madeaware of new solutions prior to implementation.We cannot emphasize often enough the impor-tance of involving the workers concerned.

Every part of an ergonomics process shouldbe documented from the time hazards arereported and identified to the time controls areimplemented and follow-up occurs. Ergonomicincidents should be recorded as a part of overallhealth and safety injuries in the workplace. In

fact, ergonomic documentation should closelyresemble other health and safety documenta-tion. Good record keeping practices help toensure mistakes are not repeated and thatprogress is made in workplace design.

Contract LanguageERGONOMICS COMMITTEES

The company assured the union that it iscommitted to efforts where feasible, toimprove the interface of employees with theworkplace.

Each assembly, manufacturing unit, andparts distribution centre of 125 or moreemployees will establish a local ergonomicscommittee with the objective of introducingand exploring ways to reduce injuries or ill-nesses through the application of ergonom-ics.Bargained 1990 CAW/Ford Collective Agreement


DEVELOP A procedure to share strategies to eliminate or minimizeergonomic hazards within your workplace, including different depart-

ments or divisions. Share your ergonomic strategies in your local unionby attending union or other types of workshops or conferences on

ergonomics. Take the opportunity to network with others in theunion,in your industry and in your community so you can call uponthem for assistance from time to time.

ImplementSolutions

DevelopDevelopSolutionsSolutions

EvaluateEvaluateJobJob

StrStressesesses

IdentifyPriority

Jobs

Follow-upFollow-upon Pron Projectsojects

DocumentDocumentPrProjectsojects

The Job Improvement Cycle

Developed by CAW/Ford and ergonomists from University of Michigan

Contract LanguageJOINT CAW-FORD ERGONOMICS PROCESS

The two primary strategies that are used in ergonomics are outlined in the Joint CAW-Ford Ergonom-ics Process:

O Identify the causes of injuries and illnesses in existing workstations by:1. Identify priority jobs through either the examination of medical records, employee reports, or risk

factor checklists, and assessment;2. Evaluate job stresses to reveal the causes of the injury/illness or employee complaint;3. Reduce or, where feasible, eliminate these causes by developing changes in work methods,

machinery, tools, equipment and workstation design;4. Implement and test the changes to determine their effectiveness;5. Document changes using the CAW-Ford documentation guidelines;6. Follow-up to ensure the issue is corrected and job changes are being utilized.

O Use the Design for Ergonomics Process in the design of appropriate workstation, equip-ment, tools and other job attributes

Bargained 1999 CAW/Ford Collective Agreement


ESTABLISH A review period on newly implemented hazard con-trols and enact follow-up procedures to ensure they are effectiveand have not created any new hazards. Annually review and ifnecessary revise or update the overall ergonomic process. Con-sider developing an annual audit (administered internally orexternally) to ensure that your process is being used effectively.

Contract LanguageJOB ASSESSMENTS

The CAW/Ford Ergonomics Process recog-nizes that a number of factors may be appro-priate to review in job assessments, includ-ing:

O The movement and postures of limbsand whole body as workers perform atask;

O The energy expended in performing atask over a given period of time;

O The amount of physical strength requiredfor a task or job;

O Relationship between the worker andthe machine, equipment, tools, worksta-tion and workplace;

O Design and layout of control panels anddisplays;

O Repetitiveness of the task;O Pace of work.Bargained 1999 CAW/Ford Collective Agreement


EDUCATION AND training is the key element toany good ergonomics process. Employers, engi-neers, union representatives, health and safetyprofessionals and workers should all receiveergonomics training. The workplace shouldperform a needs assessment to help determinewho should receive what type of training. TheCAW and organizations such as the WorkersHealth and Safety Centre offer ergonomicscourses from several hours to one week inlength. Listed are some basic topics that shouldbe covered in any good ergonomic trainingprogram:

O How to recognize RSI signs and symptomsand the importance of early reporting to firstaid or medical.

O How to report RSI signs and symptoms andhazards, and make recommendations.

O Ergonomic hazards and the general meas-ures used to control them.

Contract LanguageERGONOMIC RESOURCES

The ergonomics committee will have accessto engineering, medical and other resourcepersonnel.Bargained 1996 CAW/General Motors Collective Agreement

O Job-specific controls and work practices thathave been implemented.

O The overall workplace ergonomics processand the role of everyone within it.

O The requirements of any specific legislationregarding ergonomics and workplace healthand safety.

Ensuring that all participants understand theeducation and training materials well after thesession is perhaps the most difficult.For any edu-cation and training to be effective,more than oneexposure to the material is required, especially ifthe subject is unfamiliar to participants. Strate-gies to promote effectiveness include:O Small group sessions to maximize participa-

tion and to ensure all questions areanswered.

O Scheduling several smaller topic sessionsversus one long training period.

O Conducting demonstration training in thework area.

O The use of quality training videos to providecontinuity of training.

O Using group work activities that allow forfeedback to the facilitator to confirm thatparticipants understand the material.

O Ask workers how they have used the educa-tion and training they have received to rec-ommend ergonomics improvements in theirjobs. Ask them if their suggested changeshave been implemented and, if so, if theyhave made a difference. Help them to makechanges they feel are necessary. This feed-back loop is very important.


“THE INVOLVEMENT of people in planning andcontrolling a significant amount of their ownwork activities, with sufficient knowledge andpower to influence both process and outcomesin order to achieve desirable goals.”

Why Participative Ergonomics?O More effective changeO Easier implementation of changeO Better communicationO Decreased worker dissatisfaction

Participatory Change TeamsCAW members at Woodbridge Foam plants

have participated in participatory ergonomicschange teams that have resulted in significantimprovements to their workplaces. University ofWaterloo researchers helped the processthroughout.

Here are key principles emphasized by theresearchers for Participation and Consultation:

– use a one minute survey on each shift toget worker feedback.

– if suggestions are made, some kind ofimmediate response is necessary. So isfollow-up. If a problem requires long termfollow-up then the individual who madethe suggestion needs to be kept informed.

– do the easy things first to encouragepeople when they see changes beingmade.

– notify workers when any change is beingtested so that they can give feedback.

Involve all relevant personnel:– commit to a participative style of work.– establish a formal strategy and process for

clear and continuous communication forall workers across all shifts.

– open channels of communication with allrelevant groups within the organization.e.g. engineering, human resources, pur-chasing, maintenance, sales.

This is not participation: “We make the deci-sions and the workers participate by doing the work,” (remark by a company manager in anOntario workplace.).


GAMING WORKERS’HEALTH & SAFETY

RESEARCH PROJECTParticipatory Action Research

Gaming workers in casinos in Windsor,Ontarioand Winnipeg, Manitoba worked together toresearch the health and safety hazards they faceon the job. The workers, our union (CAW Local444) and the Manitoba Government EmployeesUnion, joined with the Windsor OccupationalHealth Information Service,Occupational HealthClinics for Ontario Workers and the ManitobaFederation of Labour Occupational HealthCentre to carry out the research. The studylooked at all health and safety issues but we willfocus on ergonomics issues here.

Windsor and Winnipeg – The Windsor Casinoemployed approximately 3,600 workers and theWinnipeg casinos employed 800 workers in threegaming facilities.

Focus Group – Thirteen focus group sessionswere set up in Windsor and six in Winnipeg. InWindsor there were 51 workers participating and20 in Winnipeg for the three hour sessions.Trained union facilitators led the sessions whichwere observed and recorded by staff from thethree occupational health centres.

Research Tools – Mapping – The focus groupparticipants used “mapping” exercises to reporttheir health problems, the hazards they face onthe job, and the impact work has on their lives.

Body Mapping Body mapping is a research tool used for gath-

ering information regarding the health problems(illness,injuries,aches and pains,etc.) of workers.

In each focus group, large images of the body(front and back) were posted on the wall. Thegaming workers placed self-sticking dots on thebody map to indicate their own health problems.They reported, one at a time, to the group, whathealth problems their dots represented.

The information was recorded.The focus group participants reported the fol-

lowing health problems:

NOTE: This is just an example of how a body map might look. It isnot an actual representation of the health problems of any particu-lar gaming worker or group of gaming workers.

O musculoskeletal pain in the shoulders, back,hips, feet, ankles, knees, neck, elbow, wrists,hands and fingers; repetitive strain injuries,such as tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome,stress fractures, and epicondylitis.

O general health complaints such asheadaches, irritability, fatigue, sleeplessness,and dizziness which was largely attributed tostress.

O many other problems from hearing loss toallergies.

The completed body maps showed clusters ofdots in the joint areas (elbows, wrists, knees,ankles, shoulders). There were also concentra-tions of dots on the hands and feet. Largenumbers of dots were placed in the upper,middle and lower back areas and in the neck andhead areas.

“I thought I was the only one having all thesepains.”

– Cook,Windsor

Work-related health problems adversely affect-ed workers’ lives outside of work.

“I like to go for walks but if my feet or knees arebothering me from work, I can’t walk.”

– Slot Attendant,Winnipeg


Hazard MappingThe gaming workers were asked to draw a

rough diagram of their work area(s).Large sheetsof craft paper were mounted on the wall. Collec-tive maps were used when workers came fromthe same area. These sheets of paper includedthe physical layout of the work area, the locationof the individual worker and their co-workers aswell as any existing hazards. Colour-coded, self-sticking labels were provided. They thendescribed their drawing to the rest of the group.The information was recorded.

Hazard Mapping ResultsWork Design and Stress

E overcrowdingE cramped work areasE poor building designE poor building maintenanceE lifting and carryingE equipment/machineryE workload/under staffingE repetitionE awkward reachingE heavy workE standing

The dealers considered repetitive straininjuries to be one of their greatest concerns.Theporters were concerned about ergonomic issues(pushing, pulling and carrying equipment). Par-ticipants from the security department reportedthat standing for a long period of time was animportant issue for them.

Workers’ work-related health problems alsoaffected their lives outside of work.

Establishing PrioritiesEach participant named their top priority

workplace health and safety concern.These con-cerns were recorded on a chart along withdetails regarding causes, effects, and some pro-posed solutions.

Participants cast votes for the top priorityissues using self-sticking notes. They each hadthree notes, giving them a chance to vote, notonly for their top issue but other participants’issues as well.

Finally, the participants offered a number of

solutions to the problems which were believed tobe of high priority.Workers from each city raisedthe same three top priority issues.

Ergonomics and Work DesignParticipants said problems could be remedied

by replacing machines with updated equipment,asking for worker input on work station design,improving work station design, having morespace per worker, increasing staff and floaters,removing “shuffle masters”, changing booth loca-tions,widening aisles,bolting stools and chairs tothe floor, limiting the number of customers,usingsmaller/lighter chairs, having a massage thera-pist/physiotherapist on site, better job rotation,longer rest/break periods, shorter work weeks,planning traffic flow, implementing exer-cise/stretch/gym programs, more variations injob, sharper knives, providing ergonomicallydesigned tools, lifting devices, anti-fatigue mats,step-ups, risers, chairs, stools, light weight,adjustable carts, proper shoes and clothing/uni-forms.

ActionThe union representatives on the Joint Occu-

pational Health and Safety Committee used thepriorities and suggestions in their repective com-mittee meetings as a program of change to beraised with management. Many positive changesresulted. CAW Local 444 took the issues and putthem into language to raise in collective bargain-ing. Good language was negotiated and manyimprovements were made.

CAW LOCAL 444 AND WINDSOR CASINOCOLLECTIVE AGREEMENT 2001-2004

LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING #14

ERGONOMICSDuring the current negotiations, the parties discussed the value of the application ofergonomics in the Casino.

The Casino assured the Union that it is committed to efforts, where feasible, toimprove the interface of employees with the workplace.Accordingly, the Director ofLabour Relations will designate a qualified member of Management, to have respon-sibilities for Ergonomics. In carrying out job station designs during the introductionof new processes, procedures or the changing of job assignments all managers shalluse an Ergonomics checklist.The checklist will be explained to the JHSC before itslaunch when they make recommendations.The checklist may in the future be com-puterized.The Local Health and Safety Committees will address Ergonomic concernson a continuing basis with this Management designate.

It is intended the Local Joint Health and Safety Committee will address ergonomicneeds on a priority basis and work progressively toward improving work-place/employee interface.When an ergonomic concern is beyond the scope of theLocal Ergonomic Committee below and requires further expertise, a consultant maybe hired to evaluate the problem.The CAW National Union Ergonomics Representa-tive may evaluate the reports,and assist the JHSC as required.When the parties agreeupon ergonomic solutions, they will be implemented on a priority basis.

In addition, where New Technology is to be introduced into the Casino, the JointHealth and Safety Committee will be given the opportunity to review the technolog-ical changes and to make recommendations with respect to Ergonomic concerns.

LOCAL ERGONOMIC COMMITTEESIn negotiations, the Casino and the Union discussed their joint commitments toefforts where feasible, to improve the interface of employees with the workplacethrough ergonomics.The Casino will establish a Local Ergonomics Committee (LEC)with the objective of exploring and introducing ways to reduce injuries and illnessesthrough the application of ergonomics.

This Sub-Committee will consist of four (4) members; the CAW H & S Co-Chair,and aCommittee Person as provided for in Article 6, and the Management H & S Manager(or designate) and another qualified member of Management responsible forergonomics. All members shall receive a minimum of forty (40) hours ErgonomicTraining.

The LEC should consider several factors when identifying priority jobs.Medical track-ing tools should be used to verify employees are experiencing injuries on these jobs.


the check-in agents lift and carry each bag to theconveyor belt. (At non-mechanized baggagecheck-in systems, workers can lift and carry up to600 bags a day, weighing on average 33 kg. each.This means that workers may lift and carry up toalmost 20,000 kg. a day). Even at fully mechanizedbaggage check-in systems, workers often push andpull bags, often in painful postures.

Dr. Rosskam had this to say:“Check-in workers are also subjected to

immense stress. Present management practicesapplying ‘just in time’ policies mean that workersshould check in passengers (including check-in andbaggage handling) in around three minutes. But iffor any reason the agent spends more time - such

CAW LOCAL 2002 members work at airportcheck-in counters throughout Canada fromGander to Victoria to Inuvik. Dr. Ellen Rosskam ofthe ILO (International Labour Organization) workedwith the International Transport Workers’ Federa-tion (ITF), our union and unions in Switzerland aswell as CCOHS (Canadian Centre for OccupationalHealth & Safety) to investigate the hazards of thesejobs. The study found a high risk of work-relatedmusculoskeletal disorders as well as a risk of vio-lence from passengers.

The check-in agents handle more than onehundred pieces of baggage a day having anaverage weight of 33 kg. each. Where thebaggage handling systems are not mechanized,



as with a passenger who doesn’t understand theinstructions, or with an elderly passenger who maymove more slowly with their baggage, etc. - theymust try hard to make up the time later, because atthe end of the line is an airplane waiting to take off.A missed schedule is costly. At the check-in counter,the agent knows this very well. So you can imaginethe pressure. At the same time, workers are not con-sulted about the organization of their work, they donot have a voice in workplace decision-making, norare they consulted about problems they may be expe-riencing. Communication is top-down only, whereasit could easily be top-down and bottom-up. This envi-ronment, full of repetitive physical effort and stressdue to existing management practices, favours theoccurrence of MSD.”

“The industry-wide use of ‘just in time’ policies inairports has caused an increase in pressure which is

exerted directly on the check-in workers, pushingthem to work faster. The objective is to avoid asmuch as possible delays in takeoffs, which arevery costly to the airlines. There are more peopletravelling today through airports than everbefore. ‘Just in time’ policies impose a speed-upin the work process. To characterize the situa-tion, one might say that the agents have morework to complete in less time, while remainingsmiling and polite with passengers who aremore and more aggressive, and working under

conditions often physically demanding, with notraining to protect them against any of these

risks. That this has repercussions on their health isnot surprising.”


“For their part, the check-in workers continue togo to work as though nothing were wrong, in spite oftheir often severe pains. There is a kind of ‘culture ofpain’ at work; if the majority of people in your pro-fessional environment suffer from the same kind ofpain as you, you may end up by considering that thisis the normal state of things. You may tell yourself it’sup to you to put up with the pain and sufferingwithout complaining, and to get on with your work.What I call an occupational culture of pain, combinedwith the difficulty to obtain diagnosis and compensa-tion, and the fact that workers may be somehowencouraged to use their sick leave rather than activateworkers’ compensation when needed, may work inconsort to cause low or no injury reporting and alow level of lost work time, despite widespreadsuffering. The workers are motivated to do theirjob because they strongly identify with theirprofession and are proud of it.”

Key Findings: Backs and RSIsO 44 per cent were absent from work

with back pain and 18 per cent wereabsent from work with neck pain in theprevious year.

O Baggage tagging, either from a sittingor standing position increases pain.

O More injuries occur where there is nomechanised system for handling baggage,and where workers sit for a whole shift.

O Workers suffer more injury and discomfort ininternational terminals than domestic terminalssince baggage is often heavier and larger.

O Workers often lift loads exceeding the standard30 kg. limit

O Bending low, reaching forward, lifting with onehand, and hauling bags to the conveyor belt putsworkers at increased risk of injury, yet few staffreceive training on manual lifting.

O Computer work at non-adjustable work stationsleads to strained, uncomfortable body posturewhether sitting or standing.

O The risks of discomfort and injury remain largelyunrecognized due to lack of training.

Prevention MeasuresDr. Rosskam says, “The first step in prevention is to

recognize that these problems exist. Once there isawareness and recognition of the problems, one canbegin to discuss workplace improvements withinvolvement of the workers directly concerned.”

“There are some very simple preventive measures


which can be adopted. Eliminate those workstationarrangements that oblige workers to either remainstanding during their entire service, or to remainseated. It is important for workers to be able to alter-nate positions. The baggage tag dispenser should beplaced so that workers are not forced to adoptawkward postures, such as bending over to attach thetags to the baggage and then twisting around topush the bags. Moreover, perhaps there should be auniversal baggage weight limit of 20 kg. The check-incounters are often poorly designed; often there is notenough space underneath the counter for the legswhen the agents are seated, or even leg room whenstanding. Workers often end up adopting impossiblepositions to adapt to what may be a complete lack ofleg room under the counter. As well, the work surfaceof the counter is often too narrow to accommodateall of the documents the agent must deal with. Theseneed to be adapted to the needs of the worker sothey may perform their job efficiently and comfort-ably. Fully mechanized check-in systems are far moredesirable than manual systems, but even where costs

prohibit the introduction of a fully mechanizedsystem, at least a roller bar could be installed, toobviate lifting and carrying every bag.”

The International Transport Workers’ Federationhad this to say:

“Many of these problems could be solved for rela-tively little cost, especially when set against the costsof high levels of injury. Yet the current trend in air-ports is for lower costs, recruitment of less experi-enced, younger workers, and the focusing of lessattention on working conditions.

There are obviously ways to increase staff comfort.The biggest risk factors come with excessive work-loads due to high volumes of passengers, constrainedand awkward postures, and strains from lifting orrepetitive hand movements. Therefore, managersneed to ensure adequate staffing and breaks, and toprovide adjustable keyboard trays, adjustable chairsand sufficient leg space. Staff should be able to alter-nate between sitting and standing during a work shiftand they should, for example, be able to view abaggage scale without twisting.”

This is the BC Regulation:

Ergonomics (MSI) RequirementsThe purpose of sections 4.46 to 4.53 is to eliminate or, if that is not practicable, minimize the risk of

musculoskeletal injury to workers.

Definition 4.46 In sections 4.47 to 4.53 (the Ergonomics (MSI) Requirements)“musculoskeletal means an injury or disorder of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints,injury”or “MSI” nerves,blood vessels or related soft tissue including a sprain, strain and inflam-

mation, that may be caused or aggravated by work.Risk 4.47 The employer must identify factors in the workplace that may identification expose workers to a risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI).Risk assessment 4.48 When factors that may expose workers to a risk of MSI have been iden-

tified, the employer must ensure that the risk to workers is assessed.Risk factors 4.49 The following factors must be considered, where applicable, in the

identification and assessment of the risk of MSI:(a) the physical demands of work activities, including

(i) force required,(ii) repetition,(iii) duration,(v) work postures, and(v) local contact stresses;

(b) aspects of the layout and condition of the workplace or workstation,including:(i) working reaches,(ii) working heights,(iii) seating, and(iv) floor surfaces;

(c) the characteristics of objects handled, including(i) size and shape,(ii) load condition and weight distribution, and(iii) container, tool and equipment handles;

(d) the environmental conditions, including cold temperature;(e) the following characteristics of the organization of work:

(i) work-recovery cycles;(ii) task variability;(iii) work rate.Note: In work situations where a risk of MSI exists, typically only somefactors from the list will be applicable.To assist, the WCB provides a riskfactor identification chart in the publication Identifying MSI RiskFactors.

ERGONOMICS REGULATIONS are needed in all jurisdictions so that ergonomics requirementswill have the force of law.Both British Columbia and Saskatchewan have ergonomics regulationsto prevent musculoskeletal injuries.There is a federal working group composed of labour,employ-er and government representatives drafting a regulation under Part 2 of the Canada Labour Code.Our union has participated in a major campaign of the labour movement and injured workers’groups to lobby for ergonomics regulations to protect workers in all jurisdictions in Canada.


Risk control 4.50 (1) The employer must eliminate or, if that is not practicable,minimize the risk of MSI to workers.

(2) Personal protective equipment may only be used as asubstitute for engineering or administrative controls if it is used in circumstances in which those controls are not practicable.

(3) The employer must, without delay, implement interimcontrol measures when the introduction of permanentcontrol measures will be delayed.

Education and training 4.51 (1) The employer must ensure that a worker who may exposed to a risk of MSI is educated in risk identificationrelated to the work, including the recognition of early signsand symptoms of MSIs and their potential health effects.

(2) The employer must ensure that a worker to be assigned to work which requires specific measures to control the risk ofMSI is trained in the use of those measures, including,whereapplicable,work procedures,mechanical aids and personalprotective equipment.

Note: The WCB provides the pamphlet Understanding theRisks of MSI to assist with the application of section 4.51(1).Materials addressing other matters such as risk assessmentand control are also available.

Evaluation 4.52 (1) The employer must monitor the effectiveness of themeasures taken to comply with the Ergonomics (MSI)Requirements and ensure they are reviewed at least an-nally.

(2) When the monitoring required by subsection (1) identifiesdeficiencies, they must be corrected without undue delay.

Consultation 4.53 (1) The employer must consult with the joint committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable, withrespect to the following when they are required by theErgonomics (MSI) Requirements:

(a) risk identification, assessment and control;

(b) the content and provision of worker education and train-ing;

(c) the evaluation of the compliance measures taken.

(2) The employer must, when performing a risk assessment,consult with:

(a) workers with signs or symptoms of MSI, and

(b) a representative sample of the workers who are required tocarry out the work being assessed.



RSIs it is only necessary to recognize that recentU.S. Bureau of Labor statistics revealed that 62%of all reported work related illness cases were forrepetitive trauma disorders. Statistics in thiscountry are not quite as bleak but are still alarm-ing with injuries to the back accounting for amajority of RSIs.

Repetitive strain injuries are caused by poorlydesigned workplaces, work stations and toolsand by work paces that are too fast and physical-ly stressful.These injuries are prevalent in all eco-nomic sectors.RSIs manifest themselves in symp-toms like aches, pains, tingling, swelling and lossof joint movement and loss of strength.RSIs com-monly develop into crippling disorders perma-nently injuring workers to the point where theyare prevented from working and leading normallives.

The consequent costs are enormous both interms of diminishing productivity and healthcare. In 1998 the direct medical costs alone oftreating such injuries was $2.6 billion overall inCanada. To further grasp this one only needs toconsider the proliferation of physiotherapyclinics. In addition, there is an immediate impacton the bottom line in the form of higher insur-ance and WSIB premiums.

Yet all of this suffering and cost is largely pre-ventable through the use of ergonom-ics. Ergonomics is the study of how to adaptworkplaces, workstations and tools to theworker. It recognizes workers’ physical limits andensures the work they perform does not exceedthese limits to the point of injury.

One expects unions to negotiate contractuallanguage promoting ergonomics in the work-place. Nonetheless, the prevalence of theproblem of RSIs attests to the fact that contractu-al language negotiated into collective agree-ments is most definitely not enough. Heightenedpublic awareness of the problem of RSIs and themagnitude of it is also critical. So is meaningfulconcern about the issue by public policy makersat all levels. This is especially true provinciallywhere most of the responsibility for labour legis-lation lies in this country.

This brings me to my main point. That is tomake the case for the need to have a Canada-wide standard for ergonomics and correspon-ding ergonomics regulations included in

Newfoundland and LabradorApproximately 60% of claims made to the

Workplace Health and Safety and Compensa-tion Commission in Newfoundland andLabrador in 1999 were for soft tissue injuries.The Task Force looking into improving theworkers’ compensation system recommendedergonomics regulations be instituted to protectthe workers of Newfoundland and Labrador.The new regulations came into effect in 2003.

Presentation on RSIs andErgonomics to St. Catharines CityCouncil, March 10, 2003

I want to thank you for the opportunity tomake a presentation concerning repetitive straininjuries (RSIs). Late last month people in manycountries around the world observed Interna-tional RSI Awareness Day.The purpose of that daywas to focus attention on the suffering and costsassociated with these crippling disorders knownas RSIs affecting more and more people. Interna-tional RSI Awareness Day was also conceived toraise awareness of the need for prevention, reha-bilitation and compensation.

It is hard to think of a problem so large in mag-nitude that receives such scant public attentionand is so neglected as a public policy issue. Toappreciate the significance of the problem of


nizes their physical limits and ensures they arenot exceeded to the point of injury, and

Whereas the negotiations of ergonomics lan-guage into collective agreements offers insuffi-cient protection of workers against repetitivestrain injuries, and

Whereas the incorporation of ergonomics intooccupational health and safety legislation anda Canada-wide standard for ergonomics willmake an effective difference in addressing thisenomous social problem, therefore.

Be it resolved that St. Catharines City Councilsupports both a Canada-wide standard forergonomics and the incorporation ofergonomics regulations into occupationalhealth and safety legislation.

Bruce Allen,Vice-President,CAW Local 199

Ontario’s occupational health and safety legisla-tion. Ergonomics are currently integral to labourlegislation in B.C.and Saskatchewan.Manitoba issoon expected to follow suit.

Legislation currently in place obligatesemployers to identify and assess risk factors formusculoskeletal injury (MSI), back injuries andRSIs.The goal is to eliminate or at least minimizethe risk of MSIs and RSIs. It also calls for moni-tored control measures and deficiencies to becorrected and for the education of and consulta-tion with employees in MSI and RSI risk identifi-cation.

Accordingly, I would like to see this council,byway of adopting this resolution, express itssupport for the incorporation of such measuresinto Ontario’s occupational health and safety leg-islation and for a Canada - wide ergonomics stan-dard. And I might add that doing so now wouldbe especially timely given the approach of aprovincial election where this question shouldbe the subject of serious debate.Thank you.

Proposed Resolution on RSIs:Whereas repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) com-monly develop into crippling disorders per-manently injuring workers to the point wherethey are prevented from working or leadingnormal lives, and

Whereas the consequent costs are enormousin terms of diminishing productivity andhealth care, and

Whereas the use of ergonomics to adapt work-places,workstations and tools to the worker toensure the work each worker performs recog-

Contract LanguagePROMOTING RSI AWARENESS

Each year on the last working day of Febru-ary, the company and the union agree topromote awareness of repetitive straininjuries in order to reduce their occurrence.Initiatives used to promote RSI awarenesscould include safety talks, videos, disseminat-ing written material and posters.Bargained 2002 CAW/General Motors Collective Agreement


A SOUND ergonomics program must ensureworkers receive education and training to enablethem to recognize the signs and symptoms ofstrains and sprains injuries. Injured workers mustseek prompt treatment if serious and sometimespermanent disabilities are to be avoided. Rest,ice, anti-inflammatories and pain relievers canplay an important role in reducing pain and suf-fering in the short run.Prompt treatment is impor-tant so we must fight to eliminate waiting listsand delays in accepting workers’ compensationclaims. Physiotherapy, chiropractic treatments,acupuncture, naturopaths and massage therapycan all play a role depending on the diagnosisand what works for the individual concerned.Activity at reduced levels,including something assimple as walking for those with low back pain,can be effective in treating strains and sprainsinjuries. All types of non-invasive therapiesshould be tried before there is any considerationof surgery. If a physician has recommendedsurgery, get a second opinion before allowinganyone to operate on you.

When injured workers are in any kind of treat-ment program, ergonomics can assist with pro-viding information regarding job demands sothat rehabilitation can be adjusted accordingly.Good rehabilitation programs should be readily

available. We must fight the de-listing of treat-ments from our medicare programs.We must alsofight for coverage through our extended healthcare plans for any treatments not covered undermedicare.

Return to WorkAs a result of changes to legislation across the

country, Workers’ Compensation Boards aremoving toward promoting return to work (RTW)


processes. From a labour perspective, the keyfailing in these processes is that workers are oftenreturned to their original job without any safetyimprovements having been made. Ergonomicscan do two things in workers’compensation RTWissues.

1. Ergonomics can analyse and improve jobswhere workers have been injured thus pre-venting re-injury and injuries to otherworkers.

2. Ergonomics can develop recommenda-tions to modify jobs to meet a worker’s

restrictions.

The CAW Return to WorkChecklist speaks of usingergonomics to modify jobs inthe workplace. Where anemployer is unwilling to makeimprovements to a job,workers may exercise their“Right to Refuse UnsafeWork.”This may stimulate thedevelopment and implemen-

tation of needed ergonomic

improvements. Information obtained fromworkers’ compensation cases may be used toargue for future changes in job design. On theother side of the coin, ergonomics can provideinformation regarding a job’s demands andhazards to assist in claims for workplace injuries.

Our union supports changing job design tomeet the needs of workers with disabilities,regardless of whether the disability is work-related or not, and regardless of whether the dis-ability is temporary or permanent.

Our union believes the workplace should bedesigned so that the abilities and limitations ofthe range of the workforce is considered. Jobsshould be designed for workers of various sizes,strengths, of different genders and of varyingphysical and cognitive abilities. Under humanrights legislation employers have a “Duty toAccommodate” disabled workers. According tothe Ontario Human Rights Commission 30% ofall complaints made involve allegations of dis-crimination in employment based on disability.The human rights codes set out the duty of theemployer to accommodate workers. Some


human rights codes or decisions outline a three-step process for an accommodation search. Thefirst step is “modify, adapt, or adjust own job.” Aswith workers’ compensation and return to work,ergonomics can assist in developing solutions tomodify jobs based on workers’ abilities. Underthe Human Rights Codes the duty to accommo-date is available to workers with both work-related and non-work-related injuries and illness-es.

For more information on workers’ compensa-tion, return to work issues, or on human rightsand the duty to accommodate contact yourLocal Union, national servicing representative, orthe CAW Health and Safety or CAW HumanRights Departments.


CAW RETURN TO WORKor Modified Work Checklist

E The purpose or goal of the program should be tohelp the injured worker return to work safely:

l at the appropriate timel to work which will help him or her get

betterl to work which will accommodate workers

with permanent disabilities

E and to prevent further injuries

E The union should be involved in a Joint Return toWork (Modified Work) Committee playing ameaningful role in:l developing comprehensive job descriptionsl job designl analyzing and identifying appropriate pre-

ventative measuresl consulting the workerl defining the individual return to work plan

E The union should receive:

l copies of all employer report forms to theworkers’ compensation system

l copies of all functional abilities forms

E The program should include a method of moni-toring and analyzing the cause of injuries in orderto take appropriate action to prevent furtherinjuries

l it should provide for an effective job analysisand comprehensive job descriptions

l it should provide for taking appropriateaction to modify jobs to prevent injuries(and to prevent recurrences)

E The first preference of the program should bemodifying the workers’ job using the principles ofergonomics

l it benefits the workerl it plays a significant role in preventing

further injuriesl assists the injured worker in reintegrating

into the workforce

E If it is not possible to accommodate the injuredworker at their original job

l there should be a hierarchy of jobs definedin the program

E The program should treat employees with work-related and non work-related disabilities in thesame way

l consistent with human rights legislation

E The program should include workers with perma-nent disabilities as well as temporary disabilities

E The return to work plan should be based on, andtailored to, the individual worker’s needs

l there should not be an arbitrary mouldl it should last as long as required for the

benefit of that particular injured worker

E The program must respect medical confidentialityof the worker

l involve and respect the advice of the worker’smedical practitioner

E The work that the worker returns to should helphim or her get better:

l it should be constructivel it should be rehabilitativel it should be at a point where the worker is

ready for, and will benefit, from itl it should assist the worker in re-integrating

into the work force

E The program should be consistent with the col-lective agreement

l it should not impose arbitrary and unneces-sary restrictions such as permitting no over-time for the worker

E The layoff and recall provisions for the injuredworker should be the same as if he or she wasnot injured

E The wages of the injured worker should be thesame as if he or she had not been injured


Who are ergonomists?Ergonomists are people who have had some

sort of education in at least the following areas:

– BiomechanicsThe application of physical laws and engi-

neering concepts to an understanding of howthe human body acts and reacts to motion andexternal forces.

– Human AnatomyThe science of the physical structure of the

body (in particular the musculoskeletal system).

– Human Physiology The science of which studies the processes

and functions of the human body.

– Human Factors DesignThis is an area of study that focuses on human

information processing and anthropometry.Human information processing is the process bywhich humans use their senses to perceive, inter-pret, make decisions and then act on those deci-sions based on information received from theirenvironment. Anthropometry is the study andmeasurement of the physical and functionaldimensions of the human body.

– EngineeringThe profession of applying scientific principles

to design and construction.

– Injuries and RehabilitationUnderstanding the mechanisms of injury and

the methods of treatment.There is a professional college that now certi-fies ergonomists in Canada. It is important to

note that this certification has onlybeen present since 1998. Many

people who practice ergonomicsstill use the title “ergonomist”.Only those who are professionally

certified by the Canadian College forthe Certification of Professional

Ergonomists can use the title and

designation “Canadian Certified ProfessionalErgonomist or CCPE.”The certification itself out-lines a set of standards in training and experi-ence that those who apply must meet.

The purpose of the certification as outlined bythe college is to:O Protect users of ergonomics services O Protect the reputation of ergonomics O Improve quality of practice

What Do Ergonomists Do?Ergonomists use data from human body sizes

and strengths to design jobs so that tall,short andaverage people can do the same job withoutdeveloping injuries. They may measure reaches,heights or forces to paint a more accurate pictureof the problem. Some apply principles acquiredfrom research to improve work design. Todaythere are all sorts of computer programs that canassess workplace hazards but we must keep inmind that every worker is different.A hazard thatmay affect one worker may not affect anotherworker in the same way or at the same time. Nocomputer program can tell a worker whether heor she is in pain.Don’t let fancy devices and soft-ware programs intimidate you.Ergonomic princi-ples can be applied without these fancy tools.Ergonomics involves quite a bit of trial and error.


JOB DEMANDSPHYSICAL and

PSYCHOSOCIAL

PSYCHOSOCIALJOB DESIGN

INFO PROCESSING, WORKPACE, DECISION LATITUDE,RESPONSIBILITY, TRAINING

and TECHNOLOGY

PHYSICALJOB DESIGN

WORKSTATION LAYOUT,TOOLS and EQUIPMENT,PARTS and MATERIALS,

and ENVIRONMENT

DEVELOPINGSOLUTIONS

WHERE JOB DEMANDSEXCEED HUMAN ABILITIES

WORKERABILITIES

Even the most experienced ergonomists don’tget it all right the first time. The most importantrequirements are a good ear,a great eye and a lotof common sense! Observing and interviewingworkers still remains the most critical step inassessing and redesigning jobs. It doesn’t have tobe rocket science.

Ergonomics involves analyzing both the physi-cal and the work organization job demands.Thephysical aspects of work include reviewing theworkstation layout, the tools and equipment, theparts and materials and the surrounding workingenvironment. The psychosocial aspects of workinclude the information a worker must process,the pace of work,decision latitude, responsibility,training and working with technology. By nomeans is this list comprehensive but it is a goodstart.An ergonomist’s first consideration must be

the range of workers’ abilities.Everyone differs inhis or her physical and mental abilities and this isthe building block for job design. Ergonomics islike a puzzle. The demands of work must notexceed the abilities of workers or the puzzlepieces just won’t fit. Jobs must be designed to fitmultiple workers.Ergonomics attempts to correctjob demands when they exceed workers’ abili-ties.

You don’t have to be an ergonomist to doergonomics in your workplace! Use thismanual, take a course and most of all usecommon sense to identify workplace hazardsthat increase risk of injury. Whether you have aprofessional certification or not, is irrelevant tomaking effective ergonomic improvements inyour workplace. Remember, the big advantageworkers’ representatives involved in ergonomicshave over professional ergonomists is familiaritywith the workplace as well as being trusted bythe workers. Workers will tell you about theirproblems and propose solutions because theyknow you will listen to them sincerely.They haveconfidence in your ability to make effectivechanges that will protect them.


EMPLOYERS MUST be compelled to improveworkplaces and the conditions of work.Workersmust be involved in the design and organizationof their work. Ergonomic issues should be raisedin Joint Health and Safety Committee meetings.We need to bargain ergonomic requirements inour collective agreements. This is even moreimportant in jurisdictions which do not yet haveergonomics regulations. Here is a sample ofissues in CAW collective agreements:

Time off the jobIncreasing time away from the workplace

reduces exposure to ergonomic hazards andgives the body extended time periods to heal andrecuperate.Time off comes in many forms includ-ing extended weekends, formal vacation timeand shorter workdays or weeks.

Relief at workIncreasing break time and relief time during

the workday gives the body more of the rest timeit needs between work exertions. Especially forshort cycle time assembly jobs such as those inautomotive assembly plants where cycle timesare less than a minute, we need to ensure eachcycle has a micro pause built in.Five seconds resta minute can make a big difference in a job that’sa minute long.

WorkloadThe constant pressure to increase production

efficiency means we have to make efforts to limitemployers’ ability to alter job tasks and to insurethey supply and maintain adequate staffinglevels.We need union time study representativesin many workplaces to ensure workers are notforced to work too hard and too fast.

Health and SafetyIt is critical that we bargain the basic health

and safety rights of workers into our collective

agreements to provide the framework forergonomics:O Right to know about the risks of strains and

sprains.O Right to participate in joint health and safety

committees or joint ergonomics committees.O Right to refuse work which would result in

RSIs.

RepresentationO For smaller workplaces, expanded duties of

the health and safety committee to includeergonomics.

O For larger workplaces, establishment of ajoint ergonomics committee (or sub-commit-tee of the workplace health and safety com-mittee).

O For larger workplaces, full time unionergonomic representation.

O Ergonomics education and training for com-mittee members as well as workers and man-agement.


CAW GENERAL MOTORSMASTER AGREEMENT,

2002-2005VIII ERGONOMICS

(a) CAW National Ergonomic CoordinatorDuring the current negotiations, the Company

agreed with the Union that a National Ergonom-ics Coordinator could enhance the joint efforts ofthe parties in maintaining and improvingergonomics in the workplace.

The National Ergonomic Coordinator will beappointed by the PresidentNational Union CAW for theterm of the current MasterAgreement and no personshall act as the NationalErgonomic Coordinator untilwritten notice of their perma-nent assignment has been fur-nished by the President Nation-al Union CAW to DivisionalLabour Relations. Any issues relative to the per-formance of the Coordinator may be referred tothe President’s Office.

The National Ergonomics coordinator willwork jointly with a Company representative des-ignated by the Vice President and General Direc-tor of Personnel and will be based at the CAWNational Office.

The parties further agreed that the Coordinatorcan have an important role in improvingemployee ergonomics and must fulfill theresponsibility of the position in a spirit of coop-eration by emphasizing a problem solvingapproach in dealing with Company and Unionrepresentatives.

The role of the National Ergonomic Coordina-tor is to receive, analyze and assess concerns ofan ergonomic nature submitted by the CAWNational Health and Safety Coordinator and theGeneral Motors of Canada Limited DivisionalSafety Manager or the Master Ergonomic Com-mittee. This analysis and assessment will assistthe Union and the Company in determining thepriority of each concern, in order that Union andCompany resources may be effectively appliedand that problem resolution may be maximized.The National Ergonomic coordinator will assist

Ergonomics ChecklistsChecklists are most valuable when used at the

earliest stages of job design, introducing newprocesses or procedures, changing job assign-ments and prioritizing ergonomics needs.

Ergonomic ProcessA formalized plan for highlighting, assessing

and solving ergonomic issues that incorporatesyour ergonomic resources and helps focus themon seeking solutions.

Worker Accommodationand Return to Work

A process that recognizes injured workers cancontribute during the healing and rehabilitationstages and provides them with suitable work untilthey can return to their normal duties.

Ergonomic ResourcesInvolvement of engineers, skilled trades, main-

tenance and medical staff as well as any otherpeople who could provide assistance withergonomic efforts in the workplace.

International RSI Awareness DayRecognition of International RSI Awareness

Day, held each year on the last day of February,serves as a way to raise awareness about repeti-tive strain injuries and other ergonomic issues.


in resolving disputes that may arise from time totime, using generally recognized and establishedergonomic standards.

The Union will promote an ergonomicsprocess that uses advanced knowledge and skillsin applied life sciences to recommend improve-ments to work stations, tools, and work methods.It is understood that the implementation of rec-ommendations can occur only after thoroughdiscussion in a joint environment.

The National Ergonomic Coordinator willwork on a pro-active basis to support jointCAW/General Motors of Canada Limited initia-tives to reduce injuries and related Workers’Com-pensation costs.

The National Ergonomic Coordinator willmeet on a regular basis with the CAW NationalHealth and Safety Coordinator and the GeneralMotors of Canada Limited Divisional SafetyManager to discuss issues and initiatives, as wellas areas of concern which could be addressedby the Master Joint Health and Safety Committee.

Following his/her appointment, meetings willtake place to determine the courses required inorder for the National Ergonomic Coordinator toupgrade his or her skills in the field and to func-tion effectively,at a cost not to exceed the normalemployee entitlement under the Tuition RefundPlan for General Motors of Canada Hourly-RateEmployees taken in the aggregate over the life ofthe Agreement. Tuition for said courses will bepayable by the Company upon presentation ofan invoice from the instructional institution.

The National Ergonomic Coordinator may visitall plants and access will be provided on reason-able notice.

Any problems arising from this document willbe discussed by the Master Joint Health andSafety Committee. If the problem is not resolved,the problem may be referred to the NationalUnion CAW and Divisional Labour Relations forresolution.

(b) Master Ergonomics CommitteeDuring the current negotiations, the Company

and the Union confirmed their willingness toform a Master Ergonomics Committee (MEC).The Master Ergonomics Committee will meetquarterly at mutually agreed upon times and

places to discuss and update MEC members onthe status of Local Ergonomic Committees (LEC),best practices and lessons learned. An agendawill be prepared in advance. This Master Com-mittee will consist of two (2) representatives ofthe National CAW and two (2) representatives ofthe Company.Each party will appoint to the com-mittee at least one (1) member who has profes-sional training in ergonomics.Among those matters that will be appropriate fordiscussions by the committee include:

1. Plant applications and support of theGM/CAW Ergonomics Standard OperatingProcess;

2. Training of LEC members;3. Results of completed GM ergonomic studies;4. Advanced Ergonomic applications at the

Company;5. Plant applications and support of the local

placement program.

The Company and the Union further agreed itwould be beneficial to share among variousplants what each one is doing with respect toergonomics activities. As a result, the partiesagreed that the MEC will plan and implement anAnnual Ergonomics Meeting of the LECs fromeach plant location to discuss ergonomic activi-ties at our facilities. The Company will pay forscheduled hours worked, registration, where nec-


the changing of job assignments, all Industri-al Engineers shall use an Ergonomics checklist. The check list will be explained to theJoint Health and Safety Committee before itslaunch when they may make recommenda-tions.The check list may,in the future,be com-puterized.

5. Frequency of Local Joint Ergonomic Com-mittee meetings. These meetings shall be atleast monthly.

6. A forum for reporting the Ergonomics Com-mittee recommendations to Management.

7. Time allotment for committee members toperform Ergonomics Committee functions.

Issues regarding the implementation of thisDocument may be referred to the DivisionalLabour Relations Staff and the National UnionCAW for resolution.

GM/CAW ErgonomicsStandard Operating Process

(d) GM/CAW ErgonomicsStandard Operating Process

In 1999 negotiations, the Company and theUnion discussed their joint commitment toefforts,where feasible, to improve the interface ofemployees with the workplace through ergonom-ics.

The study of ergonomics examines the inter-action between the worker and the work envi-ronment, including such factors as machinery,tools, equipment, control panel design, andothers. If the match between the worker and theirwork environment is poor, the worker’s ability toperform the job may lead to, in the short term,fatigue, and in the long term, physical injuryand/or disability. In addition, improper job designmay hinder the worker’s ability to produce highquality work and may result in increased absen-teeism and decreased job satisfaction.

Therefore, the parties agree to jointly developan Ergonomics Standard Operating Process foruse in all of its plants.The MEC will develop theGM/CAW Ergonomics Standard OperatingProcess. The parties agree that it is important torecognize local practices already in place andtherefore all plants will submit to the MEC theircurrent joint process within 6 months after theeffective date of this agreement. These submis-

essary, lodging and transportation.The Union willbe responsible for meals and other expenses forUnion Representatives.

(c) Local Ergonomics CommitteesFollowing negotiations, the Personnel Dir-

ector and the Plant Chairperson at eachlocation will establish a Local ErgonomicsCommittee and determine a course of actionto jointly address local ergonomics initia-tives, which shall encompass the following:

1. Appointment of one (1) Union and one (1)Management member to the ErgonomicsCommittee. The selection of committeemembers shall not change any mutually sat-isfactory Ergonomics Committee membersor structure established prior to the effectivedate of the current Agreement.

2. The Ergonomics Committee will have accessto engineering, medical and other resourcepersonnel.

3. Adequate and necessary training forErgonomics Committee.

4. Duties and responsibilities of ErgonomicsCommittee members. These responsibilitiesinclude local implementation of MasterHealth and Safety Committee ergonomic rec-ommendations, accident investigation, jobtask analysis, and other recommendations tolocal management to reduce injuries or ill-nesses through the application of Ergonom-ics. In carrying out job station design at intro-duction of new processes or procedures or


sions will be used to assist in developing theGM/CAW Ergonomics Standard OperatingProcess. This GM/CAW Ergonomics StandardOperating Process will not restrict the plants fromany jointly agreed upon existing practices whichmeet or exceed the requirements of the processas determined by the MEC.

The primary goal of the GM/CAW ErgonomicsStandard Operating Process is to protect thehealth and safety of workers by examining theworker’s job and reviewing it for risk factors thatcan contribute to injury and illness. In addition,the parties agree to incorporate basic ergonomicprinciples into the design of new equipment,machinery, tools, processes, facilities and work-place layouts.

The two primary strategies that are used inergonomics are outlined in the joint GM/CAWErgonomics Process.

1. Identify the causes of injuries and illnesses inexisting workstations by:A. Identify priority jobs through either the

examination of medical records, employ-ee reports, or risk factor check lists, andassessment;

B. Evaluate job stresses to reveal the causesof the injury/illness or employee com-plaint;

C. Reduce or,where feasible,eliminate thesecauses by developing changes in workmethods, machinery, tools, equipmentand workstation design;

D. Implement and test the changes to deter-mine their effectiveness;

E. Document changes using a jointGM/CAW agreed upon process;

F. Follow-up to ensure the issue is correctedand job changes are being utilized.

2. Use the Design for Ergonomic guidelines inthe design of appropriate workstations,equip-ment, tools and other job attributes.

The Parties recognize that a number of factorsmay be appropriate to review in job assessments,including:

O The movement and postures of limbs andwhole body as workers perform a task;

O The energy expended in performing a taskover a given period of time;

O The amount of physical strength required fora task or job;

O Relationship between the worker and themachine, equipment, tools, workstation andworkplace;

O Design and layout of control panels and dis-plays;

O Repetitiveness of the task;O Pace of the work.

The parties reaffirmed their support for therole of the Local Ergonomics Committees (LECs)in the GM/CAW Ergonomics Standard OperatingProcess.The LEC should consider several factorswhen identifying priority jobs. Some of thesefactors may include excessive overhead work,cramped working postures, and walking back-wards. Medical Tracking tools should be used toverify employees are experiencing injuries onthese jobs.

BUILDING AWARENESSAMONG THE MEMBERS

It is important members know they are not alone intheir pain. They need ongoing education and trainingabout signs and symptoms of RSIs and back pain andencouragement to think of ways to eliminate theircauses.

To help with this task, we have drafted the fol-lowing four leaflets for you to copy or download(www.caw.ca/healthsafetyenvironment) to use asindividual leaflets to distribute to the membership,include in your local union newsletters, and use inergonomics awareness courses.


Notes


Whose Backs Are At Risk of Injury?Regardless of where we work, whether it be in auto, truck and bus assembly, parts plants, railways, aerospace,telecommunication, electronics assembly, foundries, fisheries and processing, airlines, offices, retail stores, mining,transportation, hotels, restaurants and health care… all workers are at risk from back injuries.

Why Does Your Back Hurt?Damage to the vertebrae, discs, ligaments,muscles or the spinal cord and its nerves will causeback pain. You can hurt these parts of your backin a number of ways.

With respect to loading, you can injure yourback if the loads:E Are too heavyE Are too far from your bodyE Require frequent liftingE Require twistingE Require you to work too fastE Have no handles

You Can Hurt Your Back:E If you stand or sit at work for long periods.E If you sit all day with no backrest or on a poorly designed, non-adjustable chair.E If you sit in a chair so high that your feet don’t maintain full contact with the floor.E If you have to work in a cramped position hunched over a workstation.E If you have to pull or push objects, particularly those which are heavy or awkward.E If you have to stretch and reach repeatedly.E If you are exposed to whole body vibration such as when driving a vehicle.

The CAW and Ergonomics:Ergonomics is the science involved in designing work so that it accom-modates the workers. As a union, the CAW is at the forefront in the fieldof ergonomics by:E Bargaining ergonomic language in our contracts.E Bargaining ergonomic expertise at the National, Regional and work-

place levels.E Bargaining paid time away from the job to give our bodies and

minds the rest they need and deserve.E Designing and providing ergonomic training for our reps and mem-

bership.E Leading the push for Ergonomic Regulations both provincially and

nationally.

How to Learn More:You can learn more about your back

or Ergonomics by contacting:

CAW Health and Safety Department205 Placer Court, Toronto

Ontario M2H 3H9Tel: (416) 495-6558 or 1-800-268-5763

Fax: (416) 495-3785

www.caw.ca/healthsafetyenvironment

Cervical7

Lumbar5

Sacral

Coccygeal

Thoracic12

How Does Your Back Work?Your back is made up of 24 main bones called vertebrae. Between each are shock absorberscalled discs. Ligaments bind the bones together and muscles make the entire structure move.

The back provides the ability to stand or sit upright, it stabilizes your head and, by protect-ing the spinal cord, it facilitates the passage of nerve signals that allow you to freely bend, lift,twist and carry.


BEWARE!Your work can damage the muscles, ligaments and tendons of your hands,wrists and arms. In addition, your work can impact the circulation of bloodto these same areas. You can hurt these structures in a number of ways:E Exerting large forces with your hands such as gripping, handling,

pulling, pushing (such as when making electrical connections or insert-ing push pins).

E Working with them in poor postures, bent wrists, blind tasks withhands.

E Working on highly repetitive tasks.E Working in cold or getting cold blow off from tools and equipment.E Working with poorly designed power tools, or improper tools for tasks.E Working with the hands, wrists and arms in constant contact with

other objects causing added stress (such as working over parts toperform your job, leaning on arm or wrist areas).

E Working without sufficient rest.

The CAW and Ergonomics:Ergonomics is the science involved in designing work so that it accommo-dates the worker. As a union, the CAW is at the forefront in the field ofergonomics by:E Working with health and safety and ergonomics committees to con-

vince employers to change the workplace, work station, tools andwork organization to prevent injuries.

E Bargaining ergonomic language in our contracts.E Bargaining ergonomic expertise at the National, Regional and work-

place levels.E Bargaining paid time away from the job to give our bodies and minds

the rest they need and deserve.E Designing and providing ergonomic training for our union represen-

tatives and membership.E Leading the push for Ergonomic Regulations both provincially and

nationally.





Fax: (416) 495-3785


SIGNS & SYMPTOMSOF TROUBLE

O Pain, Numbness, and/or Ting-ling.

O Loss of sensation to touch orpain.

O Discolouration of hands orfinger tips.

O Swelling, and/or inflamma-tion.

Why Do Your Hands, Wrists and Arms Hurt?Your hands, wrists and arms hurt because of poor ergonomic design of the workplace. Thisincludes poor physical design of the workstation layout, tools, equipment, parts, materialsand the environment. Many job designs do not consider different design requirements thatexist for age, gender, dexterity, or ethnicity. In fact, most who do ergonomically designedjobs do so based on old U.S. military data based on healthy and young males from 18-24years old. Every day many left-handed workers work with workstations and equipmentdesigned for right handed people which can also pose a greater safety risk.

Whose Hands, Wrists and Arms Are At Risk of Injury?Anyone working with their hands – assemblers, manual material handlers, office workers, hospitality servers,health care workers, data entry clerks or skilled trades. In short, almost anyone who works with their hands.Those who do repetitive, forceful work with their hands, wrists or arms in awkward postures are at risk. Thisalso includes those with daily exposure to vibrating power tools and equipment powered by electricity, gasor compressed air and used by the hands.


Whose Shoulders Are At Risk of Injury?Regardless of where we work, whether it be in auto, truck and bus assembly, parts plants, railways, aerospace, telecommu-nications, electronics assembly, foundries, fisheries and processing, airlines, offices, retail stores, mining, transportation,hotels and restaurants and health care… all workers are at risk from shoulder injuries.

How Do Your Shoulders Work?Your shoulders are a delicate structure that allows flexibility or range of motion. They are also anengineering nightmare. Because the shoulder has no structural support, its integrity is entirelya function of the health of the ligaments that bind it together and the strength of the muscles thatprovide its movement.

BEWARE!Your work can damage the shoulder’s ligaments, musclesor the protective bursae (fluid filled sacs). The result can bepain, weakness or loss of motion. You can hurt these struc-tures in a number of ways:E Carrying or lifting heavy loads.E Working in awkward postures, e.g. working overhead.E Working with elbows at a distance from the body.E Working with the elbows above shoulder level.E Engaging in repetitive movements.E Exposure to vibrations.E Pulling heavy awkward loads.

The CAW and Ergonomics:Ergonomics is the science involved in designing work so that it accommo-dates the worker. As a union, the CAW is at the forefront in the field ofergonomics by:E Working with health and safety and ergonomics committees to con-

vince employers to change the workplace, work station, tools andwork organization to prevent injuries.

E Bargaining ergonomic language in our contracts.E Bargaining ergonomic expertise at the National, Regional and work-

place levels.E Bargaining paid time away from the job to give our bodies and minds

the rest they need and deserve.E Designing and providing ergonomic training for our union represen-

tatives and membership.E Leading the push for Ergonomic Regulations both provincially and

nationally.





Fax: (416) 495-3785


SIGNS & SYMPTOMSOF TROUBLE

O Pain, Numbness, and/or Tingling.O Reduced range of motion.O Swelling, and/or inflammation.

DON’T IGNORE THE SYMPTOMS!

Why Do Your Shoulders Hurt?Your shoulders hurt because of the poor ergonomic design ofyour workplace. This includes poor physical design of theworkstation, layout, tools, equipment, parts, materials, envi-ronment and poor work organization. Many job designs havenot considered different design requirements that exist forsize, gender, culture, nor limited abilities. In fact, most jobs aredesigned for healthy young males 18-24 years old.


in just their legs and feet. That whole-body fatigueyou are feeling could be related to working on yourfeet!

Beyond simple fatigue and discomfort, moreserious health effects can result from working on yourfeet. Some of these are:O CornsO BunionsO Heel spursO Plantar fasciitisO Achilles tendinitisO Orthopaedic changes in feet (eg. flat feet)O Restricted blood flow (from standing)O Swelling in the feet and legsO Varicose veinsO Increased chance of arthritis in knees and hipsO Back pain, especially in the lower back

Prevent feet and back injuriesOne of the simplest methods to protect your feet is

to sit down. But many employers force workers, suchas retail clerks, for example, to stand when they coulddo their work sitting down. Workers are often madeto stand on hard surfaces such as concrete floors.

We need to eliminate or at least minimize staticstanding. We’re designed to move around.

We need to insist comfortable chairs with backrests be provided for workers to use both whileworking and for rest areas. If benches were lowered,many workers could sit to do their job. For manyjobs, sit/stand stools should be provided to alternatestanding and sitting. In areas where workers stand towork, comfortable ergonomic mats should be provid-ed to stand on. When workers must walk a lot onhard surfaces, orthopaedic inserts and ergo insolesshould be provided.

How to Learn More:You can learn more about your feet




Fax: (416) 495-3785


How do your feet work?Your foot has dozens of bones, joints, muscles,

nerves, blood vessels, tendons and layers of fascia(connective tissues). The bones of the foot formarches that are supported by ligaments and muscles.These arches contribute to the strength, stability,mobility, and resilience of the foot. During standing,walking, running or jumping, the arches serve asshock absorbers, spreading out and dissipating poten-tially destructive energy before it is transferred higherup the leg.

Why do your feet hurt?If the foot’s arch is compromised by conditions like

flat feet, over-pronation or simple fatigue fromoveruse, the essential shock-absorbing quality of thefoot disappears. The effects of this go far beyond thefeet by forcing changes to the structural positioningof other key skeletal components. Misalignment ofthe knees, hips and spine brought on by foot relatedproblems increase their vulnerability to injury. Beaware that experiments show people are unable todistinguish between whole-body fatigue and fatigue


What is RSI?RSI is the abbreviated term for Repetitive Strain (sprain) Injuries. It is an umbrella term for injuries to soft tissues (muscles,tendons, and nerves) of the neck, upper and lower back, shoulders, wrists, arms and hand. Such injuries are caused by avariety of factors such as poor postures, repetition, force, temperature extremes, vibration and others.

International RSI Awareness DayThe last day of February each year is used to promote awareness of sprain and strain injuries. More than 12 countriespromote RSI awareness on this day. The first RSI awareness day was on February 29, 2000 because it was the only non-repet-itive day of the year. RSI Day evolved from an e-mail proposal by a Canadian injured worker. In non-leap years it is observedFebruary 28. In 2001, the CAW launched a national campaign for ergonomic regulations on RSI Day.

Why Should You Care?RSIs are a serious occupational health concern around the world. In some provinces in Canada, sprains and strains accountfor 50% of all occupational injuries and illnesses and of this nearly 30% are to the back. RSIs are a direct result of poor jobdesign. The CAW believes raising awareness through workplace education is a vital step towards protecting workers fromRSIs. No matter what job you perform in your workplace you can possibly develop RSI.

Symptoms and Signs of InjurySymptoms may act to limit the movement of limbs. Any restrictionin ability to move your limbs is a key indication that something iswrong with your body. Always take symptoms seriously. Both theworker and employer suffer a variet of health and economic effectsas a result of workplace injuries. Injured workers may suffer workrestrictions, permanent disabilities, loss in earning power and loss in quality of life. Employers experience significant opera-tional effects through increased injuries such as higher insurance rates, loss of worker expertise, reduced quality, productionproblems, more scrap, and increased warranty claims resulting in economic loss. Signs of injury include:

What can you do if you are at riskor develop a RSI?E Report problems to your Supervisor, First Aid and your CAW

Health & Safety and WCB Reps.

O Increased medical visitsO Increased worker complaintsO High turnover on jobsO Reduced qualityO Reduced performance in work and home life

What is the CAW doing to prevent RSIs?The CAW has bargained ergonomic language in collectiveagreements.See some examples below:O Joint workplace committees and processes in ergo-

nomics that exceed minimum government regulationsO Union input into workstation and machinery designO Ergonomics awareness training for all workersO Workplace accommodation procedures for injured

workersO Improvements to the engineering work allocation and

product design processesO Workplace representatives to address ergonomic con-

cernsRSI prevention through the use of ergonomics creates long-term benefits for both workers and the employer.

O Numbness O Tingling O Swelling O RednessO Discolouration O Fatigue O Mental strain

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?E Push for ergonomics in your workplaceE Send a letter to your MP, MLA or MPP for ergo-

nomic regulations

Currently there are only two province in Canadawith ergonomic regulations:

O British Columbia O Saskatchewan

You can learn more about Ergonomics by contacting:

CAW Health and Safety Department205 Placer Court, Toronto, Ontario M2H 3H9

Telephone: (416) 495-6558 or 1-800-268-5763Fax: (416) 495-3785


Because Work Shouldn’t Hurt…

Administrative Control – Procedures andmethods, that may significantly reduce exposureto risk factors by altering the way in which workis performed; examples include job rotation, jobtask enlargement, and reduction of work pace.

Anthropometry – The scientific measurementof human body dimensions.

Awkward Posture – Posture is the position ofthe body while performing work activities.Awkward posture is associated with an increasedrisk for injury. It is generally considered that themore a joint deviates from the neutral (natural)position, the greater the risk of injury.

Specific postures have been associated withinjury. For example:

Wrist Flexion/extension (bending up and down) on(side bending)

ShoulderAbduction/flexion (upper arm positioned outto the side or above shoulder level) Hands ator above shoulder height

Neck (cervical spine)Flexion/extension or bending the neckforward and to the back side bending as whenholding a telephone receiver on the shoulder

Low backBending at the waist, twisting

Biomechanics – Science that uses engineeringconcepts to describe motions of the body.

Carpal Tunnel – Tunnel formed by the carpalligament and the bones of the wrist.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Disorder associ-ated with squeezing the median nerve as ittravels through the wrist.

De Quervain’s Disease – A common type ofstenosing tenosynovitis (combination of tenosyn-ovitis and tendinitis).

Duration – Duration is the length of exposure toa risk factor.It can be measured as the minutes orhours per day the worker is exposed to a risk.

Duration can also be viewed as the years of expo-sure to a risk factor. In general, the greater theduration of exposure to a risk factor, the greaterthe degree of risk. However, specific durationguidelines have not been established for riskfactors such as force, posture and repetition.

Engineering Control – Physical changes tojobs that control exposure to risk. Engineeringcontrols act on the source of the hazard andcontrol worker exposure to the hazard withoutrelying on the worker to take self-protectiveaction or intervention. Examples include: chang-ing the handle angle of a tool, using a lighterweight part, and providing a chair that hasadjustability.

Epicondylitis – Technical term for “tenniselbow”.

Ergonomics – An applied science that seeks todesign work requirements to within human abili-ties.Fitting the work to the worker, rather than theother way round.

Ergonomic Program – A systematic processfor anticipating, identifying, analyzing and con-trolling ergonomic risk factors.

Ergonomic Hazards (Risk Factors) – Condi-tions of a job, process, or operation that con-tribute to the risk of developing back injuries andRepetitive Strain Injuries.


Fatigue – A reduction in the ability to exertforce in response to voluntary effort.Tiredness.

Force – The amount of muscular effort requiredto perform a task.Generally, the greater the force,the greater the degree of risk. High force hasbeen associated with work-related RepetitiveStrain Injuries (Musculoskeletal Disorders) at theshoulder/neck, the low back and theforearm/wrist/hand.

Human Factors – A term synonymous with‘ergonomics’, is the branch of this science thatbegan in the US and focuses on cognitive per-formance of humans.

Kinesiology – The study of human movementsas a function of the construction of the mus-closkeletal system.

Ligament – Connective tissue attaching bone tobone.

Lighting – The level of illumination in theworkplace. Poor lighting can lead to visual symp-toms of eye strain, eye focusing breakdown, eyecoordination abnormalities, and eye fatiguewhile performing select activities such as com-puter tasks.

Local Muscle Fatigue – A reduction in theability to exert force in a particular muscle groupin response to voluntary effort.


Manual Material Handling – Lifting, carry-ing, and moving materials without mechanicalaide.

Mechanical Stress – Pressure to the skin andsoft tissues from direct contact with parts, tools,fixtures, etc.

Median Nerve – Nerve feeding the thumb andfirst two fingers of the hand.

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) – Injur-ies and disorders of the muscles,nerves, tendons,ligaments, joints,cartilage and spinal discs; exam-ples include carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cufftendinitis, and tension neck syndrome. Used inthis manual as a synonym for Repetitive StrainInjuries.

Neutral Position – The natural position inwhich the body or part of the body feels mostcomfortable.

Occupational Biomechanics – Occupationalbiomechanics is the science concerned with themechanical behavior of musculoskeletal tissueswhen physical work is performed.


Occupational Illness (Disease) – Any abnor-mal condition or disorder (other than thosecaused by occupational injury) caused by expo-sure to factors associated with employment. Itincludes acute and chronic illness or diseasewhich may be caused by inhalation, absorption,ingestion or direct contact.The broad categoriesof occupational illnesses are skin diseases anddisorders, dust diseases of the lungs, respiratoryconditions due to toxic agents, poisoning (sys-temic effects of toxic materials),disorders due tophysical agents other than toxic materials, anddisorders from repeated trauma.

Occupational Injury – Any injury such as acut, fracture, sprain, amputation, etc., whichresults from ongoing work-related events or froma single instantaneous exposure in the work envi-ronment.Examples of Repetitive Strain Injuries ordisorders that can be work related include:

O Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)

O Rotator cuff syndrome

O De Quervain’s disease

O Trigger finger

O Tarsal tunnel syndrome

O Sciatica

O Epicondylitis

O Tendinitis

O Raynaud’s phenomenon

O Vibration white finger disease

O Carpet layers’ knee

O Herniated spinal disc

O Low back pain

Optimal Work Zone – Area in front of thebody defined by the keeping the back straight,the shoulders neutral, and the hands betweenhand rest and elbow height.

Physiology – How the body works.Science thatmeasures people’s capacity to do work and theirbodies’ reactions to doing work.

Practicable – Capable of being done.

Psychophysics – Research method that usesself-reported limits to determine maximumallowable loads or forces.

Psychosocial Conditions – Social influencesthat affect psychological aspects of humanbehavior.

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) – Term usedfor injuries that occur over a period of timebecause of repeated trauma or exposure to a spe-cific body part, such as the back, hand, wrist andforearm. Muscles and joints are stressed, tendonsare inflamed,nerves pinched or the flow of bloodis restricted. Common occupational induced dis-orders in this class include carpal tunnel syn-drome, epicondylitis (tennis elbow), tendinitis,tenosynovitis,synovitis,stenosing tenosynovitis ofthe finger, DeQuervian’s Syndrome, hand-armvibration syndrome (vibration white fingerdisease), and low back pain.

Recovery Time – Recovery time is the lengthof rest between exertions. Short pauses in thework cycle can reduce discomfort. Inadequaterest periods between exertions can decrease per-formance. As the duration of the uninterruptedwork increases, so does the amount of recoverytime needed.


Synovia – Membranes lining the inside of jointcapsules and moving surfaces of joints. Theysecrete the synovial fluid,which lubricates joints.

Tendinitis – Swelling in the tendons,resulting inpain.

Tendon – Connective tissue that transmits theforce from muscles to the bone.

Tenosynovitis – Swelling in the tendon andtendon sheath, resulting in pain.

Upper Extremities – The arms and hands andassociated joints.

Vibration (Hand-Arm Vibration) – Vibra-tion applied to the hand/arms through a tool orpiece of equipment. This can cause a reductionin blood flow to the hands and fingers(Raynaud’s disease or vibration white finger).Also, it can interfere with sensory receptor feed-back leading to increased handgrip force to holdthe tool. Further, a strong association has beenreported between carpal tunnel syndrome andsegmental vibration.

Whole Body Fatigue – An overall reductionin the ability to exert force in response to volun-tary effort.

Whole Body Vibration – Exposure of thewhole body to vibration (usually through the feetor buttocks when riding in a vehicle). Wholebody vibration may increase the risk for injury,including low back pain and internal organ dis-ruption.

Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders(WMSD, WRMSD) – Injuries and disorders ofthe muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints,cartilage and spinal discs due to physical workactivities or workplace conditions in the job.Examples include: carpal tunnel syndromerelated to long term computer data entry, rotatorcuff tendinitis from repeat overhead reaching,and tension neck syndrome associated with longterm cervical spine flexion.In this manual we useWMSD as a synonym for Repetitive StrainInjuries.

Repetition – Repetition is the number ofsimilar exertions performed during a task. Awarehouse worker may lift three boxes perminute from the floor to a countertop; an assem-bly worker may make 70 units per hour.Repetitivemotion has been associated with injury andworker discomfort.

Generally, the greater the number of repeti-tions, the greater the degree of risk. However,there is no specific repetition limit or thresholdvalue (cycles/unit of time, movements/unit oftime) associated with injury.

Risk Factor – Actions in the workplace, work-place conditions, or a combination thereof, thatmay cause or aggravate a Repetitive Strain Injury(Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorder); exam-ples include forceful exertion,awkward postures,repetitive exertion, and environmental factorssuch as temperature.

Sprain – Injury to ligaments around a joint.

Strain – Injury to muscles or tendons.


CAW Health and Safety Department205 Placer CourtToronto, On M2H 3H9Tel: (416) 495-6558Toll free: 1-800-268-5763Fax: (416) 495-3785Email: [email protected] page:www.caw.ca/healthsafetyenvironment

CAW-TCA Montreal office565 Cremazie Blvd. East, Suite 10100Montreal, PQ H2M 2W1Tel: (514) 389-9223Toll free: 1-800-361-0483Fax: (514) 389-4450Email: [email protected] page: www.tca.qc.ca/francais

Education and TrainingOntarioWORKERS HEALTH ANDSAFETY CENTREEmail: [email protected] page: www.whsc.on.ca

Hamilton848 Main Street EastHamilton, On L8M 1L9Tel: (905) 545-5433Fax: (905) 545-3131

Ottawa310-309 Cooper StreetOttawa, On K2P 0G5Tel: (613) 232-7866Fax: (613) 232-3823

Sarnia1000 Finch DriveSarnia, On N7S 6G5Tel: (519) 337-6083Fax: (519-337-6807

Sudbury110-43 Elm StreetSudbury, On P3C 1S4Tel: (705) 522-8200Fax: (705) 522-8957

Toronto802-15 Gervais DriveToronto, On M3C 1Y8Tel: (416) 441-1939Toll free: 1-888-869-7950Fax: (416) 441-1043

AlbertaAlberta Workers Health Centre#111 – 10451-170 Street NWEdmonton, AB T5P 4T2Tel : (780) 486-9009Toll free : 1-888-729-4879Fax : (780) 483-7632Email : [email protected] page: www.workershealthcentre.ca

Community Collegeor UniversityLabour EducationContact your local Community College orUniversity to find out if they have a Labour Education Centre.

OccupationalHealth ClinicsOntarioOCCUPATIONAL HEALTH CLINICS FORONTARIO WORKERSOHCOW Provincial Office15 Gervais Drive, Suite 601Toronto, ON M3C 1Y8Tel: (416) 443-6320Fax: (416) 443-6323Toll free: 1-877-817-0336

Toronto970 Lawrence Avenue WestMain FloorToronto, ON M6A 1C3Tel: (416) 449-0009Fax: (416) 449-7772Toll free: 1-800-461-7120

Hamilton848 Main Street EastHamilton, ON L8M 1L9Tel: (905) 549-2552Fax: (905) 549-7993Toll free: 1-800-263-2129

London & DistrictWorkers Health Clinic3-380-Adelaide Street NorthLondon, ON N6B 3P6Tel: (519) 432-3535Fax: (519) 642-7834

Sarnia171 Kendall StreetPoint Edward, ON N7V 4G6Tel: (519) 337-4627Fax: (519) 337-9442

Sudbury1300 Paris Street, Unit 4Sudbury, ON P3E 3A3Tel: (705) 523-2330Fax: (705) 523-2606Toll free: 1-800-461-7120

Windsor3129 Marentette Ave. Unit 1Windsor, ON N8X 4G1Tel: (519) 973-4800Fax: (519) 973-1906Toll Free: 1-800-565-3185

ManitobaMFL Occupational Health Centre120-275 Broadway AvenueWinnipeg, MB R3C 4M6Tel: (204) 949-0811Fax: (204) 956-0848Email: [email protected]. [email protected] page: www.mfl.mb.ca

InformationCanadian Centre for OccupationalHealth and Safety (CCOHS)250 Main Street EastHamilton, ON L8N 1H6Tel: (905) 572-4400Fax: (905) 572-4500Toll Free: 1-800-263-8466Email: [email protected] page : www.ccohs.ca

London Occupational Safety andHealth Information Service (LOSH)218-424 Wellington StreetLondon, ON N6A 3P3Tel: (519) 433-4156Fax: (519) 433-2887Email: [email protected] page: www.losh.on.ca

Toronto Workers’ Health andSafety Legal Clinic#301-180 Dundas Street WestToronto, ON M5G 1Z8Tel: (416) 971-8832Fax: (416) 971-8834

Windsor Occupational HealthInformation Service (WOHIS)3129 Marentette AvenueUnit 1Windsor, ON N8X 4G1Tel: (519) 254-5157Fax: (519) 254-4192Email: [email protected] page: www.msni.net/~wohis


Government and Professional Resources

CanadaAssociation of Canadian Ergonomists http://www.ace-ergocanada.ca/CanadianB.C. Workers’ Compensation Board http://www.worksafebc.comCentre for Occupational Health & Safety (CCOHS) http://www.ccohs.caDefense and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine http://www.dciem.dnd.ca/DCIEM/HF/home.html(Canada), Human Factors DivisionInstitute for Work and Health (IWH) http://www.iwh.on.ca/Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) http://www.ohcow.on.ca/University of Waterloo http://www.ergonomics.uwaterloo.ca/Workers Health and Safety Centre (WHSC) http://www.whsc.on.ca/home.html

InternationalEU - European Agency for Safety and Health at Work http://europe.osha.eu.int/Australia – National Occupational Health & Safety Commission http://www.worksafe.gov.au/Australia - Ergonomics Society of Australia (ESA) http://www.ergonomics.org.au/International Labour Organization (ILO) http://www.ilo.orgNational Institute for Work Life (NIWL) http://www.arbetslivsinstitutet.se/about/default.aspUnited Kingdom - The Ergonomics Society http://www.ergonomics.org.uk/International Ergonomics Association (IEA) http://www.iea.cc/

United StatesAmerican Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) http://www.aiha.orgAmerican Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) http://www.asse.orgBureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) http://stats.bls.gov/Ergo web http://www.ergoweb.com/Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) http://www.hfes.org/National Institutes of Health (NIH) http://www.nih.govNational Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.htmlNational Safety Council (NSC) http://www.nsc.orgOccupational Health and Safety Net http://osh.netUS Department of Labor – Occupational Safety & Health

Administration (OSHA) http://www.osha.gov/

StandardsAmerican Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) http://www.acgih.orgAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) http://www.ansi.orgCSA International (CSA) http://www.csa-international.orgErgo Web: Reference Room Ergonomics Standards and Guidelines http://www.ergoweb.corn/Pub/Info/std.htmlInternational Standards Organization (ISO) http://www.iso.chISO TC 159 Ergonomics http://www.iso.ch/meme/TC159.htmlISO 13.180 Ergonomics http://www.iso.ch/cate/13180.htmlTC 159 / SC 4 Ergonomics of human-system interaction http://www.iso.ch/meme/TC159SC4.html

ToolsRULA http://www.humanicsergosystems.com/rula-1.htm

http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/ahRULA.htmlhttp://www.ergonomics.co.uk/Rula/Ergo/index.htmlhttp://ergo.human.cornell.edu/ahRULA.htmlhttp://www.ccoo.upv.es/Salud_Laboral/CURULA96.pdf


Tools (continued)

OWAS http://turva.me.tut.fi/owas/

Michigan 3D http://www.engin.umich.edu/dept/ioe/3DSSPP/Strain Index http://ohlogic.com/StrainAnalysis-Readme.html

Snook http://ergonomics.uwaterloo.ca/snook.htmlhttp://www.undergrad.ahs.uwaterloo.ca/~ahchiang/steps.htmhttp://www.undergrad.ahs.uwaterloo.ca/~ahchiang/steps.htmhttp://ekginc.com/snooktables.pdf

NIOSH Lifting http://aepo-xdv- www.epo.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/p0000427/p0000427.asphttp://ergonomics.uwaterloo.ca/snookniosh.htmlhttp://www.gov.mb.ca/labour/safety/publication/bulletins/nioshliftequa.htmlhttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/lifting1.html

Kilbom http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ergtbls3.html#1gif

Repetition http://www.ehs.iastate.edu/oh/repetition.htm

Some Specific TopicsErgonomics in MMH Tasks http://icmr.nic.in/buaug00.pdf/faculty/Hsiang.htmLifting Task Analysis Lab http://www.yorku.ca/pjkeir/MMH-Assign2_Soln_w02.pdfPDA’S http://www.oiweb.com/pages/whatsnew2.htmlThe Typing Injury FAQ http://www.tifaq.com/Office Ergonomics Training http://www.office-ergo.com/Office Ergonomics Self-Help Site http://www.3m.com/cws/selfhelp/Office Ergonomics http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/office/Office Ergonomics Training Module http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/modules/ergo/Ergon1.htmUCLA Ergonomics http://ergonomics.ucla.edu/Ergowebv2.0/office_ergonomics.htmOffice Ergonomics Setup Tips http://www.healthycomputing.com/office/setup/The Office Environment http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/EHSRM/GENINFO/genergotips.htmlOffice Ergonomics Basics Booklet http://www.wcb.ab.ca/safety/ergobook.htmlOffice Ergonomics http://www.utoronto.ca/safety/ergoweb/ergoweb.htmErgonomics at Work http://www.combo.com/ergo/atwork.htmOffice Ergonomics http://www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/ergo/officerg/toc.htmOffice Ergonomics http://www.doer.state.mn.us/ei-safih/ergo.htm

Educational OpportunitiesWorkers Health and Safety Centre http://www.whsc.on.ca/University of Waterloo http://www.ergonomics.uwaterloo.ca/Taylor’d Ergonomics http://www.taylordergo.com/Optimal Performance Consultants http://www.opconline.comUniversity of Michigan http://www.engin.umich.edu/dept/ioe/COHSE

Ergonomic Link Siteshttp://www.ergonomics.com.au/ergolinks.htmhttp://www.safetysmart.com/links/ergo.htmlhttp://www.safety.vanderbilt.edu/safety_links/ergonomics.htmhttp://www.tifaq.com/http://www.discoverhealthandwealth.com/links/ergonomics.html


Thanks very much to the many people whocontributed to this Manual, especially our CAW

Ergonomics Coordinators,Tashlyn Chase,Karen Clark and Wyatt Clark.

Great workplace design creates healthy,satisfied and productive workersand a membership that actively

participates in the union.

The CAW National Union wishes youall the best in using ergonomics to help our

members achieve the highest state ofphysical, social and mental well-being.

Acknowledgements


Notes

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