2009 Ministry of Labour Blitz – a review
During June of this year the Ministry of Labour (MOL) conducted a blitz of the service and manufacturing sectors in Ontario. The target? Occupations with statistically high injury rates as well as young and new workers.
Young workers are categorized as being 15-24 years of age, and unfortunately have a very high rate of injuries in Ontario. Injury statistics from the province of Ontario indicate that between 2001 and 2008, young workers sustained 375 critical injuries and 27 fatalities. Averaging that out over a 7 year period indicates that a critical injury occurred approximately once every week for new and young workers in Ontario! The impact of such workplace injuries is very grave because the future workforce of Ontario is being injured on the job at an early age.
Another area of focus for the MOL safety inspectors were workers over the age of 25 who have been on the job for less than 6 months. Research conducted by the Institute for Work and Health (IWH) indicates that any new worker, regardless of their age, can be 4 times more likely to be injured during the first month of work than at any other time on the job.
The MOL safety blitz is part of the Safe at Work Ontario compliance strategy of the province of Ontario’s on-going efforts to decrease workplace injuries. The result of the blitz was the issuing of 3371 safety-related orders by the safety inspectors at 883 different workplaces throughout Ontario.
It is the responsibility of every worker, employer, and health professional to ensure that people are educated on the causes and impacts of ergonomic related workplace injuries. Contact ErgoLynx to help you identify, control, and eliminate ergonomic risk factors in your work place to make sure that you are compliant with the law and are ensuring a healthy and productive future for your company.
Adam Labelle, Ergonomic Consultant
What are the MSD Prevention Guidelines and why is it important to your company?
Within the past year and a half the Occupational Health and Safety Council of Ontario has published the Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Prevention Guideline for Ontario, which originally came out in 2 parts. These documents were released free to the public as a resource for laying the framework for MSD prevention in Ontario workplaces.
Early February 2008 saw the arrival of the last edition to the document, the much anticipated Tool Box, which offered more applicable ergonomic tools and techniques and is tailored to identifying ergonomic risk factors in the workplace. Although there is no ergonomics legislation in Ontario, the issue of poor workplace ergonomics is becoming a serious issue for policy agencies and the Government of Ontario, and the MSD Guidelines is the latest result of that concern.
My clients often ask me about the legality of such documents and the legislation of ergonomics in Ontario. Technically, the MSD Prevention Guidelines are not legally binding documents but they are heavily endorsed by the Ministry of Labour (MOL) and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
If your company is looking to build an ergonomics program in your workplace, it would be well worth it to base it on these guidelines.
Not sure where to start? ErgoLynx has experience building solid and effective ergonomic programs for a variety of organizations and can ensure that your company is doing everything it can to lower the risk of ergonomic related workplace injuries.
Adam Labelle, Ergonomic Consultant
Back to school ergonomics - how to protect yourself when you are at school.
Recently, I have been reading a lot about poor ergonomics in schools and the impact it is having on students health. Chiropractors are indicating that they are seeing teens and university students coming in to their clinics with back symptoms normally associated with 50 year olds. Ophthamologists are seeing computer related eye injuries increase as a result of prolonged exposure to a computer screen. Almost every student at university spends hours hunched over a laptop computer, putting themselves at risk of developing serious neck, shoulder, eye, and low back injuries.
As an ergonomic specialist, this poses a challenge and an opportunity. How can we, as ergonomic consultants, help improve the ergonomic design of classrooms and school environments, especially when more and more students are using the computer for longer periods of time then ever before.
A proper working environment is about more then fancy and expensive ergonomic products; it is also about the way you perform your tasks. Most students, when working on a laptop or a computer for prolonged periods of time, are not worried about how they are positioned or performing their computer tasks. They are worried about getting their paper in on time.
Laptop ergonomics are generally considered to be pretty poor because there is a tradeoff between proper viewing and proper typing positions. That is to say, if you were to set up the laptop for proper viewing set up (an arms length away with the neck not flexed forward or extended backward), then your arms would be stretched way out in front of you. This puts strain on the shoulders, upper back, and arms. If, on the other hand, you place the laptop at the proper typing position (close to the body with the arms bent at 90 degrees) your neck and upper torso are flexed forward in a hunched position, which puts the neck and low back at risk.
Here are some simple ergonomic tips for students who are working from a laptop.
The key is to seperate the monitor and the keyboard. Investing in a mini external keyboard and some type of adjustable laptop holder is well worth your while. This will ensure that the proper typing and viewing set ups can be achieved. When you feel a pain, ache, tightness, or discomfort in your neck, shoulders, or lower back, that is your body's way of telling you that something is wrong. Avoid the very common, and unfortanetly the worst, sitting posture associated with computer users; the forwarch hunched, or "C" shape posture with the neck extended backward. Change sitting and working positions as much as possible to lower the exposure of certain muscle groups to mechanical load. This will help reduce the risk of injury.
For more on ergonomics for students please contact us to see how we can help you.
Adam Labelle, Ergonomic Consultant
July 10, 2009
Webinar with Anne Duffy, Provincial Ergonomist
Topic: Preventing and Enforcing Musculoskeletal Hazards in the Workplace
Earlier this month I was fortunate enough to participate in a 1 hour webinar presentation given by Anne Duffy, the Provincial Ergonomist for the province of Ontario. As a practicing ergonomics consultant myself and working for ErgoLynx Consulting Services, I found this webinar to be refreshing and extremely informative.
As with many presentations about ergonomics and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), she began with a brief definition of ergonomics and MSDs. Then she came out with the numbers, which I think everybody who cares about the economy of Ontario or the way in which you perform your work will want to know because they are indeed quite startling.
According to the WSIB:
- it is estimated that MSDs resulted in direct claim costs of over $640,000,000 and in over 6,000,000 days of lost time from work from 2003-2007 in Ontario alone
- The 2007 MSD-related costs account for 43% of total lost time injury (LTI) costs, which is up from 41% in 2003
According to Ms. Duffy, addressing the large scale MSD issue in Ontario will require ongoing enthusiasm and commitment so that MSD hazards can be identified and controlled with diligence. Participatory ergonomics has been shown to work, so worker involvement is key to moving forward.
Now more than ever it is important to heed the words of Ms. Duffy. At ErgoLynx Consulting Services, we make it our priority to educate our clients on the latest and most effective methods to reduce worker exposure to MSD hazards in the workplace.
Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Adam Labelle, Ergonomic Consultant
July 9, 2009
Topic: Review of article from Applied Ergonomics – Ergonomic contributions to company strategies by Jan Dul and Patrick Neumann
According to the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) “ergonomics is … concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, … in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.” (2000)
When this definition is examined in close detail, there are two key elements to ergonomics – ergonomics has a social goal and an economic goal – ergonomics examines human well-being and system performance. In Canada, ergonomics is more often than not associated with health and safety legislation. This paper argues that this is a limiting viewpoint and strategy that is inhibiting organizations from fully utilizing the benefits of ergonomics.
Some attribute this problem to a lack of ergonomists working in companies as opposed to working as an external consultant, that ergonomists often don’t have control over budgets and available resources, and that they are seen as a health and safety resource only.
The former president of the IEA wondered “Why it is … that more organizations, with their strong need to obtain employee commitment, reduce expenses, and increase productivity, are not banging down our doors for help …”
Perhaps an obstacle is that there are more examples of bad ergonomics out there than there are good ones. A common mistake made by practicing ergonomists is the misconception that other people understand the benefits and processes of ergonomics. There is no doubt that most managers view ergonomics as a health related service and not as a business strategy service, which can hinder the usefulness of ergonomic services. Applying ergonomics to fulfill health and safety objectives is seen as a “negative” motivator for managers – that is, they make decisions regarding ergonomics based on the negative consequences of not using ergonomics such as workplace injuries and associated costs.
If we were to adopt the IEA definition of ergonomics, ergonomists would be “able to contribute to many different company strategies and support the objectives of different business functions and of the organization as a whole.” This will require a “paradigm shift, which requires a re-positioning from a primary health ergonomics approach to a more business-oriented ergonomics approach. We argue that, by contributing to the shared goals of business performance, ergonomists will also be better able to reach their traditional health and safety objectives.”
Adam Labelle, Ergonomic Consultant
July 7, 2009
Topic: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - What you need to know about carpal tunnel syndrome.
Recently, in many of my ergonomic assessments in both the office and the industrial environment, I have been dealing with employees suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).
Have you ever thought about how much you use your hands in a day? What about when you are working at a job sitting in an office using a computer all day? Or a factory job that requires you to handle tools and objects all day?
The long term physical health effects of repetitive, sustained, and awkward use of the hands is now well known and documented in the scientific literature.
CTS is one of the better known manufacturing and computer related injuries, but there is still debate about the causes and the precise diagnosis of the injury. For example, different studies cite different movements and risk factors as the main contributing factors to developing the syndrome. Although repetition is a major factor in developing the injury, it is unclear which types of movements are deemed worse than others.
CTS occurs when there is damage done to the medial nerve, which runs down the arm and down through the wrist and is responsible for movement and sensation of the thumb and some of the fingers. The median nerve is a peripheral nerve that is susceptible to compression by the thickening of irritated tendons in the carpal tunnel, and various symptoms can result. Tendons can be irritated by repetitive movements of the wrist and hand, or contact stress of the palm or underside of the wrist.
Typical symptoms of CTS may begin as a mild irritation, growing gradually into a burning, tingling, or itching numbness in the palm of the hands, especially the thumb and index fingers.
There are numerous risk factors that have been shown to contribute to CTS, including genetic factors , ulnar and radial deviations, compression, wrist extensions and flexions, and static load. An ulnar deviation is a movement of the hand towards the little pinky, and radial deviation is a movement towards the thumb. Flexion and extension of the wrist is moving the wrist up and down. A static load is placed on the wrist and hand when the wrist is kept at an angle for an extended period of time.
The key to preventing CTS is making sure that your workstation and area are set up to reduce the forces on the wrist. There is no one ideal set-up, the important thing is to consider the tasks that you have to do, and the dimensions of the arm.
For further information about CTS and how to prevent it please give ErgoLynx a call at 416-986-8218.
December 2007
Topic: OHA Health Achieve - thanks for stopping by our ergonomics booth!
The team at ErgoLynx would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who stopped by our booth at the OHA Health Achieve 2007 trade show in November. It was great to see that so many people and organizations are getting interested in ergonomics and the benefits that sound ergonomic principles and practices can provide in the workplace. We are currently in the process of initial meetings with organizations that we met at the show who are committed to making positive ergonomic changes in their workplace. We look forward to collaborating with them and coming up with unique ergonomic recommendations to ensure the ergonomic well being of their employees.
Some of the products that attendees were interested at the show were the Vertical Mouse, ErgoRest arm support, Jasper freeBOARD, and the Onyx chair. Even though we provide consulting services and don�t represent any ergonomic product or company, we included these products in our booth to show people what the end result might be for an Ergonomic Assessment, along with proper education and training.
For example, the Vertical Mouse promotes a neutral wrist posture and encourages mousing with the whole arm rather than the wrist. One thing that we often find in the modern office is workers typing and mousing on two different planes � that is, the keying is done at a different height than the mousing. This creates many different ergonomic issues and can result in pain and discomfort for many workers. That�s one of the reasons why we are so excited about the Jasper freeBOARD. This keyboard has a built in mouse pad, along with other features, so that the typing and mousing can be done close to each other and along the same plane.
At ErgoLynx we approach every Ergonomic Assessment as a unique situation, and thus we avoid standardization whenever possible. However, adjustability of the workstation and its components is always recommended. At the ErgoLynx booth we had an adjustable desk and an ergonomic chair called the Onyx from Groupe Lacasse. Anatomically, human beings are not suited to be sitting all day long, and a desk with a sit/stand option allows the worker to stand and work for variety. That�s why we say �The next position is the best position!� For upper arm support while standing and using a computer, the ErgoRest arm support also can reduce static load of the upper limbs; just one more important consideration for avoiding potential repetitive strain injuries!
Once again, thanks to all those who came by our booth and spoke with us. We look forward to collaborating with you and discussing ergonomic possibilities for the future.
The ErgoLynx Team
Healthy and Wise
Canadian Property Management Magazine, March 2001
The full extent of a problem is not always seen in the number of workers who are injured. Sometimes, workers will take a day off work because they are hurt and do not want to report it, or they just need to take a break. Sometimes, workers will just leave a job because they cannot see the benefit of being paid for a job that is causing them pain.
If you design a task, or a workstation, so that people do not work in pain, you will increase the likelihood that they will show up tomorrow and the day after that.
Many companies have been able to embrace ergonomics because it is inherently logical that removing pain from the workplace makes good business sense, possibly showing an increase in productivity.
For those managers who need clear quantitative results of productivity improvements, hard numbers are a great support. These numbers can be made available through specific processes.
There is a multitude of furniture manufacturers and suppliers who offer ergonomically correct furniture. However, once purchased, and in the hands of the end user, there is no training offered on how to properly adjust these products. Therefore, it is vital that we make available for all employees, not just the capability of adjusting these workstations and products, but the knowledge of how to. If you are responsible for the purchasing of such equipment, it is likely that you are also responsible for the health and why not encompass all of this and take a proactive approach by implementing an ergonomics program, or offer ergonomics training in your workplace.
The implementation of an ergonomics program can have positive impacts on a company in the reduction of incidence of musculoskeletal injuries.
Training should take place whenever new equipment, tools, or techniques are introduced in the workplace. Look at this as an opportunity to reduce, or eliminate ergonomic risk. As part of identifying risk factors or problem jobs, a worksite analysis that identifies musculoskeletal disorders should be conducted.
A worksite analysis is a structured process for identifying jobs and workstations that may contain ergonomic hazards, the risk factors that pose the hazards, and the causes of the risk factors. A worksite analysis sets the stage for your next steps.
Almost everyone, from the day they are old enough to work, has been told to lift with legs bent, and back kept straight, or sit at a 90 degree angle. Yet most people don�t follow these simply suggestions. That�s why training alone does not work. Employees must be taught why they should lift this way and sit with particular postures.
Educating the entire workforce can pay enormous dividends. Many of the occupational risk factors (improper lifting techniques, improper biomechanics, etc.) and all the physiological risk factors (obesity, alcohol and tobacco use, pregnancy, physical conditioning, etc.), are employee dependent. It is vital that they thoroughly understand the causes of these factors so they can be the first line of defense.
In all, an ergonomics program has both risks and rewards. The risks come with increases communication to the workers, because with increased publicity ergonomic problems tend to be reported more often, so the rates seem to skyrocket initially. Over time, however, the program helps to foster a safer and healthier work environment, enhance teamwork, reverse the rate trends, and boost productivity and cooperation.
Lyn Margeson
Principal of ErgoLynx Consulting