Vol. XI, Number 4 The Official Communications Link Of The Ehlers–Danlos National Foundation 6399 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 510 Los Angeles, California 90048
December, 1996 (213) 651–3038
Ergonomics: Controlling Risk Factors and Potential Stressors By Meryl B. Brutman, MPH - EDNF Board Member and Founder of Chicagoland Branch. Meryl has EDS type III. This is the second of a three-part article on the recognition, evaluation, and control of potential risk factors and stressors that can lead to increased injury, discomfort, and/or fatigue. Part 1 introduced guidelines to recognize and evaluate each of the seven potential risk factors or stressors. Part 2, presented below, explores the variety of control methods available to reduce, eliminate, or avoid awkward postures, mechanical stress, and poorly fitting or poorly chosen gloves, in the home, workplace, and school. Part 3, to be presented in the next issue of Loose Connections, will discuss control methods for the remaining risk factors - repetitive motions, forceful exertions, vibration, and extreme temperatures.
consuming to implement. It is not always feasible to design all potential risks and stressors out of every situation. In these cases, administrative controls can be quite effective. They can also be used as interim control measures while engineering plans are being implemented.
For ease of discussion, examples of general control measures for each risk factor will be discussed first. Please keep in mind there is no such thing as just a repetitive motion or forceful exertion control. Many of these control measures overlap. The ideal is to choose a method that eliminates or reduces as many risk factors as possible. Remember, creativity counts. It doesn’t matter what the modification looks like as long as it accomplishes the goal of reducing risk. As an Control measures can be divided into two example, the task of assembling a desk often main types: administrative and engineering involves screwing nails into pieces of wood. controls. Some people add a debatable third This job contains several risk factors, type, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including repetitive motions, awkward which includes back belts (technically postures, forceful exertions, and mechanical abdominal belts) and other bracing/support stress. Yet, with one simple control measure systems. Administrative controls require switching from a manual screwdriver to a someone’s conscious decision. Examples are: powered one - all four of these risk factors increasing the frequency or duration of rest can be reduced. But beware! Before making breaks, altering shift/break schedules, job any modifications, weigh the pros and cons (task) rotation, job enrichment or of switching methods or tools. Oftentimes, a enlargement, exercise, and training. control measure can actually add an Engineering controls usually involve redesign additional stressor while eliminating or reducing other stressors. In the example of either the job, tool, or workspace and are above, switching to a power screwdriver built into the product or system. Little additional effort is required by users thereby reduces many risk factors. However, if the increasing the likelihood the control measure wrong tool is chosen, vibration can become a will be effective. For this reason, engineering new risk factor. Of course, trading four risk factors for one is a pretty good deal. Just use controls are preferred over both your common sense. There are no right or administrative and PPE controls. However, wrong answers. these controls are often very costly and time
Awkward Posture Controls There are many simple, inexpensive ways to control awkward postures. They typically fall into three categories: 1) Change the orientation of work. 2) Change the work method. 3) Change, modify, or redesign the tool. Oftentimes, control measures from all three of these categories are necessary. Let’s start with a student writing on a desk, an employee typing on a computer, a parent cooking dinner, and an assembler gluing parts together. While these may seem like very diverse tasks, they all use worksurfaces that may cause problems if they are not at the right height and oriented properly. Different tasks require different workstation setups. However, they all have similar reference points. One of the most common reference points whether the task is done seated or standing is known as elbow height – height of elbow from floor when elbow is in a neutral (90 degrees) position. This serves as a guideline to determine the height of the workstation. For instance, the majority of work is done 2-3 inches below elbow height. This includes tasks like writing, some computer work, stirring dinner, and light assembly. Thus, all of our examples above can use this guideline to setup their workstations. What if our assembler works on extremely small, delicate parts which require great precision? The guideline changes. Fine, precision work is usually done at or slightly above elbow height.
Continued Continued on on page page 8. 8. Views expressed herein are only those of the authors, and should not be construed to represent the November, 1996National EDNF — Page 1 and it’s elected officials opinions or policies of the Ehlers–Danlos Foundation