OCCUPATIONAL BACK INJURIES DURING MANUAL HANDLING OF MATERIAL

| Explain why and when health and safety control equipment, identified by the principles of protection, should be used, relating to moving, handling and/or storing resources, and the types, purpose and limitations of each type, the work situation, occupational use and the general work environment, in relation to:

Companies should invest in ergonomically correct furniture because it will earn them money in the long run. Workers will be sick less often, be more productive, be absent less and quit their job less often. Workers will be sick less because of less dust in the air around them and will be injured less because ergonomically correct furniture drastically lowers one’s risk of musculoskeletal and other injuries. They will be more productive because they are happier, healthier and not be fatigued or sore from incorrect posture or equipment. This will also lead to them calling in absent less as they enjoy work and are not injured or sick from the workspace. Finally, there will be less employ turnover because the employs will be happier and will love coming to work.

1. Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of the working population (Ergonomics).

Employers are coming up with innovative ways of keeping their workers healthy and free from injury; this is the trending way of benefiting organizations. Pursuing adjustable workstations for company workforce to use is a significant investment for employers. It is equally important for employers to ensure they achieve investment returns (National Safety Council, 2007).

Gathering information from available sources: With the use of tracking Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs), the information provided on existing medical, safety, and insurance records, including the OSHA 300 forms, could help provide any evidence for ergonomic hazards at the workplace. (Gortsch, 2011)

Organizations have the responsibility to provide a safe work environment for their employees. Lift equipment is expensive; however the return on investment is profound (ANA, 2013). In my previous organization, we spent two million dollars on a SPHM program, at three years had a full return on investment, and by year seven saved six million dollars (OSHA, 2013). According to Nelson (2008), it takes less time and less wear and tear on the body to use SPHM equipment than to gather a team of people to lift a patient. Physically fit health care providers are four times more likely to be injured due to repeated requests for lift help (Nelson, 2008). Educating health care workers in ergonomics for the past twenty years

These regulations are designed to reduce the risks associated with work and cover a wide range of issues, including the maintenance of the workplace and workplace equipment. They also cover workstation arrangement and design.

After carefully reading the guidelines made by WorkSafeNB, and the article titled “Development and evaluation of an office ergonomic risk checklist: ROSA - Rapid office strain assessment” by Sonne et al., the following recommendations can be made:

Health and safety policies and procedures were set out to explain what is needed to maintain a safe working environment and adhere to rules and regulation of health and safety regulation. Every working environment must have a safe entrance and exit. In order to minimised risk to health and safety, every equipment must be tested and ensure it is safe to use.

The role of occupational therapy in ergonomics counseling begins with an evaluation of the client, the work environment and the duties required to fulfill the position. During the assessment, the occupational therapist will identify possible hazards and offer reasonable recommendations to minimize risk factors. The therapist will also be focused on suggesting and creating any necessary modifications to maximize client functionality, comfort, and safety in order to regain productivity.

36 percent of nurses and support staff suffer from back pain and problems due to manual (no use of assistive devices) patient handling in the workplace (Singh, 2014). Data analysis of Singh’s (2014) experimental design revealed that back pain is a major contributor of musculoskeletal disorders. 13% of nursing and support staff study participants were over 40 years of age. 40.48% reported they often experienced back pain, while 42.38% reported that they sometimes experience back pain from patient handling task. The data analysis reveals the work of nurses and support staff

Disasters come in many shapes and sizes. While many are unavoidable, such as natural disasters, disasters with a largely human element can be prevented. While disasters often seem unpredictable, the clues are often there in front of us so long as we have the ability to recognize them and the ability to do something about them. This analysis explores the advantage an ergonomic approach provides in uncovering these clues and how that approach can provide creative solutions that benefit both the individual component and overall system function symbiotically.

It is no longer news that healthcare workers suffer significant injuries that could lead to a dreadful change in their lives or affect activities of daily living. This issue has been trending for quite a while as a lot of studies have shown that most people who complain of back pain have a history of health occupation. It is expected that with so much awareness of health promotion and education, people will take more precautions in trying to protect their body. However, there is still a lot of safety concern for the nurse, nurses’ aide and other individuals. A work place free of harm or hazardous stimuli facilitates an effective and safe environment for employees in the health field.

Ergonomics is a scientific discipline that deals with the research and understanding between the interaction of humans and other elements of a socio-technical system. It involves conducting research into human: social, psychological, physical and biological characteristics, and using this information to optimize human performance, safety, habitability and health with regard to the design and evaluation of tasks, products, environments and jobs in a performance system (James H. and Stramler, 1993) to make them compatible with humans abilities, needs and limitations. The ergonomics discipline promotes a human-centered and holistic approach to system design, which considers physical, cognitive, social, organizational, environmental, and other

In this report, I will outline the main factors in having a safe workstation. There are certain ways in which you may choose an ergonomically correct chair. Does the seat feel comfortable and fit your shape? When you sit in the