Ergonomics Ergonomics is simply the study ("nomics") of work ("ergo"). Research has shown that many injuries at work, whether it is sitting at a computer all day or making boxes in a factory, can be avoided if the worker is able to effectively take care of his or her body throughout the day. Many work related injuries are the result of prolonged awkward postures, repetitive motions using various body parts, repetitive light lifting of objects, occasional lifting of heavy objects using poor body mechanics, poor machine design, or a combination of one or more of these risk factors. The physical therapists at MCPT treat numerous work-related musculoskeletal disorders including Carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, cervical strains, DeQuervain's syndrome, rotator cuff tendonitis, upper shoulder spasms, mid and low back pain, thoracic outlet syndrome, and TMJ to name a few. Many of these disorders can become chronic, limiting the person's ability to work effectively or to even return to work at all. It has been estimated that companies in the U.S. lose up to 20 billion dollars annually in compensation claims from medical expenses and lost wages. Worker's compensation claims from Carpal tunnel syndrome alone account for more loss in productivity than from traumatic injuries and bone fractures combined. The good news is that most of the above mentioned work related injuries can be eliminated or significantly reduced (70-90%) by consulting with a certified ergonomist. What does an Ergonomist do? An ergonomist is a person who can analyze a person's job and the work environment to determine what injuries they are at risk for, and can make suggestions in order to make the work environment safer, thus reducing the chance of injury in the workplace. MCPT's certified ergonomics specialist, Jeffrey Hanson, is also a physical therapist who has extensive knowledge of all types of musculoskeletal disorders due to over a decade of PT experience. What is involved in an ergonomic's consult? The first step is to interview the managers or ergonomic team leader of a company to determine their needs. Are they seeing too many back injuries or shoulder tendonitis injuries for instance? Are employees complaining of uncomfortable desk chairs? Is a particular machine contributing to employees complaining of elbow discomfort? Or does a company simply want to reduce the premiums on their workman's comp insurance policies? Once the company's needs are determined, the ergonomist does a quick assessment of the workplace to determine the most effective way of achieving a companies' goals for injury prevention. Recommendations are made and a proposal is written, reviewed, and signed. Step 2 – The Work-site Analysis:The work-site analysis usually involves 3 to 8 hours of reviewing company injury logs, interviewing employees, and visually analyzing the employees at work. Tools, equipment and machinery are also analyzed. The ergonomist will usually videotape the workplace and employees at work in order to more effectively assess the workplace and for management training in the future. An exit interview with management is done at the end of the analysis to discuss findings and to make recommendations. Step 3 – Summary of Findings: A written report is submitted to management within a week. Included in the written report are injury risk factors, recommendations for improvement and injury reduction, and suggestions for further training. Suggestions for improvement will range from the most cost effective strategies or "quick fixes" (such as rearranging desk space or an employee training session on posture) to the more expensive solutions (such as purchasing a new machine or piece of equipment) depending on how much money is in a company's budget for change. The ergonomist will work closely with management to come up with the most cost effective solutions. Usually management will want to discuss these recommendations with the ergonomist in person in order to get expert advice on how to go about making changes in the workplace. In this case, the ergonomist will recommend a formal Management training session. Step 4 – Management training: Included in this power point presentation are discussions on how the body becomes susceptible to injuries, causes of work related injuries, particular risk factors found during the analysis, strategies for reducing employee injuries, safe ergonomic tools / machines / equipment, and teaching employees to take responsibility for their own working bodies. Step 5 – Employee training: A customized two hour training session using diagrams, pictures, and digital photos from the analysis has been proven to be the most effective method in the reduction of work related injuries. This session will teach employees on how the body works, situations and postures that put them at risk for various injuries, and how to recognize a work related disorder. Most importantly, this session will teach the employee to take responsibility for their own working bodies. It will show them how to work more effectively, how to prevent injuries from occurring, how to manage symptoms when they do arise, and how to properly care for their bodies on and off of the job so that they can not only be more productive, but live a much better quality of life.   Is a company required to follow every step of the above Ergonomic Standard Procedure? If a company is trying to save on their insurance premiums, then their provider will most likely request that they follow this step-by-step process based on the OSHA guidelines. Management should check with their provider who will determine what steps must be taken. However............ A company is NOT obligated to go through every step of the Ergonomic Standard Procedure. For instance, a company's budget may only allow them to purchase a Work-site Analysis (step-2) and to make changes on their own as their budget permits. Or a company may simply request that their employees receive a "basic" training session (step-5) on posture and body mechanics without a formal analysis (step-2) being done. Whatever the case, our ergonomic specialist will work with you to provide the most effective strategy possible, within your company's budget, to reduce preventable injuries in the workplace.   Must a company follow through with every suggestion made by the ergonomist? NO. The ergonomist will only make suggestions for changes in the workplace. It is up to management to implement the changes as they see fit or as their budget allows. Why is an ergonomic consult important? An Ergonomic consult is not just "feels good" public relations—it really works! Remember, THE PREVENTION OF INJURIES IS THE KEY TO COST EFFECTIVENESS. For more information please contact: Betsy Donovan, PT or Jeffrey S. Hanson, MPT, CEAS Mountain Center Physical Therapy 37 Main Street, Conway, NH 03818 Phone: (603) 447-2533 Fax: (603) 447-2544 info@mtnctrpt.com

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