Check out this article from the Aniston Army Depot Industrial Hygiene Department.
https://www.army.mil/article/201836/is_your_workplace_stacked_against_you_ergonomics_can_help
Article from EHS today
http://www.ehstoday.com/safety-leadership/15-ways-boost-job-satisfaction-infographic
Great article from flipboard of a Drexel University research review and suggestions.
https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-a-new-study-shows-employers-need-to-be-/f-88ca92e8d4%2Finc.com
Link to the Drexel University page:
An excellent article from the Washington Post about poor posture and how it leads to pain. There are also suggestions about how to combat the issue.
It’s that time of year again. The days are getting longer and it is becoming increasingly hotter throughout the day. Every year people die on the job from heat-related incidence. Though the majority of these come from the construction industry, it can happen to anyone.
Let’s take it one step further and make sure we follow the same suggestions away from the workplace. Summertime means ball games, days at the lake and other adventures with family and friends. Make sure everyone is drinking enough water, resting often when in the heat and when possible perform that activity in the shade.
OSHA has launched their Water. Rest. Shade. campaign again this year. Click the link below to see their suggestion for keeping cool and safe this summer.
The ART tool was designed by the Health and Safety Executive of the British government. They are our equivalent of OSHA. This is a free tool that can help you in assessing risks to employees that involve repetitive movement tasks of the upper extremity. They have free downloads of the ART tool Read more
Musculoskeletal disorders in the form of overexertion caused sprain and strain injuries along with repetitive motion injuries were responsible for costing employers over $16 billion in 2013 and accounted for 27% of all reported injuries. Some of the most common MSDs include:
- Epicondylitis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Sciatica
- Low Back Pain
- Tendonitis
- Ligament Sprain
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
- Muscle Strain
- Plantar fasciitis
These disorders typically occur over a period of time and may have some noticeable signs and symptoms before they progress to a chronic condition. The typical progression may include the following steps:
- Exposure to risk factor (overexertion/repetitive motion)
- Fatigue of the exposed anatomy and limited recovery time
- Soft tissues reach the limit of sustaining the outside forces
- Ache or discomfort progresses to a chronic condition
Prevention and early recognition, and quick, appropriate intervention can stop the progression of these disorders to costly conditions. Some steps to take include:
- Adjust the job to the worker
- Decrease common motions known to cause injury
- Educate employees how to recognize MSDs
- Implement an on-site solution for addressing early signs of MSDs
If you hadn’t read this title and someone asked you, “What is the top cause of musculoskeletal injury in the workplace?” what would your reply be? Chances are you would have said repetitive motion injuries.
Overexertion injuries top the list of workplace related musculoskeletal disorders reported in 2016 in regards to the data from the 2013 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For comparison, in 1998 the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index reported from the BLS overexertion injury cost approximately $9.8 billion dollars. For 2013 they reported an estimated cost of $15 billion dollars. Compared to the estimate for repetitive motion injuries costing approximately $1.8 billion dollars in 2013.
There are differences in the two terms and how injuries are classified and recorded. Repetitive motion injuries are just that, injuries caused by repeatedly performing a specific motion as a part of a task. The term doesn’t necessarily take in to account force applied to the motion, but it is thought that continuous use causes excessive strain on the tissues leading to swelling and ultimately pain or neurologic symptoms. Read more
The practice of yoga is said to connect the participants’ body, mind and breath to create awareness, calmness and improved overall well-being. Previous studies have also found yoga to be beneficial for increasing strength, flexibility and decreasing stress, anxiety and pain related to musculoskeletal disorders. The 2016 Yoga In America Study conducted by the Yoga Journal (www.yogajournal.com/yogainamericastudy) claims 36 million people report doing yoga in the US with women making up approximately 72% of practitioners.