Ergonomics and Risk Assessment Flashcards
What are the approahces to control of hazards and risks?
1) Eliminate
(get rid of)
2) Substitute (change)
3) Engineer controls (make something new)
4) Administrative controls (instructions and signs)
5) Personal protective equipment
What is manual handling?
Any activity which requires muscular force or effort for:
- Lifting
- Pushing
- Pulling
- Lowering
- Carrying
What should you check when assessing movements, posture and layout?
- Frequent prolonged bending down with hands below mid-thigh height
- Frequent or prolonged lifting above shoulder height
- Frequent or prolonged bending due to need to reach forward
- Frequent or prolonged twisting of the back
- Awkward postures assumed frequently or over prolonged periods
What do you consider when thinking about how the task is performed?
Load should be shared evenly across both hands, avoid pushing or pulling across body, avoid bending to lift, movement should be smooth and controlled.
What should you check when assessing task and object?
-Manual handling performed frequently or for long time periods
-Loads moved or carried over long distances
-Weight of object
> 4.5kg and handled sitting
>16kg and handled other than in sitting
>55kg
-Large forces applied pushing or pulling
-Load difficult to handle: size, shape, temperature, instability, unpredictability
-Difficult to grip the load
What should you check when assessing work environment?
- Task performed in a confined space
- Lighting inadequate for safe manual handling
- Climate particularly hot or cold
- Floor surfaces cluttered, uneven, slippery or otherwise unsafe
What should you check when assessing workstation layout?
- Upright posture
- Good visibility
- Perform most tasks within easy reach
What are other individual factors to consider?
- Employee new to work or returning from extended absence
- Temporary or permanent personal characteristics that may affect task performance (i.e. Injury)
- Does clothing or personal protective equipment interfere with manual handling performance
What is the weight guide for seated, standing and mechanical assistance/team lifting?
- For seated work, weight should generally not exceed 4.5kg
- Standing do not exceed 16/20kg
- Mechanical assistance and team lifting needed between 16-55kg
What are risk control options?
- Modify the object
- Modify workplace layout
- Heavier and frequently used items at waist level
- Raise work level using self adjusting platform
- Adjustable storage height and work height
- Seating / support when working in awkward postures
- Reorientate work surfaces (Tilt or raise surface)
- Rearrange materials flow
- Different actions, movements, forces
- Reduce bending, twisting, reaching, lifting, pushing and pulling
- Mechanical assistance
- Standing platforms to raise worker, stands for equipment, trolleys, jack or clips to support weight of object, ramps, floor rollers, custom made equipment to avoid carrying etc.
- Team lifting
- Mechanical handling equipment and training
- Tables, hydraulic tilt bed, forklift, hoists, cranes,
What should you consider when quantifying risks and prioritising actions?
- How frequently does the risk occur?
- What are the potential consequences?
- How many are exposed?
What is the name of risk management approach?
- Identify the relative risk of the activity, action, equipment
- Eliminate it from day to day activity
- Implement controls to reduce likelihood of an accident
What are the cues for safe lifting?
- Plan the lift. If load is too heavy, get help.
- Place feet apart.
- Bend knees and hold load firmly with both hands
- Raise your head and pull your chin in to keep back straight
- Lift load to your waist slowly by straightening you legs, keeping your elbows close to your body
- Put the load down, bend your knees and keep natural curves in your spine
- Speed of lift. Lift slow lower quick.
What is the goal of ensuring safe lifting?
- Maintain normal curves of your spine
- Spine has a number of normal curves and these play important part of allowing your spine to work naturally and reduce risk of injury when lifting
What should be considered with seating?
- Length of time seated
- What tasks are completed when sitting
- What are the physical demands of these tasks
- What are the muscle loads during activity (static vs. dynamic)
- We need to move for health of muscles, bones and joints
