Week 3: Occupational Ergonomics Approach Upper Limb Solutions

Question 1

Summarize the 7 steps to conducting an ergonomic evaluation including the techniques used at each of these steps.

Answer 1

1. Planning
2. Assessing need/benchmarking
3. Gathering background information
4. Risk identification
5. Risk assessment
6. Risk control
7. Evaluation

Question 2

Outline this step in conducting an ergonomic evaluation: planning

Answer 2

• Determine objectives, needs, and concerns
• Include all parties at initial meetings (management, workers, union)
• Provide education about benefits of ergonomics
• Review organization’s mission statement
• Write objectives down and refer to them
• Clarify your role and objectives
• Identify key decision makers
• Clarify ethical responsibilities

Question 3

Outline this step in conducting an ergonomic evaluation: assessing need/benchmarking

Answer 3

What to measure:

• Injuries
• Discomfort
• Production measures
• Employee morale

Question 4

Who are key people who should be involved an ergonomic evaluation?

Answer 4

• worker
• supervisor
• Joint health and safety committee/representative
• others

Question 5

Outline this step in conducting an ergonomic evaluation: gathering background information

Answer 5

• Determine duties and critical duties
• Determine critical tasks
• Use appropriate task description techniques

Question 6

Define: prose

Answer 6

written description of the task.

It is usually sequential and is often used as a first step to other task description techniques.

Question 7

Define link analysis

Answer 7

spatial organization of activities based on frequency, importance, and sequence.

Question 8

Link analysis steps

Answer 8

• Determine purpose (what are you tracking and why)
• Sketch the physical system
• Draw links (arrows)
• Number links to define sequence
• Prioritize links (frequency, criticality, etc.)
• Rearrange the system (optimize) based on your defined purpose and prioritization.

Question 9

Hierarchical task description/analysis

Answer 9

sets up a process by which each individual activity can be assessed individually for known risk factors. Each task is broken down into subtasks and activities. Relevant issues can be identified at each level

Question 10

What tips are useful when identifying tasks for a hierarchical task description

Answer 10

• Use verbs
• Motor cognitive and perceptual - Work with one task at a time
• Identify all the related subtasks - Work with one subtask
• Identify all related activities

Question 11

Outline this step in conducting an ergonomic evaluation: risk identification

Answer 11

Use checklists
Use worksheets
Do not assess, only identify whether the risk may be there

Question 12

Outline this step in conducting an ergonomic evaluation: risk assessment

Answer 12

Task description and Task analysis 
Biomechanical models 
Physiological models 
Guidelines 
Formulae

Question 13

Outline this step in conducting an ergonomic evaluation: risk control

Answer 13

engineering controls: Solutions which involve equipment, tools, environment and which make permanent changes to the workplace. Modification or a major change

Administrative controls: Solutions which involve the way the job is organized: hours of work, rotation schedule

Question 14

Outline this step in conducting an ergonomic evaluation: monitoring

Answer 14

• Return to job site
– 1 month, 6 months, 1 year later
• Re-evaluate benchmark data – Injury
– Discomfort – Production – Morale
• This step required by legislation in BC