Ergonomic Hazards at Work

Ergonomic Hazards

Work stress is a normal part of the workday, but if stressors are consistently happening, this can lead to injuries. If you don’t let your body recover, you could experience cumulative trauma disorders, repetitive strain injuries, and musculoskeletal disorders. These disorders include common ones such as carpal tunnel, bursitis, and tendinitis. Want to learn more about ergonomic hazards, risk factors and prevention? Keep reading.

Symptoms of Musculoskeletal Disorders

Symptoms for these disorders most commonly occur in the back, hands, arms, wrists, neck, and shoulders. The list of symptoms include soreness or pain (aching or sharp), stiffness, swelling, loss of coordination, numbness, tingling as though the area is asleep, and unexplained weakness. If these symptoms last for more than a week, and/or bother you so much that you restrict activities or take time off to recover, it is important to seek medical care. You need to seek treatment early if you believe you have a musculoskeletal disorder, or MSD for short. The longer you prolong treatment, the harder it can be to treat later on. It is also advised to not return to the same working conditions that caused your problem, and instead ensure that the equipment or environment is changed.

Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Disorders

Repetition is a key risk factor. Repetition involves making the same motion over and over. Another risk factor is awkward posture, involving prolonged bending, reaching, kneeling, squatting or twisting any part of the body. Forceful motion is another risk factor, and this includes excessive effort that is needed to do tasks, such as pulling, pounding, pushing, and lifting. Staying in one position for too long is also a risk factor for developing a MSD, as this can cause fatigue in the muscles and joints. Prolonged contact with a hard surface or edge and using vibrating tools or equipment can also lead to a MSD. Additionally, extreme temperatures where it is too hot or too cold can cause fatigue and reduce blood flow. Lastly, work stress including multiple deadlines, poor supervision, or poor work organization can also lead to a MSD.

So…What Can Be Done?

To prevent further injuries from developing, workplaces should remove the hazard as the first step. The next most effective solution is to improve workplace policies and procedures including involving more staff for lifting, teaching proper body mechanics, and providing sufficient breaks for recovery time. Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is also a solution, and involves providing items such as knee pads, shoulder pads, and/or gloves. There should also be an ergonomics program in place to minimize the risk of disorders. If you are interested in learning how your workplace can be more ergonomically sound, schedule a consultation with Ergo in Motion today!