Ergonomics - At Home

May 2006

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Slogan

At home or away, protect yourself.

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In This Training…

• A recap of the best way…….

• General ergonomic risk factors

• Household tasks and activities that increase risk

• Basic control methods and things to remember

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We Have Come a Long Way

Since the start of the training, we have learned many things:

• Awkward posture, force, and repetitive motion are the most common ergonomic risk factors in most packaging plants

• The earlier that we identify and address discomfort the better off we will be

• Sometimes simple fixes make a big difference

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Since the start of the training, we have learned many things:

• Each joint has a position in which it has the greatest strength, deviations from that position reduce strength

• Preventative maintenance for our bodies is important, and comes in the form of exercise (and maintaining a healthy diet!)

We Have Come a Long Way

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Life Outside of Our Jobs

All of us engage in activities outside of the workplace

Many of these activities pose the same or very similar ergonomic risk factors

Some of these activities provide a completely separate set of ergonomic risk factors

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Name That Risk Factor!

Work Activities

•Driving a Forklift

•Hand-stacking Boxes

•Lifting Ink Buckets

•Pushing a Load Down the Conveyor Line

Risk Factors

Awkward Posture

Force

Repetitive Motion

Contact Stress

Static Posture

Vibration

Non-Work Activities

•Mowing the Lawn

•Folding Laundry

•Playing Pool

•Repairing a Car Engine

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Home Work

Let’s take a closer look at three groups of activities that may take up some of your time outside of work:

• Working in the yard or garden

• Preparing food in the kitchen

• Working (or playing) at your home computer

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Ergonomic tips: In the Yard or Garden…• Use a hand truck to move heavy items such as

large rocks and bagged soils or fertilizer• Limit time spent using trimmers, lawn mowers,

and other power tools to reduce exposure to vibration

• Use kneeling or knee pads and change position frequently when working close to the ground

• Use long handled tools for weeding to prevent the need to stoop continuously

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Ergonomic tips: In the Kitchen…

• Maintain a clear path between the sink, refrigerator, and the stove

• Look for tools and utensils that have large soft handles to reduce excessive grip strength

• Keep knives sharp to reduce force needed for cutting

• Use food choppers or processors to save time and reduce repetitive motions

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Ergonomic tips: In the Home Office…• Make sure you have a comfortable and

adjustable chair• Set a good example. If you are hunched over the

keyboard or clicking your way around the world on the Internet for hours, your child will get the message it is okay to damage his/her body this way.

• If possible, arrange lighting to minimize glare on the screen and help prevent eye strain.

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Ergonomic tips: In the Home Office…

• Strategically place materials on your desk to minimize reaching, twisting and lifting movements.

• Try to take short periodic breaks when working for long periods of time. This allows your muscles and tendons to recover. Moving around or changing position is also a great idea.

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Exercise and Ergonomics

Exercise is known to improve muscle strength and flexibility

Both of these qualities are of great importance in reducing our risk of developing a soft tissue injury.

Additionally, we need to take a look at the work that is being done, identify ergonomic risk factors, and take steps to reduce the risk.

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Remember those Stretch Sheets?

Many of the training modules came with stretching exercises.

They covered the following topics: the back, the shoulders, the hands + wrists, and the knees + legs.

When all of these are put together they provide an excellent full-body stretching program.

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Please Remember…

• Continue to report signs and symptoms of soft tissue injuries to your supervisors as early as possible

• Use the tools you are given (stretch sheets, knowledge, RADAR, etc.) to protect yourself

• ~ Safety First for a healthy body