Common WMSD* Hazards in Your Workplace and Some Solution Ideas *Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders

This slide show outlines…

…some common WMSD hazards in workplaces, and some ideas for reducing or eliminating them.

Links to the following PowerPoint slide shows can be found at the appendix at the end of this slide show.

• A Five Step Process for Finding WMSD Hazards

• Recommended Exposure Limits for Preventing WMSDs

By the end of this slide show, you will be able to…

Identify WMSD hazards in your workplace

Locate resources and contacts for more assistance

Lifting Awkward postures Forceful gripping or pinching Repetitive motions & Intensive keying Hand-arm vibration

WMSD Hazards

Some jobs tasks can cause injuries from:

WMSDs are occupational disorders of:

• muscles

• tendons

• ligaments

• joints

• blood vessels

• nerves

WMSDs

Hazards to watch for

Repetitive motion & Intensive keyingRepetitive motion & Intensive keying

Lifting

To lower the risks of lifting…

• Reduce the weight• Increase the weight (so people truly can’t lift the item)

• Use mechanical assistance

• Slide instead of lift• Team lift

• Avoid unnecessary lifting

• Use mobile storage• Rotate between tasks• Job enlargement• Bring loads as close to

the body as possible before lifting them

• Remove obstacles• Place objects at a good

working height

Awkward Postures

To lower the risk of awkward postures…

• Raise, lower or tilt the work for easier access

• Use a stool for lower level work

• Alternate between bending, kneeling, sitting, and squatting

• Use an elevated work platform or rolling stairs for higher level work

• Use tools with longer handles

• Limit overhead storage to infrequently used items

Forceful Pinching and Gripping

To lower the risk of forceful gripping…

• Use lighter tools

• Suspend the tool with tool counter-balancers

• Use longer lever arms on tools

• Use hand trucks, carts or conveyors instead of carrying loads

To lower the risk of pinching…

Change from pinch to grip:The upper box has cut out handles which allow a much more comfortable and less stressful grip on the box.

a Power Grip:

a Pinch Grasp:

is up to 5 times stronger than

Change pinching to gripping

Reducing pinching…

Repetitive Motion and Intensive Keying

To lower the risk of Repetitive Motion and Intensive Keying…

• Eliminate unnecessary motions

• Use power tool instead of hand tools(He’s using a power drill rather than a ratchet.)

• Automate the task

• Enlarge the job (Substitute some tasks that don’t

include repetitive motions or keying.)

Hand-Arm Vibration

A link to a Hand-Arm Vibration database is in the appendix at the end of this presentation. When searching for a low vibration tool, look for the lowest vibration level (VL).

To lower the risk of Hand-Arm Vibration…

• Use anti-vibration gloves

• Isolate the vibration from the user

• Use low vibration tools

The WISHA Ergonomics The WISHA Ergonomics Ideas BankIdeas Bank

A link to this web page is in the appendix at the end of this presentation

This is a searchable database with over 700 ideas for solutions to ergonomic challenges

Appendix - Links

Ergonomics Awareness PowerPoint

WISHA Ergonomics Ideas Bank

Recommended Exposure Limits for

Preventing WMSDs PowerPoint

Low vibration tools

A Five Step Process for Finding WMSD

Hazards Contact an L&I ergonomist