Download - Eorm sesha ergo_2013
Leveraging Technology to Effectively
Manage your Ergonomics Program
SESHA - April 20, 2013
Anuja Patil, M.S., AEP
This Session Will Help You…
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Discover how technology can help make your organization's ergonomics program more:
Efficient
Effective
Measurable
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Distribution
by Nature of
all Nonfatal
Injury and
Illness
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Injury Trends
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Incident rate for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work – Nature of Disorders
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Injury Trends
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Sprains, strains,tears
Musculoskeletaldisorders
Soreness, pain,including back
Bruises,contusions
Cuts, lacerations,punctures
Fractures Heat burns, scalds Chemical burns
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Costs of Poor Ergonomics
Repetitive motion injuries (RMIs) average costs range between $48K-$77K
RMI’s account for more than $2 Billion in worker’s compensation costs annually
Difficult type of injury
– Slow recovering injury
– High level of re-occurrence
– Back pain is second only to the common cold as a cause of work loss
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Benefits of Ergonomics
Decreases injury and lost time
Decreases absenteeism
Increases productivity and efficiency
Increases quality by decreasing errors and mistakes
Reduces turn over
Increases moral
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Opportunities to Leverage
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Medical/WC costs
Absenteeism
Employee Retention
Union Agreement
Productivity Improvement Initiatives
– Lean, Six Sigma, etc.
Engineering/Design
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EORM’s Ergonomics Philosophy
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Our belief is that injuries and pain/discomfort to employee’s can be eliminated through a proactive risk management approach to ergonomics.
Managing risk vs. managing consequences
Risk management is an accepted strategy for Occupational Health & Safety professionals: – Recognition
– Evaluation
– Control
– Anticipation of workplace hazards
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Effective Program “Attributes”
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Effective and Efficient in reducing injuries
Compliant with government regulations
Systematic, Sustainable & Scalable to other sites
Business driven (reduce costs)
– Demonstrating value to business leadership (show results)
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Ergonomic Approach
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WM
SD
Pain
Discomfort
Difficulty
Ergonomic Risk
Human Limitations
Proactive
Approach
Reactive
Approach
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Office Environment
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Program Development
Primarily computer based
Individual focus
Simplistic systems
Work locations may vary
Workers are becoming more mobile
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In-person Support
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Personal interaction
Resource intensive
Costly
Rarely done in home and remote offices except in cases required by law
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Remote Support
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Remote Support (phone evaluations or email support)
– Phone evaluations
– Digital pictures
– Web cameras
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Phone Evaluations
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Advantages – Direct interaction with employee
– Can ask questions
– Can direct employee how to set up workstation
Disadvantages – Have to rely on employee’s description of workstation
– Need practice in asking questions and experience with enough in person evaluations to understand challenges and solutions
– Takes evaluator’s time
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Digital Pictures
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Advantages
– Give you a quick look at what equipment employee is using
– If employee is in picture gives idea of possible issues and how employee interacts with the workstation
– Employee can see their own posture and position
Disadvantages
– Only a snapshot
– How does the employee sit and work when not on camera?
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Web Cameras
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Advantages
– Live pictures of employee working
– Employee can also see evaluator who can show how they want employee to be positioned
Disadvantages
– Everyone may not have a camera
– If camera built into monitor only one view – Can’t see employee from the side
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Diverse Work Locations
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Office Environment
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Best Solution
3 Tiered Approach
– Online (along with email screening and support)
– Remote Support (phone evaluations or email support)
» Digital pictures
» Web cameras
– In-person
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Online Self-Evaluations
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Advantages
– Teaches employees how to adjust their own workstation
– Can integrate online training
» Cal-OSHA regulation, EU Regulations
– Includes checklist with feedback on what changes to make
Disadvantages
– Limited personal interaction with employee
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Additional In-person Support
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In person Evaluations Cartevia
Electronic Reports
In person Support
Efficient Completion of reports
Standardized reports
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Measure Outcomes
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Injury and illness records
– Injuries
– Cost per injury
– Days away, restricted or transferred
Time away from work (absenteeism)
Employee discomfort
Are engineering controls being used?
Turn around time (response to employee requests)
Number of requests / trainings
Risk impact
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Overcoming Barriers in
Adopting Ergonomic Solutions
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Barriers to Adopting Ergonomic Solutions
Perception that it’ll take longer
– “I don’t have time”
Don’t know how to obtain the right equipment
Don’t know about different practices or equipment
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Barriers to Adopting Ergonomic Solutions
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New employees
Pressure to perform and produce
It’s not convenient
It costs too much
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Pre-Established Vendors and Equipment
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Advantages
– Employees and evaluators know what equipment is available
– Quick and easy ordering
– Discount prices
Disadvantages
– Employees do not select own equipment
– Mercy of vendor if only choose one
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Customer Service
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JAMA Study – Positive correlation between quality of patient service & health outcomes – Patient service includes:
» Reduced wait times
» Communication
Apply this to employees – Online assessments provide quick turn around on evaluation requests &
help obtaining equipment
– Automated communication on status, check ins
– Make employees feel like they are important and you care
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How can Technology help?
Automates process of risk identification and mitigation
Engages employee
Centralizes equipment-related data and processes
Assists in resource prioritization
Effectively measure outcomes through data analysis
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Emphasis on managing risk vs. consequences
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Summary
Consider using a tiered approach to address ergonomics
– Online self-evaluation with checklist & training
– Phone evaluation with pictures and/or web camera when needed
– In person support
– Measure outcomes
– Strategize to make your ergonomics program sustainable & scalable to other sites
© 2013 Environmental and Occupational Risk Management, Inc.
Thank you ! Anuja Patil, M.S., AEP
Associate Consultant
510.995.5411
© 2013 Environmental and Occupational Risk Management, Inc. 40