Importance Of Ergonomics In The Workplace

Ergonomic Workplace Assessment
Introduction
"Ergonomics is the science of matching job tasks to workers’ capabilities. Through the principles of ergonomics, jobs can be redesigned and improved to be within reasonable limits of human capabilities" (1). The purpose of the ergonomic workplace assessment is to assess employee at work, identify potential problem/risks related to the work and then find a suitable modification to prevent the injuries. The workplace assessment is done based on the fundamental ergonomic principles that improve the performance and efficiency of the work and enhance the safety of the employee. The assessment also allows injured worker to return to the work by minimizing the discomfort while they recover from the injury.
Associated risks
Many industrial workers are often exposed to ergonomics related injury risks, such as bending, reaching overhead, pushing and pulling heavy loads, lifting heavy items, working in awkward body postures, and repetitive motions. There has been increased number of work related injury reported in the recent past due to worker’s exposure to these injury risks. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the most common musculoskeletal injuries include carpal tunnel syndrome, back & neck injuries, rotator cuff injuries, tendonitis and muscle strains. (2). Ergonomic

The ergonomic physical therapists can go beyond the focus of engineering and develop strategies that help to avoid fatigue and injuries and promoting a healthy lifestyle at work. The first step in the assessment process is to determine employer 's need by conducting the interview of the employer. The assessment should focus on the workstation design, job duties and the way worker perform tasks and making sure that the best practice is in place. Once the risk factors are identified, employee education and training will reduce the risk of injuries