“Sleeping On The Job” Is Widespread – And Expensive.
There are low-cost, highly effective ways to relieve fatigue workers report feeling by changing how they work. In the process, employers improve productivity, reduce lost time and slash injuries. – By Isaac Rudik
Despite early, fluttering signs of economic recovery, companies continue to push employees to do more, faster, longer and harder. Businesses feel a genuine need to keep squeezing budgets, capitalizing on every opportunity to produce more efficiently while keeping staff counts as low as possible.
The result is an epidemic of fatigue among Canadian workers. According to a recent Angus Reid survey, well over half of all respondents claim they don’t get enough rest at night and suffer periods of low energy at work; nearly as many state it adversely affects their job performance.
While most employers won’t be adding jobs until the economy truly begins recovering sometime next year, there are low-cost and highly effective ways to relieve some of the fatigue workers feel by changing how they work even if they can’t fix how much they work. In the process, they’ll improve productivity, reduce lost time and slash the likelihood of costly injuries, whether accidental or because of problems at workstations.
Deadly Effect
Recently, the potentially deadly effect of fatigue was vividly demonstrated in British Columbia.
Faced with unemployment, a worker accepted a job that required a five hour commute to work and home every day. Compounding the problem, after years of working days, he was put on a night shift. Driving home one morning after eight consecutive shifts, his car crashed after he fell asleep while driving. Police say he was killed instantly.
Partially in response to the fatal accident, WorkSafe BC released information on workplace fatigue and ways to prevent it, noting that when people don't get enough sleep, their performance suffers. They have slower reaction times, difficulty concentrating and making decisions.
While the fatal accident is an extreme example of how fatigue affects workers, the fact is it contributes to two types of common workplace injuries:
• Non-accidental injuries sees pain result from normal activities. Poor body mechanics such as slouching in an office chair or sitting in it for too long, prolonged activity, repetitive motion, standing in one position for a prolonged period and fatigue are major contributors.
• Accidental injuries happen when something unexpected happens when working. A load slips or shifts as it is being lifted, or a slip-and-fall causes an employee to hit their head are typical examples.
Ergo Ergonomics
Ergonomics reduces the risks by adapting the workplace to each worker, depending on what they do and their physical condition.
Fortunately, there are countless, cost-effective products that can reduce injury risks by using ergonomics in their design.
In offices, chair backs that subtly enforce good posture are widely available. To avoid replacing an office full of otherwise perfectly good chairs, supplemental back supports are available. So, too, are specially designed wrist rests for people who do repetitive tasks at a computer.
Meanwhile, factory ergonomics have improved markedly in recent years, and a wide range of products are available, including:
• Anti-fatigue mats
• Scissor lifts
• Tilt trucks
• Mobile carts
• Proper workstation seating.
At the same time, there are ergonomically sound material handling dollies, carts and accessories which remove repetitive movements from a worker’s routine and reducing fatigue levels.
Today, anything that reduces fatigue makes workers more productive, improves profitability and cuts the risk of costly accidents.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. (www.compliancesolutionscanada.com), Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Straighten Up Or Pay The Price
Straighten Up Or Pay The Price
Muscular-skeletal disorders account for 40% of workplace injuries, costing the economy $2-billion annually. But proper workplace ergonomics has proven repeatedly to repay itself in higher profits and less lost time due to entirely avoidable injuries.
- By Isaac Rudik
When business executives and owners hear someone mutter the word “ergonomics,” too often their eyes glaze over, their mind wanders, and they dismiss the whole notion as another buzzword dreamed up consultants who have no idea what’s really involved in running a business and turning a profit.
Unfortunately, in many cases they’d be correct – but only because the word has been co-opted by advertising to plug fuzzy features of everything from cars to shoe inserts.
That’s too bad because the fact is ergonomics has a direct bearing on profitability. In fact, ergonomics often affects everything from productivity to the rate of workplace injuries. And it’s not just because employees might get a sore back from sitting in a poorly designed chair or lifting a heavy box improperly. Correct workplace ergonomics extends across the shop floor, encompassing everything from tool design to the layout of factories and warehouses.
In short, investing in proper workplace ergonomics has proven repeatedly to repay itself in higher profits and less lost time due to entirely avoidable injuries.
Immediate Payback
Several years ago, a 200-year old manufacturer became alarmed at its injury rate for muscular-skeletal disorders (MSD), which was nearly three times the norm for all industries. To figure out what was wrong, it created a series of “ergonomic committees” that included employees from every department, an assessment of every task performed in the plant, an annual discomfort survey of workers and an enhanced training and communications plan.
Over a five year period, the company spent $2.5-million on its ergonomic programme. The company calculated that its annual return-on-investment was 40% – a whopping 40% per year. At the same time, it reduced workplace MSD injury rate by the 40% as well and, where workstation improvements were made and MSD factors reduced, productivity climbed by an astronomical 100%.
Another manufacturer, this one high tech, realised that most workplace injuries that resulted in lost time related to lifting, fastening and keyboarding. It conducted a study, led by an outside advisor, to determine where workstations and tasks created the greatest risk for MSD injuries. As a result, adjustments were made in both workplace design and employee training.
In the first year alone, the cost of worker compensation claims plummeted 75%, to $94,000 from more than $400,000. The following year, additional improvements were made and claims fell again to $12,000. The company estimates that it saved nearly $1.5-million over four years in direct costs alone; the programme cost $500,000.
Simple First Steps
A business doesn’t have to begin with a six-figure investment to improve ergonomically-driven productivity increases. New resources are available to workers and employers to help prevent ergonomic-related injuries, which accounts for 40% of time lost from injuries and cost the Canadian economy $19-billion over the 10 years from 1996 to 2006:
Conventional Ergonomic Chair: They provide optimal support to every part of the body. They are fully adjustable in many different directions, enabling workers to get the perfect seating position, offering excellent support for both the back and legs.
Saddle Seat: As its name suggests, the chair’s shape resembles a horse saddle. It keeps the pelvis in its natural position so that, when leaning forward, the user moves from the hips and not the waist.
Recliner Chair: Reclining is the most relaxing position for the back, especially for people who suffer spine-related problems such as lumber spinal stenosis. While not well-suited for tables or desks, these chairs usually feature detachable or swivel tables for holding a laptop and files.
Solid Solution
A high backed synchronized glider chair such as one designed with the Moller® back support system is a commonly-used, solid solution because it employs a physician-designed approach that is clinically proven to reduce back and neck pain, fatigue and headaches by encouraging proper back alignment.
The spinal column is fully supported and maintains a natural lower spine configuration. Compression on the veins is reduced and circulation improved while strain on the lower back muscles is decreased, reducing fatigue and discomfort. Moreover, such a chair allows for multiple adjustments for maximum, personal comfort.
Given the high cost to companies of entirely preventable workplace injuries from MSD’s, the relatively low cost – and almost immediate payback – of avoiding the problem makes total sense.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. (www.compliancesolutionscanada.com), Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Muscular-skeletal disorders account for 40% of workplace injuries, costing the economy $2-billion annually. But proper workplace ergonomics has proven repeatedly to repay itself in higher profits and less lost time due to entirely avoidable injuries.
- By Isaac Rudik
When business executives and owners hear someone mutter the word “ergonomics,” too often their eyes glaze over, their mind wanders, and they dismiss the whole notion as another buzzword dreamed up consultants who have no idea what’s really involved in running a business and turning a profit.
Unfortunately, in many cases they’d be correct – but only because the word has been co-opted by advertising to plug fuzzy features of everything from cars to shoe inserts.
That’s too bad because the fact is ergonomics has a direct bearing on profitability. In fact, ergonomics often affects everything from productivity to the rate of workplace injuries. And it’s not just because employees might get a sore back from sitting in a poorly designed chair or lifting a heavy box improperly. Correct workplace ergonomics extends across the shop floor, encompassing everything from tool design to the layout of factories and warehouses.
In short, investing in proper workplace ergonomics has proven repeatedly to repay itself in higher profits and less lost time due to entirely avoidable injuries.
Immediate Payback
Several years ago, a 200-year old manufacturer became alarmed at its injury rate for muscular-skeletal disorders (MSD), which was nearly three times the norm for all industries. To figure out what was wrong, it created a series of “ergonomic committees” that included employees from every department, an assessment of every task performed in the plant, an annual discomfort survey of workers and an enhanced training and communications plan.
Over a five year period, the company spent $2.5-million on its ergonomic programme. The company calculated that its annual return-on-investment was 40% – a whopping 40% per year. At the same time, it reduced workplace MSD injury rate by the 40% as well and, where workstation improvements were made and MSD factors reduced, productivity climbed by an astronomical 100%.
Another manufacturer, this one high tech, realised that most workplace injuries that resulted in lost time related to lifting, fastening and keyboarding. It conducted a study, led by an outside advisor, to determine where workstations and tasks created the greatest risk for MSD injuries. As a result, adjustments were made in both workplace design and employee training.
In the first year alone, the cost of worker compensation claims plummeted 75%, to $94,000 from more than $400,000. The following year, additional improvements were made and claims fell again to $12,000. The company estimates that it saved nearly $1.5-million over four years in direct costs alone; the programme cost $500,000.
Simple First Steps
A business doesn’t have to begin with a six-figure investment to improve ergonomically-driven productivity increases. New resources are available to workers and employers to help prevent ergonomic-related injuries, which accounts for 40% of time lost from injuries and cost the Canadian economy $19-billion over the 10 years from 1996 to 2006:
Conventional Ergonomic Chair: They provide optimal support to every part of the body. They are fully adjustable in many different directions, enabling workers to get the perfect seating position, offering excellent support for both the back and legs.
Saddle Seat: As its name suggests, the chair’s shape resembles a horse saddle. It keeps the pelvis in its natural position so that, when leaning forward, the user moves from the hips and not the waist.
Recliner Chair: Reclining is the most relaxing position for the back, especially for people who suffer spine-related problems such as lumber spinal stenosis. While not well-suited for tables or desks, these chairs usually feature detachable or swivel tables for holding a laptop and files.
Solid Solution
A high backed synchronized glider chair such as one designed with the Moller® back support system is a commonly-used, solid solution because it employs a physician-designed approach that is clinically proven to reduce back and neck pain, fatigue and headaches by encouraging proper back alignment.
The spinal column is fully supported and maintains a natural lower spine configuration. Compression on the veins is reduced and circulation improved while strain on the lower back muscles is decreased, reducing fatigue and discomfort. Moreover, such a chair allows for multiple adjustments for maximum, personal comfort.
Given the high cost to companies of entirely preventable workplace injuries from MSD’s, the relatively low cost – and almost immediate payback – of avoiding the problem makes total sense.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. (www.compliancesolutionscanada.com), Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
When Looking For Small Risks, Don’t Ignore The Big Ones.
When Looking For Small Risks, Don’t Ignore The Big Ones.
While work-related accidents sidelining employees for fewer than 20 days are down sharply, there is a dramatic rise in more serious injuries. Is the provincial ministry partially to blame?
– By Isaac Rudik
Here’s a bit of good news for companies and their workers: Non-fatal accidents and injuries in Ontario that result in fewer than 20 days away from work are declining rather dramatically. But there is also some bad news: Incidents serious enough to keep an employee off work for 21 or more days are up sharply – as much as 23% for injuries where someone is on accident leave for more than one month.
The question is to what extent is the Ministry of Labour responsible for the numbers? In its zeal to compel businesses to suss out big risks that cause relatively minor injuries, it has created the unintended consequence of enabling companies to overlook more serious but less frequent potential accident and injury risks that happen less frequently but cause more damage.
But regardless of the ministry’s emphasis, businesses must continue to reduce the risk from potential accidents that create long-term recovery and may cause environmental damage.
Ergo, Ergonomics
It turns out that one of the biggest causes of serious accidents and injuries comes when handling high risk material. Too many businesses use a standard dolly – pretty much the same style your neighbour rents when he asks you to help him move a few boxes to the cottage – even when hauling gas cylinders, drums and other hazardous material around a factory or warehouse. But there’s a relatively simple and inexpensive way to prevent more serious injuries and accidents: Use ergonomically correct equipment, especially when handling hazardous materials.
The harsh fact is that one size does not fit every handling situation.
Take a typical, 55 gallon storage drum as an example. Depending on what is being done with it, there are at least four different ergonomically correct devices to move the drum without risking an injury to a worker – or a potential environmental hazard because the wrong equipment was used to transport the drum from one place to another and the drum tips, rolls and opens. The list of correct equipment includes a truck, a dolly, a cradle and a stacker.
Yet when we are asked to do a safety compliance audit, more often than not one of the things we find is the wrong equipment being employed improperly. In one instance, we found a pallet stacker being used to stack drums despite the fact that there is no way to secure a drum to a pallet lifting device. As a result, workers are at risk of injury, the company is at risk of hefty fines if there is an accident and the environment may be at risk from an avoidable spill.
Smart Moves
It’s just a smart business move to ensure that a material handling solution fits the specific situation.
The smart way to protect both the company and its employees is to always use ergonomically proven material handling solutions. Normal dollies should only move non-gas, non-hazardous and not-liquid materials. Everything else requires a specialised piece of equipment.
Using the correct handling cart for different applications does require a small investment in material handling and during a recession holding down costs is especially important. But the price for the correct material handling equipment is peanuts compared with the huge cost of a worker suffering a debilitating, long term disability, the price of cleaning up the environment after a spill and paying out cold cash to the government for the fines it levies.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc., Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
While work-related accidents sidelining employees for fewer than 20 days are down sharply, there is a dramatic rise in more serious injuries. Is the provincial ministry partially to blame?
– By Isaac Rudik
Here’s a bit of good news for companies and their workers: Non-fatal accidents and injuries in Ontario that result in fewer than 20 days away from work are declining rather dramatically. But there is also some bad news: Incidents serious enough to keep an employee off work for 21 or more days are up sharply – as much as 23% for injuries where someone is on accident leave for more than one month.
The question is to what extent is the Ministry of Labour responsible for the numbers? In its zeal to compel businesses to suss out big risks that cause relatively minor injuries, it has created the unintended consequence of enabling companies to overlook more serious but less frequent potential accident and injury risks that happen less frequently but cause more damage.
But regardless of the ministry’s emphasis, businesses must continue to reduce the risk from potential accidents that create long-term recovery and may cause environmental damage.
Ergo, Ergonomics
It turns out that one of the biggest causes of serious accidents and injuries comes when handling high risk material. Too many businesses use a standard dolly – pretty much the same style your neighbour rents when he asks you to help him move a few boxes to the cottage – even when hauling gas cylinders, drums and other hazardous material around a factory or warehouse. But there’s a relatively simple and inexpensive way to prevent more serious injuries and accidents: Use ergonomically correct equipment, especially when handling hazardous materials.
The harsh fact is that one size does not fit every handling situation.
Take a typical, 55 gallon storage drum as an example. Depending on what is being done with it, there are at least four different ergonomically correct devices to move the drum without risking an injury to a worker – or a potential environmental hazard because the wrong equipment was used to transport the drum from one place to another and the drum tips, rolls and opens. The list of correct equipment includes a truck, a dolly, a cradle and a stacker.
Yet when we are asked to do a safety compliance audit, more often than not one of the things we find is the wrong equipment being employed improperly. In one instance, we found a pallet stacker being used to stack drums despite the fact that there is no way to secure a drum to a pallet lifting device. As a result, workers are at risk of injury, the company is at risk of hefty fines if there is an accident and the environment may be at risk from an avoidable spill.
Smart Moves
It’s just a smart business move to ensure that a material handling solution fits the specific situation.
The smart way to protect both the company and its employees is to always use ergonomically proven material handling solutions. Normal dollies should only move non-gas, non-hazardous and not-liquid materials. Everything else requires a specialised piece of equipment.
Using the correct handling cart for different applications does require a small investment in material handling and during a recession holding down costs is especially important. But the price for the correct material handling equipment is peanuts compared with the huge cost of a worker suffering a debilitating, long term disability, the price of cleaning up the environment after a spill and paying out cold cash to the government for the fines it levies.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc., Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
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