Safe Work Postures to avoid Musculoskeletal disorders

How to avoid Musculoskeletal disorder.
Right working postures

2. Working Postures and Muscles Injuries

3. UPPER LIMB DISORDERS

4. •What are Upper Limb Disorders (ULDs)
•Risk factors associated with them
•Some things to look for when using the check list
•Where to get further guidance

5. ULDs – What are ULDs?
Disorders in the tissues of the upper limbs
Disorders:
Effects of tissue
change: stiffness,
weakness, pain,
swelling, etc.
Tissues:
Soft tissues,
muscles,
ligaments &
tendons
Upper Limbs:
fingers, hand,
arm, shoulder
and neck

6. Understand the issues &
commit to action
Create the right organis-
ational environment
Assess the risk of ULDs in
the workplace
Reduce the risk of ULDs
Educate & inform the
workforce
Manage any episodes of
ULDs
Carry out regular checks
on effectiveness
ULDs – Risk Management

7. ULD – Risk Factors
Key risk factors can be thought of as task,
individual worker, or environment related
Task • repetition
• force
• working posture
• duration of exposure
Environment • working environment
• psychosocial factors
Individual • individual differences

8. ULD Risk Factors - Task

Task
• repetition
• working posture
• force
• duration of exposure
the following may be considered highly
repetitive actions (and so high risk):
• shoulder movements > 2.5 per minute
• elbow bends > 10 per minute
• forearm/wrist bends > 10 per minute
• trigger fingers > 200 per minute

9. ULD Risk Factors: Task

Task
• repetition
• working posture
• force
• duration of exposure
Working Posture:
• increased risk of injury when posture is
awkward and/or fixed.

10. Task
• repetition
• working posture
• force
• duration of exposure
ULD Risk Factors: Task
Niosh 1988

11. ULD Risk Factors: Task

Task
• repetition
• working posture
• force
• duration of exposure
Force:
can affect various structures of the
musculoskeletal system.

12. Task
• repetition
•working posture
• force
• duration of exposure
Force:
Effects Muscles:
• tendon/muscle tears
• post exercise soreness
ULD Risk Factors: Task
Effects Tendons:
over stretching
fraying of tendon
shearing synovium
Effects Nerves:
friction
stretching
squashing

13. Task
• repetition
• working posture
• force
• duration of exposure
Force: Hand/wrist forces
Silverstein 1986
ULD Risk Factors Task
Low force: 1kg or less
Moderate force:1 – 4 kg
High force: more than 4kg

14. ULD Risk Factors: Task

Task
• repetition
• working posture
• force
• duration of exposure
Rest Breaks:
“Short frequent breaks generally
better than long infrequent breaks”

15. Task
• repetition
• working posture
• force
• duration of exposure
Dababneh et. al. 2001:
meat-processing plant :
36 minutes extra: 9 minute break every 51 minutes:
most acceptable to workforce
reduced worker discomfort for lower extremities
production rates improved in later hours of workday.
ULD Risk Factors: Task

16. ULD Risk Factors: Environment
Environment • working environment
• psychosocial factors
Vibration:
- alters sensation leading to “over gripping”
- increases muscle activity
- increase in carpal tunnel syndrome
Cold:
- reduced blood flow to upper limbs
Cold: - reduced grip
- increases muscle activity
Lighting:
- stooping to see = compromised posture
- accommodating for glare

17. ULD Risk Factors: Environment
Environment • working environment
• psychosocial factors
lack of control of pace
lack of participation in task design
Machine Paced
work:
Social Environment
at Work:
group pressure
negative social interaction
poor task feedback
Work Schedules
and Overtime:
shift work
overtime fatigue
work demandsetc.

18. Individual • individual differences
new employees
competence skill level
body size
vulnerable groups
health status and disability
individual attitudes/compliance
ULD Risk Factors: Individual

19. All risk factors work together to create an overall
effect on people
force
repetition
posture
psychosocial
environment
MSD
duration
ULDs – Risk Factors

20. ULDs: Risk Assessment (TILE)
•Task & Individual
–Movement frequency; arms, wrists, fingers, neck
–Duration of work / rest break patterns
–Posture (full body and arms)
–Workstation set-up / design
–Individual differences / vulnerable people
•Forces being applied
–Gripping, pushing, twisting, pinching etc.
•Environmental factors
–Physical environment
–Psychosocial factors

21. ULDs: Ergonomic Guidelines
Recommended working heights

22. ULDs: Ergonomic Guidelines
Recommended reach / work zones
  
                                                                                                                               

23. ULDs: Ergonomic Guidelines
Work station layout
•Achieve better working heights
•Reduce reach distances
•Use of deflectors on conveyors

24. ULDs: Ergonomic Guidelines
•Good lighting
•Suitable tools for tasks
–E.g. tools with sufficient power /
sharpness / accuracy

25. ULDs: Ergonomic Guidelines
•Production line speed
–Reduce speed
–Increase number of staff on the production line
–Improve preparation
–Deal with stopping the line
•Control / limit the forces being applied / weights being
handled
•Deal with reluctance to stop lines

26. ULDs – Useful Guidance and Links
www.hse.gov.uk/msd