This material is for training purposes only. Its purpose is to inform Oregon employers of best practices in occupational safety and health and general Oregon OSHA compliance requirements. This material is not a substitute for any provision of the Oregon Safety Employment Act or any standards issued by Oregon OSHA. For more information on this online course and other OR-OSHA online training, visit the Online Course Catalog.

MODULE 6: IMPLEMENTING CONTROLS

Implementing effective control strategies

Once ergonomic hazards are identified and analyzed so that you have a good idea what's required to reduce or eliminate them, it's important to carefully plan and carry out the change. Ideas for effective ergonomic control measures can be derived from a variety of sources:

Employees/work teams who perform the jobs requiring control strategies
Oregon OSHA has professional ergonomists that can evaluate and offer ideas for improving your ergonomics protection program
Trade associations may have information about good control practices for addressing different problem operations within an industry
Insurance companies that offer loss control services to their policyholders
Private consultants and vendors who deal in ergonomic specialty services and products
Networking with other safety professionals and visits to worksites known to have dealt with similar problem operations

The process of implementing controls normally consists of:

trials or tests of the selected solutions
making modifications or revisions
full-scale implementation
follow up on evaluating control effectiveness

Testing and evaluation

Testing and evaluation verify that the proposed solution actually works and identifies any additional enhancements or modifications that may be needed. Employees who perform the job can provide valuable input into the testing and evaluation process. Worker acceptance of the changes put into place is important to the success of the intervention.

Making modifications or revisions

After the initial testing period, the proposed solution may need to be modified. If so, further testing should be conducted to ensure that the correct changes have been made, followed by full-scale implementation. Designating the personnel responsible, creating a timetable, and considering the logistics necessary for implementation are elements of the planning needed to ensure the timely implementation of controls.

Full-scale implementation

A good idea in general is that ergonomic control efforts start small, targeting those problem conditions that are clearly identified through safety and health data and job analysis information. Moreover, the control actions can be directed to those conditions that appear easy to fix. Early successes can build the confidence and experience needed in later attempts to resolve more complex problems.

Since full-scale implementation represents change in the workplace, it's important to communicate the importance of the change to all affected employees. Education and training is an important component that should not be overlooked.

Follow-up evaluation

A follow-up evaluation is necessary to ensure that the controls reduced or eliminated the ergonomic risk factors and that new risk factors were not introduced. This follow-up evaluation should use the same risk factor checklist or other method of job analysis that first documented the presence of ergonomic risk factors. If the hazards are not substantially reduced or eliminated, the problem-solving process is not finished.

The follow-up may also include a symptom survey, which can be completed in conjunction with the risk-factor checklist or other job analysis method. The results of the follow-up symptom survey can then be compared with the results of the initial symptom survey (if one was performed) to determine the effectiveness of the implemented solutions in reducing symptoms.

Because some changes in work methods (and the use of different muscle groups) may actually make employees feel sore or tired for a few days, follow-up should occur no sooner than 1 to 2 weeks after implementation. A month is preferable. Recognizing this fact may help avoid discarding an otherwise good solution.

Long-term indicators of the effectiveness of an ergonomics program can include:

Reduction in the incidence rate of musculoskeletal disorders
Reduction in the severity rate of musculoskeletal disorders
Increase in productivity or the quality of products and services
Reduction in job turnover or absenteeism

The above-mentioned indicators offer bottom-line results in evaluating interventions that have been put into place. Other indicators may also be used that represent in-process or interim accomplishments achieved on the path to building an ergonomic program. For example, the extent of the ergonomic training given the workforce, the number of jobs analyzed for potential problems, and the number of workplace solutions being implemented.

Last Words There you have it? Now it's time to take the module review quiz. If you have difficulty answering any of the questions, scroll up the page and review the material.

Module Quiz

26. Which of the following is not mentioned as a valuable source of help in evaluating your ergonomics program?

a. employees/work teams
b. Oregon OSHA
c. private consultants
d. public libraries

27. What is the purpose of the testing and evaluation phase of implementation?

a. verifies duties and responsibilities
b. verifies proposed solutions
c. identifies additional enhancements
d. identifies additional modifications

28. A good idea is that ergonomic control efforts start small, targeting those problem conditions that are clearly identified.

a. True
b. False

29. What of the following is not listed as a purpose of the follow-up evaluation?

a. new risk factors do not exist
b. controls reduce risk factors
c. controls eliminate risk factors
d. controls are identified

30. Long-term indicators of the effectiveness of an ergonomics program can include:

a. reduced severity rates
b. reduced incidence rates
c. increased product quality
d. reduced productivity

Good work on Module 6! Implementing control strategies is absolutely necessary to a quality ergonomics program. Continue on to Module 7 to learn more about medical management of ergonomics injuries. If you have any questions or comments, just drop me an e-mail at monique.e.schmidt@state.or.us.

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