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 8: ERGONOMICS EDUCATION AND TRAINING

INTRODUCTION

Identifying and solving workplace MSD problems require some level of ergonomic knowledge and skills. Recognizing and filling different training needs is an important step in building an effective program.

For ergonomics, the overall goal of training is to enable managers, supervisors, and employees to identify aspects of job tasks that may increase a worker's risk of developing MSDs, recognize the signs and symptoms of the disorders, and participate in the development of strategies to control or prevent them.

The educational component of ergonomics training ensures employees are well informed about ergonomic hazards so they can actively participate in identifying and controlling exposures. To be "well informed," includes knowing why using ergonomically safe procedures is important.

Employers may opt to have outside experts conduct ergonomics education and training. If so, the outside instructors should first become familiar with company operations and relevant policies and practices before starting to present the training. Tailoring the instruction to address specific concerns and interests of the worker groups can enhance learning.

Ergonomics awareness training

The objectives for ergonomics awareness training are as follows:

Recognize workplace risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders and understand general methods for controlling them.
Identify the signs and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders that may result from exposure to such risk factors, and be familiar with the company's health care procedures.
Know the process the employer is using to address and control risk factors, the employee's role in the process, and ways employees can actively participate.
Know the procedures for reporting risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders, including the names of designated persons who should receive the reports.

Training in job analyses and control measures

The objectives for training in job analyses and control measures are as follows:

Demonstrate the way to do a job analysis for identifying risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders
Select ways to implement and evaluate control measures

Training in problem solving

The objectives for training in problem solving are as follows:

Identify the departments, areas, and jobs with risk factors through a review of company reports, records, walk-through observations, and special surveys.
Identify tools and techniques that can be used to conduct job analyses and serve as a basis for recommendations.
Develop skills in team building, consensus development, and problem solving.
Recommend ways to control ergonomic hazards based on job analyses and pooling ideas from employees, management, and other affected and interested parties.

Special considerations and precautions

Training objectives are not intended to have workers, supervisors, or managers diagnose or treat MSDs. Rather, the purpose is to instill an understanding of what type of health problems may be work related and when to refer employees for medical evaluation. The training should include what is known about work and non-work causes of musculoskeletal disorders and the current limitations of scientific knowledge.

Training should be understandable to the target audience. Training materials used should consider the participants educational levels, literacy abilities, and language skills. This may mean, for example, providing materials, instruction, or assistance in Spanish rather than English.

Open and frank interactions between trainers and trainees, especially those in affected jobs, are especially important. Employees know their own jobs better than anyone else and often are the source of good ideas for ways to improve them. At a minimum, employees must be given an opportunity to discuss ergonomic problems in their jobs as they see them and engage in relevant problem-solving exercises during the training.

Last Words

Only one review quiz between you and completion of the course. So, let's get to it! Answer each question as best you can. Scroll up the page to review if you like.

Module Quiz

36. For ergonomics, the overall goal of training is to enable managers, supervisors, and employees to do all of the following, except: <

a. Ensure compliance with safety and health rules
b. Identify job tasks that may increase risk of MSDs
c. Recognize signs and symptoms of MSDs
d. Develop control and prevention strategies

37. According to the text, one of the objectives for ergonomics awareness training is to recognize workplace risk factors for ____________________ and understand general methods for controlling them.

a. environmental injuries
b. musculoskeletal disorders
c. psychosocial factors
d. ergonomic awareness

38. Ergonomics training in problem solving helps identify the departments, areas, and jobs with risk factors through all of the following, except:

a. a review of reports
b. a review of records
c. walk-through observations
d. compliance inspections

39. Training objectives are intended to have supervisors and managers diagnose and/or treat MSDs.

a. True
b. False

40. According to the text, training materials used should consider all of following, except:

a. cultural diversity
b. language skills
c. education levels
d. literacy abilities

That wasn't so bad, was it? Building an effective ergonomics program can be extremely cost effective, resulting in dramatic decreases in injuries and direct/indirect accident costs. I want to encourage you to begin right now to develop or improve your company's ergonomics program. I'm sure many of your co-workers will thank you. Now pat yourself on the back for the great job in completing the course.

If you haven't been working on the course assignments yet, now is the time to download the assignments page to draft your responses.

When you have completed your draft responses, return to the course outline page, and click on the "Submit Your Coursework" link.

I hope the information within these eight modules as been helpful to you and I hope to see you participate in another course soon. When you're ready, submit your coursework, evaluation, and certificate information. I'll see you in a workshop or another internet course! If you have any questions or comments, just drop me an e-mail at monique.e.schmidt@state.or.us.

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