I had the opportunity to attend this year’s Applied Ergonomics Conference which was held in Nashville, TN, March 26–29, 2012, and heard presentations on some very interesting and exciting topics.

The conference was kicked off by several professional development classes on topics ranging from basic ergonomics to ergonomic tools and effective management approaches.   Some interesting conference presentations included how one company used waste materials from their manufacturing operations to build their own in house ergonomic solutions.  Not only did it reduce ergonomic risks but it help to support their sustainability program and provide jobs to a local organization for the disadvantaged.

Another session outlined the key components for building a successful and sustainable ergonomic team within your company.

Other sessions provided information on tools that were being used by professionals in industry, solutions to industry-specific challenges, and the dispelling of myths behind some of the latest “hot topics” (exercise balls, sit/stand work stations, back belts, etc.).

There were also several round table discussion sessions set up which allowed professionals to discuss ideas, challenges, and solutions to various topics such as healthcare, keeping your program fresh, ergonomics and wellness programs, etc.

EORM was also well represented at the Applied Ergonomics Conference.  We had three presentations that were delivered by our CPEs on a variety of topics including:

• Laboratory Ergonomics – Six Ways to Effectively Manage Your Ergonomics Program;
• Participatory Ergonomics – How Technology was Used to Drive Down Ergonomic Risks in a Participatory Program; and,
• Sustainability and Ergonomics – How You Can Leverage Sustainability to Drive Your Ergonomics Program.

If you would like to talk more about the latest ergonomics strategies, solutions and tools that I encountered at the conference, or would like information on the specific topics addressed by our EORM ergonomics team, send me an email here.

Paula Lewis, M.S., CPE, is a Principal Consultant at EORM, Inc.

Employers read closely! In May 2011, OSHA posted a standards interpretation letter stating that if an exercise regimen is directed by a Certified Athletic Trainer (CAT) for the relief or treatment of pain/symptoms from a work related injury, the exercise regimen or stretches are considered medical treatment and therefore the case is recordable.

They went on to further clarify that if the stretching/exercise regimen is proactive (e.g., exercise recommended as part of an employee wellness program), then the case would not be recordable. Nor would it be recordable if the treatment was for non-work related discomfort (e.g., discomfort from gardening on the weekend).

Finally, the letter states that OSHA “considers therapeutic exercise as a form of physical therapy and intentionally did not include it on the list of first aid treatments in Section 1904.7(b)(5)(ii).”

From this statement, I think it could also be any practitioner of ergonomics, physical therapist, trainer, etc. who recommends stretching or therapeutic exercise who would then turn the case into an OSHA recordable case.

This helps to clarify the ergonomist’s role in providing evaluations for injured workers. We are there to identify risk factors with the workstation and make recommendations for improvement with a focus on engineering and administrative controls. We are not there to diagnose or provide treatment to relieve symptoms; this should be left to medical professionals and we should continue to strive to reduce ergonomic risk.

You can read the the full letter on the OSHA website.

Cal/OSHA has released the details and agenda for the AB 1136 Safe Patient Handling rule advisory meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, January 24. This meeting will be an opportunity to learn more about the rulemaking process, and will include presentations on model safe patient handling programs and cost-benefit analysis of such programs. Cal/OSHA representatives will also discuss their plan for publishing and enforcing the new rule, including community outreach and consultation options.

Remote (phone or web) participation will not be available for this advisory meeting. EORM representatives will attend, and will provide an outline of the content and any important notifications on request.

Meeting Information

Tuesday January 24, 2012
9:30am – 4:00pm
Room 1, 2nd floor
Elihu Harris State Building
1515 Clay Street
Oakland, CA

Questions and concerns from the public are welcome. Proposed question and comment topics include:

• Scope: Which hospitals, units
• IIPP: What is required
• Roles: Lift team and other support staff, RNs
• Training: Who, requirements
• Definitions of terms
• Algorithms for safe patient handling
• Refusal and discipline

Please see the full proposed agenda for more information on this informative session.

Note: This is an open meeting. However, due to building security requirements, visitors must undergo screening, including metal detection and inspection of belongings.

EORM recently delivered a Safe Patient Handling webinar, which explored the new California Assembly
Bill 1136 and the steps to develop or augment safe patient handling and ergonomics programs in
hospitals and other acute care settings. Here are some of the online resources we have collected about
safe patient handling and the new California regulation.

• Full Text of AB 1136
• CDC Website
• VA Website
• OSHA
• State of Washington Safe Patient Handling Website
  • Tools and resources
  • Implementation of Safe Patient Handling in Washington State Hospitals [PDF - 1.4MB]

Articles and other Safe Patient Handling Resources

• Safe Lifting and Movement of Nursing Home Residents
  DHHS (NIOSH) Publication Number 2006-117 (February 2006)
• Developing Evidence-Based Interventions to Address the Leading Causes of Workers’
  Compensation Among Healthcare Workers
  Rehabil Nurs 2010 Nov; 35(6):225-235, 261.
• Safe Patient Handling Training for Schools of Nursing
  DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2009-127 (March 2010)

Did you know that ergonomic programs can do more than just decrease injury rates? The State of Washington Department of Labor & Industries with the Puget Sound Chapter of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) published results from over 250 case studies showing the impact of ergonomic programs on businesses. They found that on average ergonomic programs do impact injury rates and workers compensation by the following amounts:

• Decrease Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) by 59%
• Decrease Incidence Rates due to WMSDs by 65%
• Decrease lost workdays by 75%
• Decrease restricted workdays by 53%
• Decrease Workers’ Compensation costs by 68%
• Decrease cost per claim by 39%

They also found that ergonomic programs impact the business in other ways as well. They found that on average ergonomic programs:

• Increase productivity by 25%
• Decrease labor costs by 43%
• Reduce scraps and errors (improve quality) by 67%
• Reduce turnover by 48%
• Reduce absenteeism by 58%
• Have a payback period of 0.7 years
• Show a cost : benefit ratio of 1:45.5

There are several tools available for free online which can show you the potential Return on Investment (ROI) for your ergonomic solutions. The Puget Sound Chapter of the HFES has a very good tool listed on their website  and Cornell University also has an excellent ROI calculator.

Throughout the year we will be posting on interesting topics in the field of ergonomics. We’ll share interesting solutions that we have seen over the years, post new research, provide regulatory updates, and share best practices. We hope that you will find this information useful. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments on any of our posts.