the last employee in this position was also having the same issues. ● Conduct a preliminary job review : A closer look at the job description shows that the employee is expected to be at her desk on the phone and the computer 90 percent of the day, with the remaining 10 percent to be spent filing reports. ● List rank and set priorities for hazardous jobs : This job is identified as a high priority since the employee and the Subjective evaluation and observation Just like during a physical or occupational evaluation, a good ergonomics assessment will start with a subjective evaluation. Evaluators should find out exactly where the employee is experiencing pain. Is it just on one side of their neck or back? Or is the pain bilateral? In this case, the employee reports that her pain is primarily on the right side of her neck, and in her low back it is bilateral. During observation, the employee tilts her head to the right to hold the phone while she is typing. In order for her feet to reach the floor, she sits near the edge of her seat with her Evaluation of risk factors With the above information, what ergonomic risk factors are present? ● Awkward posture : Remember, this is any position that deviates from neutral. The employee’s neck is tilted to the side, as well as held into extension. Also, her pelvis in an anterior pelvic tilt. ● Contact stress : There does not appear to be any significant contact stress in this example. ● Lifting : Again, this does not appear to be a major risk factor for this employee. Recommendations 1. The next step is now to make recommendations to reduce the identified risk factors. First, evaluators should start with the environmental modifications. These are often a win-win situation as they are easily completed during the assessment, have good follow-through, and are inexpensive. In this case, evaluators should start with the positioning of the computer monitor and the chair. The top of the computer screen should be at eye level and at an arm’s length away to reduce the time the neck is held into extension. If the computer monitor is positioned on top of something else, like the actual computer or some books, it can be lowered to the desk. Some monitors are adjustable as well, and can be lowered. If this is not possible, then it will be necessary to raise the height of the chair enough so that the employee’s eyes are eye level with the top of the screen. Next, evaluators should work to fit the chair to the employee. They should have the employee sit back in the chair and adjust the seat depth and the back to enable adequate low back support. Then recheck the armrest to make sure the forearms are supported to maintain the elbows in a 90-degree position. While adjusting the chair to fit the employee, evaluators should instruct her in how to adjust it herself. Next, the evaluator can address the glare. If the light is coming in from the window, employees may simply be able to close a blind in the afternoon. If the glare is coming from an overhead light, this can be reduced by removing one of the middle bulbs, or switching out the bulbs with something of a lower wattage. 2. The next step in reducing risk factors is addressing any procedural modifications. In this particular example, if the employee was unable to obtain a headset for talking on the phone while typing, evaluators could recommend that she hold the phone with her hand instead of using her shoulder, and to switch holding the phone to opposite ears throughout the day. 3. Evaluators should address equipment modification next. Since this employee spends so much of her day on the phone and is having symptoms from holding the phone with her neck, it would be important to obtain a headset to
previous employee in this position have had work-related injuries. ● Outline the steps or tasks : The tasks involved in this job are as follows: 1. Reach for phone. 2. Hold phone. 3. Type. 4. Reach and bend for filing. pelvis in anterior pelvic tilt and no back support. She does have adequate arm support as demonstrated by her shoulders being relaxed at her side when just typing, and her elbows being in 90 degrees. However, she has to tilt her neck into extension to look at the monitor. Her office chair does have adjustments for height, seat depth, seat tilt, back height and tilt as well as armrest height. The phone is positioned close to the employee and she only has to reach into her overhead cabinets for files about two to three times per day. There is glare present on the monitor in the afternoon. ● Lighting : In this example there is glare, but only in the afternoon. Likely, this workstation is positioned closely to a window facing west. ● Repetitive motion : This employee is required to assist at least ten customers per hour. She types most of the day. ● Static posture : This employee spends her entire day in a chair, as well as holding her neck in one position for long periods of time to see the monitor and talk on the phone. ● Vibration : There is nothing to indicate that this is a risk factor for this employee. prevent the awkward posture of her neck. It would also be a good idea to look again at the employee’s foot positioning after the chair adjustments. If she is unable to sit back in her seat and have her feet to touch the floor, a footrest might eliminate the unsupported low back and lower extremities. 4. The final type of intervention is to implement rest breaks and exercise programs. In this particular example, the employee sits for most of the day, so it would be very important to encourage mini breaks every thirty minutes. This employee could be encouraged to stand up every time she needed to print something, or if she did not have to type for a period of time, just to stand for a short period of time. The following stretches are often appropriate for an office worker: a. Eyes : Cover eyes and then refocus on something at least twenty feet away, repeat three to five times. b. Neck : Turn head to one side, then tilt head down as if to look over the shoulder. Hold five to ten seconds and then repeat to the other side. Repeat three times each direction. c. Shoulders : Roll shoulders ten times to the front and ten times to the back. d. Scapular retraction : Pinch the shoulder blades together, hold for five to ten seconds, repeat three to five times. e. Wrists : Extend arms in front, use other hand to stretch wrist into full extension, then full flexion. Hold five seconds in each direction. Repeat three to five times. Stretch breaks should be less than two minutes long, but frequently throughout the day. Other considerations : Depending on the company, there may also be other ways of addressing the static posture of sitting that this employee maintains throughout the day. In some instances, job rotation is a good solution, allowing the employee to sit for only four hours out of the day and perform some other task the rest of the day. Other companies will also encourage exercise outside of the workplace with gym membership incentives or other fitness incentives, finding that a workforce that is more fit in general is less likely to be injured at work.
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