Everything You Need to Know About Ergonomic Assessment
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NOSH), the goal of ergonomics is preventing soft tissue injuries and musculoskeletal disorders caused by sudden or prolonged exposure to ergonomic risk factors such as forceful exertion, vibration, contact stress, repetitive motion, and static or awkward posture.
To create an ergonomic working environment, it designs tasks, workspaces, controls, displays, tools, and equipment to fit the unique physical capabilities and limitations of each employee. It recommends reengineering, administrative and personal solutions to the workplace.
Designing your Workspace into Ergonomics: What do you First Need?
Certified Professional Ergonomists (CPE) are equipped with skills, expertise, and comprehensive understanding in the area of ergonomics and human factors. They proficiently provide high quality and dependable advice and support to help hard hustlers to work with comfort and productivity. CPEs are driven to offer the safety and health of every type of worker.
To be able to provide personal and lasting solutions, CPEs assess your unique work needs and preferences. Firstly, they need the right amount of information about your workstation. Thus, they conduct either a remote or an on-site assessment.
An ergonomic assessment is the objective measure and evaluation of the risk factors present in your work environment. These ergonomic risks may cause musculoskeletal disorders or injuries and unproductivity. Ergonomic specialists or consultants conduct thorough assessments in your workstation to identify and quantify the present health risks. Their main goal is to create and provide a safer, healthier, and more comfortable workplace by proficiently designing personal ergonomic solutions.
There are two different types of ergonomic assessment: the on-site or in-person assessment and the remote or telephonic assessment.
An onsite assessment is regulated in the physical workspace of the client wherein ergonomic consultants conduct an actual evaluation. On the other hand, a remote assessment is conducted via online or telephone wherein clients submit information and pictures of the workstation to the ergonomic consultant.
With the threat brought about by this pandemic today, a remote, online, or telephonic assessment is more convenient. Hence, let us delve into the deets of this type of assessment.
What Happens in a Remote/Online/Telephonic Assessment?
A remote assessment shares the same goal as an onsite assessment. However, it may differ in the way it works. Remote assessments can happen in two different places: your workstation and the ergonomic consultant’s place. Ergonomic consultants virtually evaluate your workstation.
In a remote, online, or telephonic assessment, ergonomic consultants ask for the pieces of information needed for a successful ergonomic assessment. This includes the work setting, pictures of the workstation, and even the health status of the complaining worker.
After gathering the relevant details, ergonomic consultants or specialists study workplace history and conduct a comprehensive understanding of the baseline. Using accredited ergonomic assessment tools, they scrutinize the objective data, injury incidents and reports, compensation reports, first aid logs, and other data incorporating work-related injuries that are all provided by the worker. With the data on hand, they identify the common injuries and the high-risk work activities present in the workstation. These bits of information help them to determine and design the proper ergonomic techniques for improvement.
Instead of setting the sight only on objective data, ergonomic consultants or specialists also collect subjective data. Subjective data are the ones that go beyond what the human eye can see or the act of adhering to the standard ergonomic solutions. They interview the workers with proficiency and compassion. Rather than focusing only on what they need, ergonomic specialists ask their preferences because they consider what’s best for them.
Gathering subjective data is equally important as objective data because it yields more lasting and positive results as well as valuable and first-hand accounts.
Next in line, ergonomic consultants or specialists accumulate all the information and insights from their workstation analysis and assessment. Then, this leads them to create a prioritized list of risk factors, including the present risks and future ones, and risk reduction possibilities. They compile all objective and subjective data before identifying and designing the ergonomic tools and equipment that tailor to your needs and preferences.
After a successful ergonomic assessment, ergonomic specialists will determine if you need modification for an ergonomic adjustable chair, mouse pad, standing desk, footrests, and other ergonomic tools and equipment suitable to your ergonomic solutions. Now, you can enjoy a safer, increased comfort, less injury-prone workplace, and improved overall workplace wellness.
Although ergonomic assessments are not the primary factor that can drastically affect work productivity, it plays a significant role in the health and performance of the worker. A comprehensive understanding of the problem is the only way to create the most effective solutions. By this means, ergonomic assessments such as the remote or telephonic assessment is an important instrument in implementing ergonomic and maximizing workforce in the workplace.