Transcript Muscles - Safety

Ergonomics training session for
-high volume data entry operators
Training Objectives
1. Identify the musculoskeletal hazards associated
with high data entry (manual handling) work
2. Provide information on best practice workstation
set up and office environment to reduce the
impact of high data entry work
3. Provide information on best practice work
methods to reduce the impact of high data entry
work
OHS Obligations and responsibilities
Providing a healthy and safe work place for everyone means:
Complying with OHS Legislation:
• OHS Act 2004 & OHS Regulations 2007
Having OHS systems in place:
• A method/system of managing workplace hazards &
controlling risks, audited for compliance.
• Internal reporting systems for incidents, injuries, near
misses - Incident reports – THEMIS:
http://www.themis.unimelb.edu.au/
• Dedicated OHS advisory staff to provide support
• Taking reasonable care, working safely, following
procedures, completing training.
What is Manual handling?
...“any activity requiring exertion of human force including
• Lifting / Lowering
• Carrying / Holding / Restraining
• Pushing / Pulling
• Throwing / Catching / Hitting / Striking
• Repetitive tasks (packing, picking, sorting, filing, typing,
assembly, shelving, writing)
• Using hand tools, equipment
Most tasks we undertake involve some level of force exertion or
manual handling.
Manual handling in the office can be defined as
any task that involves repetitive or sustained forces, movements or
postures.
*Not all manual handling is hazardous!
Most common Office Work injuries
WorkSafe Victoria - Injury Hotspots : Office Work
Highlights the most common injuries associated with
working in an office.
Further information:
https://www4.worksafe.vic.gov.au/worksafe/hotspots/offic
e_hotspot.html
What are high volume data
‘injuries?’
1.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD’s). These arise from
the cumulative effect of regular strain, load, speed,
and/or force on the soft tissues of the body.
Injuries can affect many parts of the body but typically:
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Neck and back
Shoulders, arms, forearms
Wrists, hands, fingers and thumbs
Psychological /stress related conditions which can
arise from high work loads, deadlines
Hazardous manual handling
Factors that can increase your risk of injury
• Duration and frequency (workload)
In an office environment undertaking continuous data entry for more
than 30 minutes at a time or 2 hours per shift
• Environment
Unsuitable working conditions e.g.
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Poorly designed workstation, chair
Poor light, thermal comfort
Inadequate space, clutter
• Individual factors
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Stress, anxiety, muscle tension
Insufficient rest breaks
Poor organisation, planning
Poor health and fitness
Repetitive or sustained awkward
posture, movements, forces
Repetitive = More than 2 x per minute or
Sustained = More than 60 seconds at a time
High data entry evidence
Key findings from 22 ‘ergonomic’ research studies on
impact of high data entry on body health reveal:
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Overwhelmingly periodic brief rest breaks throughout
the work day reduce musculoskeletal discomfort
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Maintaining neutral spine (S shape) enables optimal
postural muscle function and minimises mechanical
stress
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Keeping the shoulder and elbow of the ‘mouse’ hand
close to the body reduces the muscle work in the
shoulder and neck area
How do we manage musculoskeletal
injuries?
The 4 Steps...
1. Identify: hazardous work tasks that you
perform
2. Assess: whether the task is risky - i.e.
likely to cause an injury
3. Control: eliminate or reduce the risk
4. Review: the control measures to see if
they are effective
The Musculoskeletal System
In order to demonstrate the
impact of high data entry
manual handling on the
body, a brief overview of the
structure and function of the
musculoskeletal system
follows:
The Musculoskeletal System
The Musculoskeletal System is made up of the:
• Skeleton/spine
• Muscles
• Joints
• Tendons
• Ligaments
All these are potentially subject to stress at work
The spine
The spine is configured in an ‘S’ shape to
permit maximum mobility, balance, flexibility
and stress absorption. We refer to this as
neutral spine.
3 notable spinal curves create the S shape:
1. Neck: curves inwards
2. Middle back: curves outwards
3. Lower back: curves inwards
Maintaining these curves (neutral spine )
optimises spine health and function
Back health
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Any deviation away from neutral
spine increases the stress and load
on the spinal structures
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The further away from neutral e.g.
slouching, bending or twisting, the
greater the load
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Prolonged poor postures can
accelerate wear and tear on the
spine and the surrounding soft
tissues
Sitting Postures
• Bad Posture X
• Good Posture √
Back/neck discomfort
Back/neck discomfort can occur at a computer
workstation because of:
• Unsuitable physical environment/ equipment/furniture
- poor design, dimensions, fit
• Poor workstation set up and organisation
- body trying to adapt and fit to the workstation rather
than the workstation fitting the body.
• Prolonged sitting without regular changes in posture
- loads the discs, slows down nutrition to the discs
• Poor postures
- slouching and leaning, places uneven loads and
strains on the discs, joints, ligaments and muscles
• Weak core muscles
-spine ‘sloppy’ not stabilised
Muscles
The main framework of the body
(skeleton) is covered by muscles,
whose function is to permit
movement, exert power and
maintain posture.
Muscle work
Static muscle work:
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Occurs when body parts are held stationary and
muscles are held static e.g. gripping mouse, phone.
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Muscles contract-but no movement results.
Fatiguing, not sustainable for long periods
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Dynamic muscle work:
Rhythmic action between contracting and relaxing
muscles e.g. walking, swinging arms
Muscles contract and body parts move
More sustainable, more favourable for the body
Static muscle work
When the muscles are under static load:
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Blood supply including oxygen and nutrients needed by
muscles and soft tissues is restricted.
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Waste product (lactic acid) which can cause a muscle
‘burning’ sensation) is not flushed away
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Fatigue, discomfort and soft tissue damage can eventuate
Prolonged computer data entry can involve prolonged static
muscle loading.
Joints and ligaments
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Joints and ligaments (like the spine) are subject
to extra stress when overloaded, over stretched or
when awkward postures are adopted.
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Joints and ligaments can be best protected by:
– Maintaining neutral, balanced joint positions
– Deviation away from neutral amplifies forces on
joints and tissues
Wrist posture
Keeping the wrist neutral and aligned with the arm greatly reduces
the stress and strain on all the surrounding soft tissues. Unnatural bent
wrist positions can lead to conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome
Tendon health
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Tendons connect muscles to bone.
If the action of pulling the muscle is highly repetitive
a tendon can become inflamed and movement can
become painful and restricted
This is a musculoskeletal disorder often referred to
as tendonitis or repetitive strain injury (RSI)
It can be associated with high volume mouse or
keyboard use particularly if technique is poor
Ensuring optimal postures and taking regular
stretching breaks greatly lowers the risk of
developing tendonitis
What is best practice
Fitting your workstation to you
OR ELSE…terrible things may happen!!
Desk dimensions and layout
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Fixed height desks should be 700-720mm for most
workers
Desktop thickness 33mm maximum
Desks should be 750 mm minimum deep (front to
back) to accommodate monitor/s and focal length
Space under the desk for legs should enable:
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450mm forward clearance at knee
600mm at feet, & 400mm either
side of navel.
Office chair should swivel from
side to side without obstruction
Staff task chair set up
Staff task chairs should have adequate adjustability to
support an optimal sitting posture
The chair should be adjusted so that the:
• back support is slightly reclined and comfortably fits the
lumbar curve – about a fist gap should exist between the
back support and the seat pan
• seat pan is approximately horizontal and comfortably
accommodates thigh length. When sitting back in the chair
there should be 2-3 fingers width between the front edge of
the seat and the back of the knee.
• desk height is approximately in line with the navel
• footrests are generally required for users under 172cm ( 5’7) sitting
at a standard fixed height (720mm) desk
Best practice computer seated posture
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Ears in vertical alignment with shoulders
Spine neutral (S shape)
Hips slightly higher than knees
Feet supported on floor or footrest
Shoulders relaxed and symmetrical
Elbows slightly higher than wrists
Elbows in near vertical alignment with shoulders
Wrists neutral (slightly bent up )
Fingers relaxed with joints slightly curled (not stiff)
Best practice computer seated posture
Elbows should be
slightly higher than
your wrists when
operating
keys/mouse
The desk
should be
approx. 680720mm high
The back support
should be at an angle
of 90 to 100°and
supporting the lumbar
curve
Hips should be slightly
higher than knees
Feet should be
adequately
supported on
the floor or by a
footrest
There should be
approximately 2-3 finger
width clearance between
the front edge of the seat
and the back of your knee
Desktop items and reach zones
Frequently used desktop items should be positioned
within comfortable reach to minimise stresses and
forces on joints and tissues.
Monitor position
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Directly in front and about arm’s reach away
Top of the monitor just below seated eye
height. If not, raise with a monitor stand.
Shelving/fixtures over the desk should not interfere with
monitor placement
Text should be readable without peering. If not, check and
adjust brightness, contrast and font size.
Free from glare – if not, check office
lighting- see lighting section
Avoid twisting and bending the neck
Scroll the work up to the top of the screen
to reduce the need to bend the neck
Multifocal wearers may need to angle the
bottom of the screen up slightly to avoid
tilting the head back
More is not better!
Best practice set up for two monitors
Two monitors used equally
•Same height and distance away
•Position as above
•Swivel chair to view screens– don’t
twist neck
Primary and secondary monitors
•Same height and distance away
•Primary monitor directly in line with user
•Secondary monitor to one side
•Swivel chair to view screen –don’t twist
neck
Best practice keyboard position and use
• The keyboard should be positioned directly in line
with the screen
• Mini keyboards (minus numeric pad) enable
a more desirable arm and mouse posture
• Keyboard feet should be lowered unless high visual
control over keyboard is needed
• Avoid resting wrists on the desk when keying - a wrist
rest no higher than the keyboard may help keep the
wrist neutral/flat
• Key strike should be light - keep fingers relaxed,
joints ‘soft’ or curved- not stiff
• Use keyboard shortcut keys wherever possible:
http://safety.unimelb.edu.au/topics/ergonomics/office/
shortcuts.html
Keeping the shoulder and elbow in close
Keeping the wrist neutral
Keeping the wrist neutral
Best practice mouse use
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Check the mouse fits
your hand comfortablycontact with the desk top
should be the padded
regions of the palm not
the wrist. If not, a more
suitable size mouse may
be required- one size
does not fit all
Best practice mouse use
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Swap hands - change primary click button settings
through the computer control panel
Place mouse mat directly next to keyboard – elbow
should be approximately tennis ball distance from waist
Relax shoulder, support forearm on desk, maintain
middle finger in line with wrist and elbow
Use a whole arm circular movement -avoid repetitive
sideways wrist movements.
Best practice mouse use
• Avoid hovering index finger over
mouse in readiness to click .Take
hand off mouse when reading
screen
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• Take hand off mouse ever 5 minutes
for 20 seconds and stretch handsopen /shut, shrug shoulders
• Gel filled mouse rests are not
recommended as they promote a
poor wrist position and repetitive
sideways wrist movement
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Document holders
If you need to transcribe from or refer to documents
• Neck /shoulder strain can result from twisting &
bending the neck to read documents placed on the
desk.
• An adjustable angled document holder is the
preferred design and should be placed between
keyboard and screen to maintain a neutral,
symmetrical neck posture
3M ‘in line’ model from Lyreco
Optimal phone use
• Place phone unit within comfortable reach. Avoid
reaching across the body
• If there is a requirement to simultaneously speak on
the phone and write/use keyboard, a headset or blue
tooth device should be used so a symmetrical posture
can be maintained- contact IT telephony.
• Use speaker function if appropriate
• Never tuck the phone between your shoulder and ear
Physical environment
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Noise should not be at a level which
> interferes with communication
> is annoying or distracting
> affects performance of tasks such as reading and
writing
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Air quality/ flow should not cause discomfort- drafts
can be addressed with air vent deflectors
Temperature should be comfortable (ambient office
temperature 22-26◦ C recommended) Thermal comfort
varies greatly between individuals and clothing is the
most obvious and effective control.
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Physical environment
Lighting
• Too much or too little light can cause eye strain and
poor postures – eyes are controlled by muscles
• The monitor should be placed in a position to minimise
glare and/or reflections from light sources
• Overhead lights or light entering through windows
should not be directly in the visual field
• Light can be controlled with blinds, or modifying artificial
lighting: diffusers, removing light tubes
• Focus on objects at different distances, blink regularly
to refresh eyes
• Take breaks away from computer
Rest breaks and stretches
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Break from sitting every 30 minutes for 1 - 2 minutes to stretch
and mobilise working muscles
Take micro pauses of 5-10 seconds every 5 – 10 minutes to
remove hands from the keyboard/ mouse during prolonged
periods of data entry
Set a timer as a rest break prompt – Microsoft Outlook or
access free downloadable timers e.g. http://www.workrave.org/
Take time to perform some stretches
When tired, stressed or under time pressure you are more likely to
experience elevated muscle tension.
Don’t skip rest breaks
S-t-r-e-t-c-h
S-t-r-e-t-c-h
Stress
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A range of stressors exist in our lives, both inside
and outside of the work environment - workloads,
deadlines, challenging personalities…
Stress and anxiety can produce muscle tension
Tune in to your body; relax, stretch, take some deep
breaths and sighs, release physical tension
Tune in to your mind. Is your self-talk rational and your
attitude positive?
More tips on wellbeing and stress management may
be viewed at the Counselling and Psychological
Services website:
http://services.unimelb.edu.au/counsel/resources/issue
s/wellbeing/stress_management
Reporting: when, how, where and why
WHEN:
Early … first advise your supervisor
HOW:
Complete incident report via Themis Self
Service (if necessary)
http://safety.unimelb.edu.au/tools/incident/
WHERE:
Themis Staff Self Service at:
http://www.themis.unimelb.edu.au/
WHY:
- To optimise recovery.
- To predict and prevent other incidents/injuries
occurring.
No-one should be working in discomfort or risking their
health and safety. There is always a solution.
Where to go for help
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Supervisor
Computer Workstation Ergonomic Self Assessment Checklist at:
http://safety.unimelb.edu.au/docs/Keyboard_Workstation_Self_Assessment_Ch
ecklist.pdf
Local OHS Manager
UoM OHS & Injury Management website at:
http://safety.unimelb.edu.au/topics/ergonomics/office/
Enrol in the Office Ergonomics course at: http://www.themis.unimelb.edu.au/
Officewise - A guide to Health and Safety in the office available at:
http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/forms-and-publicationsWorking from home
website at: http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/forms-and-publications/forms-andpublications/officewise-a-guide-to-health-and-safety-in-the-office
http://safety.unimelb.edu.au/topics/ergonomics/office/homebasedwork.html
Acknowledgements / References
WorkSafe publications
http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/forms-and-publications
Images: Unless indicated, all images are sourced from Microsoft
Office Clip Art at: http://Ioffice.microsoft.com/en-au/images/?CTT=97