What are Ergonomic Assessment Checklists?
Ergonomic assessment checklists are tools used by health and safety professionals to identify risks of ergonomic injuries in the workplace. Used during ergonomic assessments, these checklists are designed to help ensure workers and their environments are maximized for comfort and productivity with minimal risk of work-related injuries.
What is an Ergonomic Assessment?
An ergonomic assessment, also called ergonomics assessment, is an objective evaluation of ergonomic risk factors in a work setting or environment. It identifies and measures the different kinds of stresses that workers typically experience in their daily operations and delves deeper into their causes. Through this process, companies can find solutions to reduce the risk of stress and injuries to their employees.
Why is it Important?
Ergonomic assessments are a vital component of workplace and office safety. By determining the types of ergonomic risks and their underlying causes, businesses can proactively prevent or reduce the likelihood of these workplace hazards from occurring. The results from ergonomic evaluations can be used to determine what measures to take to minimize injury and maximize comfort in the workplace, leading to safer work environments and healthier, more productive employees.
How to Conduct an Ergonomic Assessment
Whether the job entails long hours at a workstation, out in the field, or operating machinery, an ergonomic risk assessment can be conducted to help ensure that routine movements and physical activities (or lack thereof) do not cause injuries to workers. Here are 5 basic steps for conducting ergonomic assessments in the workplace:
1. Review incident reports and records of past injuries in the workplace.
The first step in performing ergonomic assessments is looking back into historical data on ergonomic injuries and associated risks. Incident reports, for instance, can provide information on what caused workplace injuries and whether there were ergonomic issues that contributed to these injuries.
2. Get employee input regarding how tasks are performed.
Ask employees to describe how tasks are done, what equipment is used, and how they operate the equipment. Ask them what their normal routine on the job is and if they have any aches and pains while performing tasks. The actual performance of tasks and use of equipment may be different from what was taught during training.
3. Use an ergonomic assessment checklist.
Using an ergonomic checklist can help ensure that all aspects of the work area, the actual routine of doing the job, and the use of tools and equipment are checked for possible ergonomic risks. Urgent issues found should be recorded and fixed immediately to prevent injuries.
4. Analyze the information gathered.
After collecting data from previous records and current activities, the next step is to analyze the gathered information to uncover sources of ergonomic risks. This step will also allow you to discover areas for improvement on how tasks are performed and develop an action plan.
5. Implement changes to improve workplace ergonomics.
Cascade directives for changes to be implemented in the workplace. Ensure that the workplace is ergonomic for the employees and provide training to encourage proper posture, use of equipment, and execution of tasks. This can be done in person or through online Training courses for various workplace settings—from manufacturing to retail.
What to Include in an Ergonomic Assessment Checklist
Ergonomic assessments can be accomplished efficiently with the help of a checklist. Having an ergonomic checklist on hand during this procedure ensures that all areas of ergonomics safety are covered without missing any vital step.
Here are the essential items to include in an ergonomic assessment checklist:
- General information – This section provides context to the ergonomic assessment being performed. It should include the number of employees, a brief description of the work done, and a photo of the work area.
- Ergonomic practices – This section consists of items concerning the working practices of employees, such as proper posture, workstation setup, and training.
- Walking and working surfaces – This section is dedicated to inspecting the site’s floor surfaces, both walking and working, for potential ergonomic hazards.
- Materials handling – In this section, health and safety officers can determine if the workplace’s materials handling procedures are done safely without putting a burden on the workers’ physical health.
- Tools and equipment – This section looks into the equipment and tools used in the workplace to determine if they are in optimal working condition.
- Seating – In this section, the seats used in the office space will be examined for optimal comfort and ergonomic safety.
- Recommendations – In this section, health and safety officers will recommend steps and strategies to reduce, eliminate, or mitigate ergonomic risks found during the assessment.
FAQs about Ergonomic Assessment Checklists
Ergonomic assessments are typically conducted by qualified health and safety professionals, whether they’re in-house experts or external providers. These individuals will examine the company’s working environment and practices and recommend solutions to improve the workplace’s ergonomic safety.
An ergonomic assessment can last between thirty minutes to one hour, depending on what the workplace needs and how comprehensive the procedure will be. After this, an ergonomic report will be generated, detailing the status of the workplace, the risks identified, and steps to mitigate or prevent them.
Ergonomic risk factors present a threat to an employee’s physical health and well-being. The most common ergonomic risks include the following:
- Highly repetitive tasks
- Static or awkward work postures
- Forceful movements
- Vibration
- Contact stress
