We are often asked to help employers accommodate workers with restrictions against “repetitive” work, or “repetitive” shoulder, back, or wrist demands. What is “repetitive”? Health & Safety Ontario’s relatively new Physical Demands Analysis Form uses these criteria for “frequency”: N=Not required R=Rarely (<2%) O=Occasional (3-33%) F=Frequent (34-66%) and C=Constant (67-100%) Over the years, “occasional/frequent/constant” have […]
Over the holidays, I am taking a few minutes to pause and be thankful, before I rush to nail down my 2021 resolutions. Here are five kitchen inventions that we can be grateful for on Christmas day (and why): – A built-in oven with a side-opening door. Our stuffed turkey is one of the heaviest […]
Injuries to humans can occur when a load is too much, or when the accumulated load exceeds capabilities. Injuries can also occur when the human body is deconditioned. Sometimes the relationship between task and injury is not clear.
New employee orientation typically focuses on important tips like how to get paid, and how to avoid getting hit by a truck at work – admittedly high priorities for both employees and employers. However, new employee orientation offers a one-time opportunity to encourage employees to practice ergonomics. Here are the things that I wish employees […]
In factories and offices alike, employees report more strain/sprain injuries in the dominant hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder, because the demands on this hand are much higher than the other hand. If we could evenly distribute work demands between the left and the right hands, we’d reduce the incidence of injury. So, when I say, […]
Well, actually, we’d prefer that they get two hands up, when they’re climbing into the cab! No one wants to think about it, but winter IS coming; municipalities and private landscaping companies are already hard at work preparing to take care of the wintery roads. Snowplow drivers are exposed to several strain/sprain injury hazards: – […]