I didn’t really think much about my back when I was younger. But now that I live with back pain pretty regularly, it is something I think about daily. It is sobering to realize how things I did before my semi-retirement led to ailments that I have now. You have only one back – take care of it. And if you are an employer, investing in ergonomic solutions is a way to improve the daily experience for the people you rely on most.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ergonomic injuries or musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) make up one-third of all work-related injuries and illnesses. According to a CDC report, MSDs result in more days away from work than any other type of non-fatal injury or illness.
From your workstation to your regular work activities, there are ways to work smarter, not harder. There are ways to reduce the strain that can cause back, neck or hand injuries. Ergonomics is the study of how to design or modify a work environment to fit the needs of the worker. The goal of ergonomics is to reduce the risk of injury, strain and discomfort while working. The five common triggers identified by OSHA are – repetitive motion, force, contact stress, vibration and awkward or stressful body postures.
And for pallet companies, production workers aren’t the only ones facing MSD risks. While doing research on the issue, I came across the slogan, “Sitting Is the New Smoking.” And as I thought about it, I realized that many office jobs can be dangerous too because we don’t move enough, or we stay in awkward positions too long.
In recent articles, including this month’s cover story on Pallet Broker LLC and Automated Machine Systems repair solutions, pallet company executives are talking about the importance of automation when it comes to creating the kind of work environment that can retain workers and prevent injuries and strain. More automation also significantly increases the pool of eligible workers because you don’t have to be Popeye to work in modern facilities.
The first place to start on your ergonomics journey is to evaluate the workstation, general practices and hazards associated with each employee. Many workers never think about it until they have already hurt themselves and experienced a lost time incident. Frontline managers are the ones who can lookout for workers and identify problematic motion or activities and coach them on better ways to accomplish any given task. Each company should have an Ergonomics Safety Plan, which includes best practices and training topics for all workers.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) teaches an Ergonomics Effectiveness Pyramid with engineering controls at the top, administrative and work practice controls in the middle and personal protective equipment (PPE) at the bottom. This is a good strategy to follow as you help workers stay safe and avoid injuries.
Examples of engineering controls include lift tables, material handling equipment, spinning pallet inspection tables, ergonomic workstations and repair tables, pallet tippers or destackers, tool balancers, automated repair lines, hoppers for feeding boards into nailers, etc. You want to reduce as much heavy lifting as possible or provide equipment that assists in inspecting and repairing pallets. Robots can accomplish some tasks, such as pallet sorting, stacking or even disassembly. There are some low-cost solutions that some pallet companies have tried first, such as ergonomic repair stations, lift tables and other materials handling equipment that reduce the amount of bending over or heavy lifting a worker must do. Sometimes it can be as easy as redesigning processes to enable neutral postures. And don’t forget the office staff. You may want to consider redesigned computer workstations that reduce wrist strain and conditions that can lead to carpel tunnel problems.
The second major tactic is to establish administrative and work practice processes and procedures that reduce or eliminate MSD risks. A good method is to develop the best practice for each core activity in your production environment. Then, this process can be taught to everyone on the line and management can monitor for compliance. For example, you can train workers on the best way to lift or move a pallet. OSHA notes that wooden pallets can weigh between 40-70 pounds and this repeated lifting can cause stress to the lower back. That’s why proper pallet lifting and moving procedures is a must.
Finally, the employer can provide PPE to ergonomic risks, such as back belts, braces, safety gloves, exoskeletons, knee pads, wrist guards, anti-fatigue mats, proper boots, etc. Be aware that the efficacy of some of these products is not scientifically proven. For example, back braces may not actually prevent or reduce injury risks, especially if wearing one leads a worker to believe he or she can lift more than they can. And back braces don’t reduce the risks associated with unsafe work activities.
There are a few back-support exoskeletons that are starting to gain some attention in materials handling environments. While these are much more expensive than a basic back brace, they do provide some actual assistance to lifting and moving functions. The costs range from $1,200 to several thousand dollars per suit. One option is to try them for a few functions and see if they truly help drive down injuries and wear on workers. Some popular options: HeroWear Apex 2 (https://tinyurl.com/2vya4xmj), Element Exo (https://tinyurl.com/bdendknf), and 3M StrongArm ErgoSkeleton (https://tinyurl.com/3m9xn26t).
Regardless of your strategy, the most important thing is to develop a game plan to address ergonomic challenges throughout your company. The businesses that tackle and win ergonomic challenges are the ones that will be the employer of preference for many in your area.
