Ergonomic Hazards: Injury Prevention & Management Tips for Businesses

Ergonomic hazards pose a silent threat to your employees’ health and can affect the overall productivity of your business. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) account for a large portion of workplace injuries, with over 976,090 cases recorded in the private sector between 2021 and 2022 alone. These injuries, often stemming from poor ergonomic conditions, lead to costly health concerns. Hence, addressing ergonomic hazards is extremely important not only for creating a safer and healthier environment for employees but also reducing lost workdays and improving work efficiency.    

This guide to ergonomic hazards gives complete information and offers practical solutions for preventing their negative impact on your workforce.

What Are Ergonomic Hazards?

Ergonomic hazards are physical characteristics in the workplace that can cause musculoskeletal injuries. These hazards often result from poor workstation design, improper body posture, or handling heavy objects.

These hazards are commonly noticed at jobs that involve physical activity, such as construction sites and warehouses.

Some common ergonomic hazards include:

• Repetitive Motion: Performing tasks repeatedly, such as typing or assembling parts.
• Poor Workstation Design: Chairs, desks, and equipment not supporting proper posture can strain muscles and joints.
• Improper Lifting Techniques: Lifting heavy objects incorrectly can lead to back, neck, or shoulder injuries.

Most Common Ergonomic Hazards in the Workplace

As an employer, it’s important to guarantee safety and minimize injury risks. For this, you should be aware of the types of injuries that can happen and their causes. This way, you can implement safety measures, modify tasks, and reduce the chances of workplace injuries. 

Here are some of the most common ergonomic injuries you should know of:

Repetitive Motion Injuries

Tasks that need repetitive motions to prevent injuries and minimize risks can cause repetitive stress injuries. These injuries affect muscles, tendons, and nerves.

Common examples include typing, data entry, and operating machinery.

Prolonged Sitting or Standing

Employees who sit or stand for long periods without breaks are at risk for musculoskeletal problems. Prolonged sitting can cause back pain and poor posture, and prolonged standing can cause joint and muscle strain.

Improper Lifting

Handling heavy objects incorrectly can result in lower back injuries. Your staff should be trained in safe lifting techniques to avoid injuries.

Excessive Vibration

Workers who use machinery that vibrates excessively—such as power tools—are at risk for vibration-induced injuries like hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). HAVS can lead to numbness, tingling, and loss of hand function over time.

Identifying and Addressing Ergonomic Hazards: Steps to be Taken  

Preventing ergonomic hazards starts with an organized approach to the workplace. Here are a few measures to be taken if you want to minimize workplace injuries:

1. Conduct an Assessment: Hire someone to analyze all the tasks assigned to the employees that may have potential ergonomic risks. This can be done through surveys, direct observation, and consulting safety professionals.
2. Provide Appropriate Training: Educate employees about proper body mechanics, lifting, and taking breaks to minimize strain.
3. Enforce Ergonomic Solutions: Adjust workstations, tools, and equipment to support employees. For example, installing adjustable chairs, standing desks, and ergonomic keyboards can minimize strain.
4. Monitor and Review: Assess the workplace for new hazards and review current safety measures regularly. Ensure employees continue to follow ergonomic best practices.
5. Use Job Rotation: To minimize repetitive strain, rotate employees between different tasks to give certain muscle groups a rest.

The Role of a Workplace Injury Prevention and Management System

A workplace injury prevention and management system is essential to maintaining employee well-being and ensuring business operations run smoothly. This system reduces risks and makes employees feel safe in the workplace. 

Here’s how companies can leverage these systems effectively:

Proactive Injury Prevention Programs:

Businesses can use assessment data to find common injuries, such as strains or repetitive stress injuries. With this information, they can implement injury prevention strategies such as ergonomic training, setting up workspaces correctly, adjusting workloads, etc. Also, regular training on safe work habits helps keep risks low over time.

Enforcing Remote Triage Services:

Remote triage services are among the most popular workplace injury management practices in the US. They help organizations handle accidents and significant injuries immediately. For industries like construction and manufacturing, remote triage services help reduce unnecessary visits to the ER, provide immediate medical care, and ensure faster recovery. Remote triage is managed by triage nurses and doctors who assess the employees over the phone or via video calls and determine the next step.

Compliance and Documentation for Risk Management:

Workplace injury management systems allow companies to meet OSHA and other legal compliance requirements by documenting incidents and trends and managing employee recovery operations. Detailed reporting and compliance help companies avoid possible legal issues and penalties while creating a culture of accountability and safety engagement.

Conclusion

Ergonomic hazards can quietly affect productivity, but businesses can effectively manage them with the right strategies. From adjusting workstations to implementing comprehensive injury prevention, all the steps in this guide to ergonomic hazards will ensure your employees stay healthy and your business runs smoothly.

Need Help Managing Ergonomic Hazards at Your Workplace

At WorkPartners, we specialize in injury prevention strategies tailored to your industry. Whether you need ergonomic assessments or a remote triage system, our experts are here to help you create a safer, more productive work environment. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your business, or call us at (800) 359-5020.