Ergonomics is the science of fitting jobs to people, focusing on designing job tasks for safety and efficiency. When job tasks are poorly designed or when workers do not use proper posture and body positions, ergonomic injuries result. When job tasks are effectively designed, there are fewer employee injuries and greater job satisfaction and productivity. Although there are many potential injuries, soft tissue injuries involving joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are particularly common for animal care technicians. The median amount of days away from work for back injuries is six. In fact, back injuries are the second leading reason, behind the common cold, for absenteeism in the general workforce. It has been estimated that about 80% of adults will experience a back injury during their lifetime. Most injuries are typically an overuse of a body part and tissues like joints, muscles, and tendons. This potential for injury accumulates with on and off the job activities. Injury avoidance begins at home. The same activity can be handled on occasion or for periods of time without causing injury. However, the same activity for many years eventually causes an injury because the body loses the ability to absorb the stresses and tissues begin to break down, which is the start of an injury. The affected tissues lose their ability to heal from this overuse. Illness and age can further affect the ability to heal.
When the same tissue is repeatedly damaged and healed through frequent exertion, scar tissue forms. This scar tissue is not as strong or as flexible as the original tissue and is more prone to re-injury. If the same stresses persist, a cycle of injury, inflammation, and scarring is created that leads to more pain and greater loss of function. Housework, hobbies, second jobs, or recreational activities can continue to add to the physical stress on body tissues. All activities must be taken into account.
This webinar aims to help viewers to:
- Learn what ergonomics actually is.
- Learn how ergonomics can positively impact injuries and your bottom line.
- Learn the major risk factors for ergonomic-related injuries.
- See examples of formal assessment ergonomic risk findings.
- Understand the different hierarchies of control to reduce or eliminate ergonomic risk.
- Learn examples of easy work practice controls.
- Learn examples of easy administrative controls.
- Learn examples of easy engineering controls
Audience: Laboratory animal science staff including researchers, veterinary and animal health staff, animal technicians, and facility managers.
Presenter: Deborah Read, MOTR/L is President of ErgoFit Consulting, Inc. Deborah earned her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Puget Sound and worked for three years in Industrial Rehabilitation. She is a certified fitness trainer and is a national Continuing Education Provider for personal trainers. An active member of the Pacific Northwest Ergo Roundtable, and a member and past President of the Puget Sound Human Factors & Ergonomics Society, Deborah is a guest lecturer at the University of Washington. She has spoken at many note-worthy conferences including the three AALAS conferences (2012, 2013, 2014), the National Applied Ergonomics Conference, two National ASSE Professional Development Conferences, three Oregon Governor's Safety & Health Conferences, and several national Firefighter Safety, Fitness, & Health conferences. Deborah created office ergonomics Web TV shows for Whitney & Wyatt, co-authored two published articles (one being Laboratory Animal Science Professional Mar. 2014), and has been featured on CBS radio, Better Homes & Gardens, The Ergonomics Report, Ergonomics Today, and more.
