Ergonomics Program
General Company Policy
The purpose of this program is to inform interested persons, including
employees, that The University of Mary Washington is committed to improve
our employees' comfort and well being by identifying and correcting
ergonomic risk factors on the job. This program applies to all work
operations. The office of Environmental Health and Safety coordinates
all safety and health programs for UMW. They will review the Ergonomics
Program and provide guidance, as needed. UMW has implemented this ergonomics
program to address the problem of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
MSDs have become an issue of increasing concern because they continue
to rise in occurrence.
Our goal through this Ergonomics Program is to prevent the occurrence
of work-related musculoskeletal disorders by controlling or eliminating
the risk factors that cause them. This program ensures that all affected
employees are aware of job-related risk factors and provides information
and solutions to elevate them. UMW promotes continuous improvement for
the efficiency, comfort, and well being of all employees through a team
effort of management and employee involvement.
If, after reading this program, you find that improvements can be made,
please contact the Safety Office. We encourage all suggestions; we are
committed to the success of our Ergonomics Program. We strive for clear
understanding, safe and efficient work practices, and involvement in
the program from every level on Campus.
Ergonomics Team
The Safety Officer is responsible for our Ergonomics Program. The Ergonomics
Team is made up from our Safety Committee, "Safety On Site"
SOS and has developed objectives for ergonomic improvements and methods
for identifying and resolving these problem areas. The written plan
for these goals, objectives, and solutions may be obtained from the
Safety Office located at the Physical Plant Building. Our Ergonomics
Team is comprised of a cross section of employee representatives from
various departments/areas and staff levels on Campus. UMW Management
Team is committed to the success of this program by providing resources
and the staff time necessary to identify and correct problem jobs. The
Team members have been trained to recognize problem jobs, identify risk
factors, and develop solutions to reduce those factors. Elements of
this training include the identification of workplace risk factors,
job analysis methods, implementation and evaluation of control measures,
and teamwork skills.
Injury/Medical Management
We encourage all employees to immediately report any symptoms of discomfort
that may be associated with their job duties. In most cases, employees
are to report to their immediate supervisor. Those supervisors are responsible
to recommend alternative work or medical evaluation for injured or ill
employees.
Supervisors record and file written reports from the first observation
of illness or injury through all subsequent follow-up activities. They
are also responsible to forward information about the worker injury
or illness for recording on the OSHA 200 Injury and Illness Form. The
supervisor may recommend that the job receive an evaluation from the
Ergonomics Team. Supervisors or other personnel with these responsibilities.
Every work procedure that causes a worker injury or illness will be
investigated and reported. This documentation provides vital information
for the identification of job related risk factors so that the problems
can be corrected before other injuries occur. After verification of
an employee's job-related injury or illness, the Safety Officer will
review this plan and re-evaluate t he workstation to determine if additional
practices, procedures, or redesign of the station could be implemented
to prevent similar injuries.
Identifying Problem Jobs
There are several methods used to identify problem jobs that are most
likely to result in ergonomic disorders. The Safety Office reviews and
periodically monitors UMW injury and illness records such as the OSHA
200 form and workers' compensation data to identify patterns of ergonomic-related
injuries and illnesses.
In addition, jobs are evaluated for the following risk factors:
- Rate and number of repetitions: performance of the same motion or motion patterns every few seconds for more than two hours at a time.
- Postures and limb positions: fixed or awkward work postures such as overhead work, twisted or bent back, bent wrist, stooping, or squatting, for more than a total of two hours.
- Vibration: use of vibrating or impact tools or equipment for more than a total of two hours.
- Loads/lifted: lifting, lowering, or carrying of anything weighing more than 25 pounds (11.34 kg) more than once during the work shift.
- Loads/static: holding a fixed or awkward position with arms or neck for more than ten seconds.
- Muscle forces: continually pulling or pushing objects.
- Work pace: piece rate or machine paced work for more than four hours at a time (legally required breaks cannot be included when totaling the four hour limit).
Ergonomics Team members participate in evaluating new equipment and processes for potential risk factors. They also evaluate hand tools to determine if the designs are ergonomically suitable for the intended use and appropriate for the workers who use them.
Solutions
When a job, process, or equipment has been evaluated, the Team completes
a risk factor checklist. Through this checklist, problems are identified
for correction and supervisors and employees in the affected areas are
notified. The Ergonomics Team, in conjunction with those affected employees,
will develop possible solutions, choose the most appropriate, implement
the changes, and follow up to determine the effectiveness.
Employee Training
The University of Mary Washington's management staff receives copies
of this written ergonomics program and the company's policy statement
regarding ergonomics in our workplace. We train each employee who works
at a job with exposure to specific risk factors and each employee in
a job where a work-related musculoskeletal disorder has been recorded.
These are the ergonomic elements we teach to all employees:
- H ow to recognize workplace risk factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders and the ways to reduce exposure to those risk factors.
- The signs and symptoms of work related musculoskeletal disorders, the importance of early reporting, and medical management procedures.
- Reporting procedures and the person to whom the employee is to report workplace risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
- The process Mary Washington College is taking to address and control workplace risk factors, each employee's role in the process, and how to participate in the process.
- Opportunity to practice and demonstrate proper use of implemented control measures and safe work methods that apply to the job.
Each employee involved in job analysis will be trained in job analysis
methods, especially as they relate to identifying workplace risk factors,
and evaluation and implementation of control measures.
This company will not implement any policy or practice which discourages
reporting or which results in discrimination or reprisal against any
employee who makes a report.
Enforcement
Constant awareness of and respect for ergonomic hazards, and compliance
with all safety rules are considered conditions of employment. Supervisors
and individuals in the Safety and Personnel Department reserve the right
to issue disciplinary warnings to employees, up to and including termination,
for failure to follow the guidelines of this program.