Eorm sesha ergo_2013

Leveraging Technology to Effectively

Manage your Ergonomics Program

SESHA - April 20, 2013

Anuja Patil, M.S., AEP

This Session Will Help You…

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Discover how technology can help make your organization's ergonomics program more:

Efficient

Effective

Measurable

© 2013 Environmental and Occupational Risk Management, Inc.

Distribution

by Nature of

all Nonfatal

Injury and

Illness

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Injury Trends


Incident rate for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work – Nature of Disorders

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Injury Trends

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Sprains, strains,tears

Musculoskeletaldisorders

Soreness, pain,including back

Bruises,contusions

Cuts, lacerations,punctures

Fractures Heat burns, scalds Chemical burns


Costs of Poor Ergonomics

Repetitive motion injuries (RMIs) average costs range between $48K-$77K

RMI’s account for more than $2 Billion in worker’s compensation costs annually

Difficult type of injury

– Slow recovering injury

– High level of re-occurrence

– Back pain is second only to the common cold as a cause of work loss

© 2013 Environmental and Occupational Risk Management, Inc. 5

Costs of Injuries


Benefits of Ergonomics

Decreases injury and lost time

Decreases absenteeism

Increases productivity and efficiency

Increases quality by decreasing errors and mistakes

Reduces turn over

Increases moral

7 © 2013 Environmental and Occupational Risk Management, Inc.

Opportunities to Leverage

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Medical/WC costs

Absenteeism

Employee Retention

Union Agreement

Productivity Improvement Initiatives

– Lean, Six Sigma, etc.

Engineering/Design


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Managing Ergonomic Risks


EORM’s Ergonomics Philosophy

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Our belief is that injuries and pain/discomfort to employee’s can be eliminated through a proactive risk management approach to ergonomics.

Managing risk vs. managing consequences

Risk management is an accepted strategy for Occupational Health & Safety professionals: – Recognition

– Evaluation

– Control

– Anticipation of workplace hazards


Effective Program “Attributes”

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Effective and Efficient in reducing injuries

Compliant with government regulations

Systematic, Sustainable & Scalable to other sites

Business driven (reduce costs)

– Demonstrating value to business leadership (show results)


Ergonomic Approach

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WM

SD

Pain

Discomfort

Difficulty

Ergonomic Risk

Human Limitations

Proactive

Approach

Reactive

Approach


Office Environment

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Program Development

Primarily computer based

Individual focus

Simplistic systems

Work locations may vary

Workers are becoming more mobile


Ergonomics Support


In-person Support

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Personal interaction

Resource intensive

Costly

Rarely done in home and remote offices except in cases required by law


Remote Support

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Remote Support (phone evaluations or email support)

– Phone evaluations

– Digital pictures

– Web cameras


Phone Evaluations

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Advantages – Direct interaction with employee

– Can ask questions

– Can direct employee how to set up workstation

Disadvantages – Have to rely on employee’s description of workstation

– Need practice in asking questions and experience with enough in person evaluations to understand challenges and solutions

– Takes evaluator’s time


Digital Pictures

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Advantages

– Give you a quick look at what equipment employee is using

– If employee is in picture gives idea of possible issues and how employee interacts with the workstation

– Employee can see their own posture and position

Disadvantages

– Only a snapshot

– How does the employee sit and work when not on camera?


Web Cameras

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Advantages

– Live pictures of employee working

– Employee can also see evaluator who can show how they want employee to be positioned

Disadvantages

– Everyone may not have a camera

– If camera built into monitor only one view – Can’t see employee from the side


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Diverse Work Locations

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Office Environment

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Best Solution

3 Tiered Approach

– Online (along with email screening and support)

– Remote Support (phone evaluations or email support)

» Digital pictures

» Web cameras

– In-person


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Online - Technology


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Online Self-Evaluations


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Track Evaluations



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Advantages

– Teaches employees how to adjust their own workstation

– Can integrate online training

» Cal-OSHA regulation, EU Regulations

– Includes checklist with feedback on what changes to make

Disadvantages

– Limited personal interaction with employee


Additional In-person Support

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In person Evaluations Cartevia

Electronic Reports

In person Support

Efficient Completion of reports

Standardized reports


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Measure Outcomes


Measure Outcomes

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Injury and illness records

– Injuries

– Cost per injury

– Days away, restricted or transferred

Time away from work (absenteeism)

Employee discomfort

Are engineering controls being used?

Turn around time (response to employee requests)

Number of requests / trainings

Risk impact


Measure Outcomes


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Overcoming Barriers in

Adopting Ergonomic Solutions


Barriers to Adopting Ergonomic Solutions

Perception that it’ll take longer

– “I don’t have time”

Don’t know how to obtain the right equipment

Don’t know about different practices or equipment


Barriers to Adopting Ergonomic Solutions

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New employees

Pressure to perform and produce

It’s not convenient

It costs too much


Pre-Established Vendors and Equipment

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Advantages

– Employees and evaluators know what equipment is available

– Quick and easy ordering

– Discount prices

Disadvantages

– Employees do not select own equipment

– Mercy of vendor if only choose one


Customer Service

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JAMA Study – Positive correlation between quality of patient service & health outcomes – Patient service includes:

» Reduced wait times

» Communication

Apply this to employees – Online assessments provide quick turn around on evaluation requests &

help obtaining equipment

– Automated communication on status, check ins

– Make employees feel like they are important and you care


How can Technology help?

Automates process of risk identification and mitigation

Engages employee

Centralizes equipment-related data and processes

Assists in resource prioritization

Effectively measure outcomes through data analysis


Putting it All Together


Emphasis on managing risk vs. consequences

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Summary

Consider using a tiered approach to address ergonomics

– Online self-evaluation with checklist & training

– Phone evaluation with pictures and/or web camera when needed

– In person support

– Measure outcomes

– Strategize to make your ergonomics program sustainable & scalable to other sites


Thank you ! Anuja Patil, M.S., AEP

Associate Consultant

510.995.5411

[email protected]


Economy & Finance

Eorm sesha ergo_2013