Empowering Employees to Recognize Ergonomics Risks Associated with Their Tasks

Abstract

Employees in today's environment are often times challenged with changing tasks and activities, many of which pose new or different physical demands. The opportunity for a health/ safety professional to examine how individuals carry out each of these changed tasks is not feasible. What is feasible, however, is to provide employees with a tool which enables them to do their own assessment of the tasks that they perform which may pose an ergonomic risk. The tool provides a simple explanation of the risk factors of concern and empowers the employee to numerically rate their tasks against the risks of concern. It also provides the employees a way to focus on improvement in their tasks to prevent potential injuries.