Upgrade Your Ergonomic Program With The MSD Prevention Checklist

When was the last time you took a deeper look at your ergonomic program and the MSD Prevention Practices at your workplace?

In the last five years, many workplaces put ergonomics on the back burner due to higher priority concerns related to COVID-19. Now, we’re seeing workplaces revive their MSD Prevention Programs, making it an excellent time to revisit your program and determine if any changes can be (or need to be) made to better position your ergonomic program for success.

How To Update Your Ergonomic Program 

Use the Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Prevention Program Checklist found on the MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario website to develop or update your program. Incorporating the ten key areas for MSD prevention will ensure your ergonomic program is successful and well-functioning, a few of which we have highlighted below.

Leadership For Your MSD Prevention Program

An ergonomic program needs a leader or group of leaders to spearhead and promote the program, address ergonomic issues within the workplace, and obtain buy-in from management for necessary resources (e.g., funding, support, time). Without identifying or assigning leaders and champions, your ergonomic program may never take flight the way it was intended.

Have A Written Policy For Your Program

There needs to be a written policy within your organization to communicate to all levels of staff, from management to front-line workers, the clear goal and desire to protect workers and prevent injuries from ergonomic hazards within the workplace.

Employee Involvement In The Ergonomics Program

Front-line staff are experts in the job. Involve these staff members and consult with them on the issues and potential changes. Involving employees in the ergonomic program can lead to more acceptance of change. At PROergonomics, we believe that to be truly successful in ergonomics, everyone must be accountable and aware. Consider providing training and education to staff to aid in identifying hazards and symptoms of MSDs that may result in injury and encourage early reporting.

Injury Review and Inspections

With your MSD Prevention policy and ergonomics team in place, it’s time to start implementing change. Begin by reviewing injury statistics and targeting jobs or tasks with the highest injury rates. Perform workplace inspections and observe for problem areas, such as awkward body postures, excessive strain during forceful exertions, or makeshift solutions. These are perfect opportunities to start with and get a few ergonomic ‘wins’ under your belt.

Risk Assessments

Identify ‘high-risk’ jobs or tasks from your inspections and review them in further detail to assess ergonomic hazards (e.g., force, awkward postures, static postures, repetition). Develop viable controls to minimize the likelihood of an MSD injury. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box for control measures and ask front-line staff for their opinions, as they are experts in the job. Be mindful of the cost relative to the impact it will have on reducing risk.

Follow-Up On Your Ergonomic Program

This is often where ergonomic programs can fall short. After implementing change, re-evaluate the controls to confirm no new hazards were created, and schedule periodic follow-ups (e.g., 1 month, 6 months, 1 year). These steps help address potential shortcomings and ensure the implemented controls truly eliminate or reduce injury risk.If you are ready to re-evaluate your ergonomic program, consider visiting the MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario website and completing the Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Prevention Program Checklist to see what opportunities you might have to level-up your ergonomic program.