October is Global Ergonomics Month!
Sprains and strains are one of the most frequent types of workplace injuries, but that doesn’t have to be true for your workplace. Using the principles of ergonomics to prevent these injuries can be easier and less costly than dealing with them after they occur.
Global Ergonomics Month in October is Washington state’s 4-week campaign, inviting you to discover ergonomics best practices to reduce the risk of injuries in your workplace. At any time during this campaign, you can get help at no cost by requesting a consultation.
We invite you to learn and follow one topic each week.
Week 1 – Management Commitment
- Communicate your commitment to find and fix hazards that can cause sprains and strains.
- Train workers in Ergonomics Essentials (25 min)
- Draft a short vision statement for preventing Sprains and Strains at your workplace.
- Review the APP Sample for Ergonomics Process APP Template.
Week 2 – Employee Involvement
- Learn to find hazards for sprains and strains.
- Review 12 simple solutions for Sprains and Strains.
- Pick 3 simple solutions to work on.
Week 3 - Fix hazards
- Find and fix 3 hazards.
- For the 3 hazards you want to fix, use the Ergonomics Ideas Bank to find 3 solutions.
- Review the Ergonomic Solution Brainstorming or BEST App.
Week 4 - Keeping the momentum going.
- Find and fix 12 more hazards in the coming year.
- Keep going with Simple Solutions.
- Review the Ergonomics Process for more steps you can take.