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In this issue: Ergonomics
OHSAH's Ergonomics Program
Integrating Ergonomics into the Facility Design Process
OSHTip of the Month - MSI in Nursing
Across the Nation - Inspiring Great Heights in Ergonomics
OHSAH's Ergonomics Program
This
issue of the OHSAH Health and Safety e-Update focuses on ergonomics in
healthcare. The mission of OHSAH's ergonomics program is to strive to
be a centre of excellence committed to providing ergonomics expertise
to BC Healthcare.
The Ergonomics Program
has worked and continues to work with all members of the healthcare
community on initiatives aimed at reducing the risk and impact of
musculoskeletal injuries. These include assisting facilities in
developing musculoskeletal injury prevention programs, providing
musculoskeletal injury prevention education and training, developing
guidelines, consulting on facility redesign, and disseminating best
evidence-based practices. The program also offers a number of
ergonomics publications available as resources to the healthcare sector.
For more information about completed and current initiatives within the Ergonomics Program, please visit the ergonomics section of the OHSAH website.
Top
Across the Province
Integrating Ergonomics into the Healthcare Facility Design Process
A
provincial 'Facility Planning Task Group' was developed in 2004,
collaborating to maximize delivery of quality patient/client care and
worker safety/productivity through timely ergonomic input in the
facility planning process. The group has focused its efforts on
creating tools such as checklists and guidelines to help standardize
the facility design process, as well as developing educational
workshops and strategies to improve communication between
Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention (MSIP) Advisors and Facility Planners.
More
recently, a case study template was developed and is being used to
define the current level of ergonomics involvement in recent
renovations, retrofits and new builds across BC. The results of the
case studies will help to promote the inclusion and standardization of
ergonomics in the facility design process with the aim of reducing MSI
in the workplace.
The group has been
accepted to present a poster on the group's activities, and more
specifically, sample case studies, at the upcoming Association of
Canadian Ergonomists conference in October. They are also exploring
other facility planning and architectural conferences/workshops to
present this process.
Top
OSHTip of the Month
MSI in Nursing
According
to WorkSafeBC, nursing personnel account for a high number of
musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) among BC healthcare workers. The safety
hazards faced by registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses
(LPNs), and nursing aides in their workplace are often associated with
the broad array of tasks they perform on a daily basis. Among the
factors leading to MSIs among nursing personnel are:
OSHTips section at the OHSAH website.
Top
Inspiring Great Heights in Ergonomics
The
Association of Canadian Ergonomists (ACE) is hosting its 37th annual
conference on October 22-25th in Banff, Alberta. This year's conference
theme "Inspiring Great Heights in Ergonomics" explores the diversity of
ergonomics and the many fields involved in design of productive,
healthy and effective working environments.
OHSAH,
in collaboration with stakeholders, has been accepted for four oral and
one poster presentations at at this year's conference. Featured
projects and research include home and community care (two),
participative ergonomics, primary and secondary prevention, and
facility planning.
For more details about the conference and other presentation topics please visit the ACE website.
Top
A
provincial 'Facility Planning Task Group' was developed in 2004,
collaborating to maximize delivery of quality patient/client care and
worker safety/productivity through timely ergonomic input in the
facility planning process. The group has focused its efforts on
creating tools such as checklists and guidelines to help standardize
the facility design process, as well as developing educational
workshops and strategies to improve communication between
Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention (MSIP) Advisors and Facility Planners.
More
recently, a case study template was developed and is being used to
define the current level of ergonomics involvement in recent
renovations, retrofits and new builds across BC. The results of the
case studies will help to promote the inclusion and standardization of
ergonomics in the facility design process with the aim of reducing MSI
in the workplace.
The group has been
accepted to present a poster on the group's activities, and more
specifically, sample case studies, at the upcoming Association of
Canadian Ergonomists conference in October. They are also exploring
other facility planning and architectural conferences/workshops to
present this process.
Top
OSHTip of the Month
MSI in Nursing
According
to WorkSafeBC, nursing personnel account for a high number of
musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) among BC healthcare workers. The safety
hazards faced by registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses
(LPNs), and nursing aides in their workplace are often associated with
the broad array of tasks they perform on a daily basis. Among the
factors leading to MSIs among nursing personnel are:
- patient lift and transfer tasks, which may cause excessive physical stress;
- personal factors related to lifestyle and physical variables; and
- patient characteristics such as their medical, physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioural conditions