OSHA's new approach to warehousing (page 2)

-- Logistics Management, 3/1/2005

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Step 2: Train and educate correctly.

Good training is specific to each warehouse's unique operation. If it isn't, employees are likely to respond to recommendations with "yes, buts," according to Kim Monroe, president of Emmons Ergonomics Consulting.

Make sure training is practical and instructions make sense. "I can tell you to lift with your knees bent and your back straight, but if you've got to bend over to go into a slot, how are you going to do that?" says Albin. "If I train you to do something you cannot do, I've wasted your time and my money."

Step 3: Establish an effective injury-response program.

Encourage employees to report injuries and soreness early so you can identify problems before they become serious. It's helpful to work with a medical professional who is certified in occupational medicine and is familiar with your operation. If you don't have someone on staff, find someone who can visit your facility periodically.

Step 4: Earn continuing support for compliance.

Both employee involvement and management buy-in are critical to the success of any ergonomics program. "You really have to make sure that you have all your ducks in a row before you roll out the program, that you have management support and a certain amount of funding. That's the only way you can overcome resistance and skepticism," says Monroe.

And have patience. "You're not going to immediately see an effect on your injury and illness rates," Monroe warns. "In fact, when you first put in an ergonomics program, you might see your numbers go up because you have increased awareness and more people are reporting injuries early."

But stick with the program and you'll see improvements not only in the number of reportable injuries, but also in employee satisfaction.


Tips and Tricks for better warehouse ergonomics Looking for ways to improve ergonomic practices in your warehouse? Here are some suggestions from warehousing experts: 1. When building a mixed pallet on a forklift, leave the forks at waist height to avoid having to stoop to put a case down. 2. Use a spring-loaded pallet holder. As boxes are unloaded and the pallet becomes lighter, the spring will raise the load; as boxes are added to the pallet, the load will be lowered. This will always keep the pallet at waist height. 3. Design conveyors so they can be adjusted for people of different heights to minimize bending, reaching, and twisting. 4. Use cushioned mats to relieve pressure on the back, legs, and feet from standing. 5. Make employees take frequent breaks. "We don't allow people to stay on the job when a break comes. We really want them to leave the job and walk to the break room so that they can change their body posture," says Ernie Harban of warehouse operator Saddle Creek Corp. 6. Rotate employees through different positions so they're not doing the same job all day long. 7. Design pallet bays so items can be accessed from more than one side. This reduces reaching and stress on the body, recommends ergonomics expert Donald Bloswick of the University of Utah. This will effectively reduce storage space and thus will raise costs to some degree, but it won't require a lot of mechanization cost, he says. 8. Educate your employees about workers' compensation rules so they understand how it affects their pay and employment conditions. 9. Involve employees in improving working conditions. At Ford Motor Co., for example, United Auto Workers members are the plant ergonomists. 10. If you don't have an ergonomist on staff, train your occupational health nurse, hygienist, or safety manager. 11. Make containers easier to handle. This could, for example, involve switching to smaller packages or using boxes with handholds. 12. Link your ergonomics program to other workplace initiatives, such as a Six Sigma quality program, to give ergonomics more visibility (and perhaps encourage more funding).
Ergonomics: Where Can I Turn For Help? There's no shortage of information about ergonomics best practices, and much of it can be found online. Here are just a few examples: OSHA's websitecontains excellent resources, including analytical tools, case studies, and operating guidelines. www.osha.gov The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) website contains information about musculoskeletal disorders and a downloadable version of the institute's Elements of Ergonomics Programs. http://www.niosh.gov Stone Wheel Works provides free, downloadable ergonomics-analysis tools that can help quantify and abate risk. http://hsc.usf.edu/~tbernard/tebstonewheels.html Washington State's Department of Labor and Industry includes helpful advice and case studies on its website. http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/Ergonomics/default.asp