Promoting Ergonomic Involvement
Robert Pater, SSA/MoveSMART Director
Occupational Health & Safety (May 1997)

Have you ever experienced symptoms of ergonomic frustration? We have heard supervisors wryly suggest that carpal tunnel syndrome is a "contagious disease." Managers complain that no one is actually using those expensive scissor lifts recommended by the ergonomics consultant. And bargaining units declare that injuries are solely management's responsibility--due to poor design and inadequate tooling and insufficient cash infusions. What is going on?

Ergonomics is often billed as a quick fix for organizational cumulative trauma pains. Unfortunately, these interventions too often fizzle or detonate. Why won't people do "what's good for them?" How can we apply scientific knowledge that takes in the real world? Can we cut cumulative trauma injuries on the job in a cost effective manner?

The answer begins and ends with people. The purpose of this paper is to share principles and methods that have helped a wide range of organizations cut their incidence of cumulative trauma disorders while simultaneously boosting personal responsibility.

Personal responsibility--on the parts of both employees and managers--is a major key to successful ergonomic implementation.

More Than Equipment Design

We define ergonomics as improving the fit between people and their tasks. There are two ways this fit may be improved: 1. Bring the tasks closer to the worker and 2. Help people better adapt to their jobs. Organizational controls underpin this meshing process.

By default, ergonomics is commonly equated with redesigning tools, equipment and work stations to eliminate causes of cumulative trauma problems (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, low back pain, etc.). Unfortunately, a narrow focus on environmental design can lead managers and staff in search of the ergonomic holy grail--the perfect chair or the tool with the ideal grip. All too soon, they discover that environmental improvements by themselves can't overcome the many causes of CTD's.

For example, workers may be operating in environments that are difficult or costly to control; maintenance personnel often work in other departments' turf, some function with equipment that might be prohibitively expensive to redesign, still others work in the field. And it's important to remember that employees may also accumulate trauma exposures off the job--these are difficult to engineer out.

Companies that realize ergonomic gains ally an artful mix of environmental, human and organizational factors. This means systematically improving the working environment (adjustable workstations, suspending weight of heavy tools), developing employee capabilities (judgment, skills, work methods, motivation), and refining organizational procedures (job design, supervision, reinforcement) as part of every ergonomic intervention.

Certainly, controlling environmental stressors is vital; working with poorly designed workstations or tools can endanger workers even over a relatively short time. But this is not enough. In the real and "messy" world or work, ignoring human or organizational factors can unplug an otherwise worthy ergonomics effort. In our experience, human and organizational factors are most overlooked--perhaps because they seem less tangible and thereby less easily controlled.

Many managers have experienced this first hand. It's not enough to purchase expensive "ergonomic chairs." If they are not shown how to adjust them to improve position and alignment, employees sitting in them may still slump or work out of position. Based on this, train employees to use better body mechanics with any new equipment. We suggest the field of bio-engineering be expanded to study and incorporate the full range of natural human forces--biophysical, emotional and psychological. Treating people as little more than biological robots is strategically doomed. Usually, staff rebel and assert their independence--often by resisting "logical" ergonomic interventions. Just as our muscular-skeletal structure needs variation of forces, so does our mind seek diversification of tasks. Low-interest work often results in problems driven by inattention.

The medical director of one large telephone company noted, "Adjustable work stations are fine, but we've got to create a climate where people aren't looking to bail out with a carpal tunnel syndrome." Perhaps you have also seen the number of claims for wrist or back pain surge just after downsizing is announced? Your organization doesn't have to accept being stuck between the rock of unworkable ergonomic interventions and the hard place of spiraling cumulative trauma problems (CTD's). A strategic and practical approach can reduce the incidence of CTD's and boost morale, involvement, communication, and safety culture--all critical elements if ergonomic improvements are to take root and thrive in hard organizational ground.

Benefits of Strategic Ergonomics

When well understood and masterfully applied, ergonomics can:

• Increase efficiency and performance
• Reduce fatigue
• Reduce negative work stress
• Keep skilled staff on the job
• Improve internal public relations
• Reduce liability exposure

Making Systematic & Continuous Improvement

In the real world, ergonomic problems are often complex. For example, the employees of a large East Coast municipal public works department moved into a new building. Within three months, 3 out of 4 data entry clerks were experiencing night tingles and wrist discomfort. Morale plummeted while complaints and workers compensation claims soared. Clearly this was an ergonomics missile waiting to explode. In addition to an ergonomic infrastructure, your organization should also have a systematic and ergonomically sound approach to controlling CTD's. The following four-step plan can increase both organizational and personal protection.

1. The first step is to Shield Yourself. Keep destructive forces from reaching you or your workforce. Think of V.O.R.S.S. as an acronym for these forces--Vibration, Over-exertion, Repetition, Static loads, and Stress. Many ergonomics programs strongly emphasize controlling repetition; but static positions are especially dangerous. Static forces are often "invisible"--it is more difficult to see lack of movement. And even ergonomically trained employees often assume what they think are suitable postures and positions that continually concentrate weight in one part of their body.
2. Help Align and Position employees to promote productivity and lasting health. Individually, workers can refer to the alignment and position sections of the M.A.P. Forces objectives above. Organizations in the ergonomics forefront avoid the all-too-common mistake of training line staff, but not managers, in body mechanics and ergonomic work methods. For their own tasks, managers may not require the depth of training needed by line staff. But effective leaders know the importance of understanding and modeling the methods they expect their employees to use.
3. Continuously Re-energize, both mentally and physically. Machines thrive on repetition, but people need a variety of stimuli and activity to maintain health, productivity and motivation. Re-energizing can be simple; for example, one transportation company has realized improved morale merely by providing break rooms with upbeat interior color schemes, "sound environments," and comfortable furniture. But the benefits are not all emotional. Medical studies have shown that employees' blood pressure and muscle tension lower after visiting these environments.
4. Finally, Save Yourself. The key here is early recognition and effective course correction. This is consistent with Tom Peters' "Ready, Fire, Aim" approach to practical management. Constant monitoring and course correction are needed as a regular part of any practical ergonomics system. Some organizations are concerned that educating employees about CTD's might backfire, heightening fear and raising CTD reports. But keeping employees uninformed also can backfire. Smart organizations plan strategies for recovering, should incidence rise after an ergonomic intervention. They watch the early reactions to the training or equipment modification, ready to make needed adjustments. They emphasize early recognition and response to employee reports or concerns. They make sure their medical treatment personnel are well-trained and alerted to organizational changes. Or they may provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as a safety-net.

Nine Keys to Promoting Ergonomic Responsibility and Involvement

1. Responsibility starts with you. Conceive of an ergonomics system, akin to a Quality process, as one of continuous improvement. Move away from a Program-of-the-Month mentality.
2. Set organizational expectations to look for more than a simplistic, 1-shot answer to complex problems. Educate professionals that ergonomics is more than just equipment design. Also, set a realistic timetable by which statistical change in CTD's might be visible (we suggest a minimum of 18 months). Other benefits (improved morale, efficiency, reduced downtime) should be apparent sooner. Be sure to monitor and report back on any accomplishments.
3. Emphasize upfront planning and shared fact-finding. While this takes time, remember you are building towards solutions that will last in your unique organizational culture.
4. Set organizational systems to work with, not against, one another. Develop a strong fit between your ergonomics system and: Coexisting company and safety programs, the work methods people really employ (be sure to look beyond day shift), and your culture. An inflexible or predetermined system violates the spirit of ergonomics--and will likely fail.
5. Develop the best managerial responses. Help organizational leadership think cumulatively, not acutely. Problems that appear to have suddenly sprung up most likely have been building over time from a variety of causes.
6. Enlist everyone--managers, engineering, maintenance, purchasing, medical, supervisors, union leadership, and line employees. Spread the tasks of problem identification, generating possible improvements, and critiquing proposed changes. As well as eliciting better input, involvement encourages everyone to take a fair share of personal responsibility for CTD prevention.
7. Keep it alive--don't allow flickering of momentum to blow out. Provide excellent and continuing training. Training should be practical, emphasize underlying principles as well as specific applications, include a common plan for preventing CTD's, show how to apply ergonomics off-the-job, and develop staff as problem solvers who take personal responsibility for workplace improvements. Experience shows strong training can energize an ergonomics system--and safety culture.
8. If you have to take immediate action, maintain your perspective, don't become overwhelmed. According to Johnson & Johnson's ERGO program project manager Art Longmate, "At Johnson & Johnson, we feel ergonomics is a key to succeeding in the future. Although we have 15 professional ergonomists, we have still decided to switch from a 'Professional' model to a 'Cultural' model. Rather than have our companies feel they have to adopt an ergonomics program all at once, we're trying to make the steps defined and easily attainable--we're developing consistent risk assessment and training tools, using a video program and more. The way to encourage ergonomics responsibility is to help them work through molehills rather than try to overcome mountains."
   Many organizations start by selecting what Boeing calls a "Focal" person (other companies call a Champion). Then, gather a dedicated group and start by piloting your intervention. This way, you will have a low-risk opportunity to monitor, adjust and expand your system as you learn. Widely publicize your plans, timetable and results.
9. Target the "right" areas for success. Make a positive employee response and successful record your initial objective. Often the worst place to institute an ergonomics change is in the area that needs it the most. Bear in mind poor safety statistics often reflect unsupportive supervision and other organizational influences that resist a pilot intervention. Better to select a relatively high-status department that requests an intervention, where the supervisor or manager is an ally, where you can likely have a strong impact and where there are minimal distracting pressures that might overshadow the intervention.

By enlisting, not drafting, your critical employees into your ergonomic team, your organization can develop an ergonomics system that reduces CTD's, boosts morale and strengthens the company overall. These goals are not overly ambitious. Real and substantive change is happening right now in organizations throughout the world.