We use ladders so often, sometimes we forget the risk we’re taking each time we climb one.

There are several ways in which small mistakes in usage can add up to major injury risks. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health lists a few:

1. Insufficient ladder inspection
   Ensure your equipment is in working order before any project (see more tips below).
2. Incorrect extension ladder setup angle
   In about 40 percent of cases, the primary cause of injuries is a ladder sliding out at the base due to an incorrect angle for setup.
3. Inappropriate ladder selection
   Notably, selecting a ladder made of nonconductive material can avoid electrocution and related falls.
4. Improper ladder use
   Overreaching? Carrying items while on a ladder? Applying excessive force? There are several ways a person can injure themselves while using a ladder.
5. Lack of access to ladder safety tools and information
   Small employers account for nearly 80 percent of all construction companies, and they may not have access to ladder safety resources.

For perspective, about half a million people are treated for ladder-related injuries each year. This is why you should inspect ladders before every use.

Below, find more tips on what to look for when doing a ladder inspection.

When should you inspect ladders?

• Inspect new ladders promptly upon receipt
• Inspect ladders before each use
• Check the condition of ladders that have been dropped or have fallen before using them again

What should you look for when inspecting any ladder?

• Missing or loose steps or rungs (they are loose if you can move them by hand)
• Damaged or worn non-slip cleats
• Loose nails, screws, bolts or nuts
• Loose or faulty spreaders, locks and other metal parts in poor repair
• Rot, decay or warped rails in wooden ladders
• Cracks and exposed fiberglass in fiberglass ladders
• Cracked, split, worn or broken rails, braces, steps or rungs
• Sharp edges on rails and rungs
• Dents and dings in aluminum ladders
• Rough or splintered surfaces
• Corrosion, rust, oxidization and excessive wear, especially on treads
• Paint or other material that could obstruct your ability to see defects
• Oil, grease, mud or other debris on rungs or other parts of the ladder
• Twisted or distorted rails — check ladders for distortion by sighting along the rails
• Missing identification labels

Real-world example

A near-tragedy at a roofing company a few years ago underscores the importance of ladder inspections.

According to an account provided by the Wisconsin Occupational Safety & Health Administration:

Two roofing technicians were using ladders to get to a roof for inspection and repair.

The first technician set up a 30-foot extension ladder rated for a 300-pound load capacity. (The technician weighed 160 pounds.)

The ladder was less than 2 months old and had recently been inspected. But as the technician climbed the ladder, he felt it begin to give way.

Fortunately, he was able to hold onto the edge of the roof as the ladder collapsed under him. He stayed there until the second technician set up another ladder for him to climb down to safety.

The company immediately inspected all of its fiberglass extension ladders and found that about 20 percent of them had small cracks in the fiberglass on the side rails — some right next to the rungs.

What other things should you look for when inspecting stepladders?

• Wobble
• Loose or bent hinges and hinge spreaders
• Broken stop on a hinge spreader

What should you look for when inspecting extension ladders?

• Loose, broken or missing extension locks
• Defective locks that do not seat properly when ladder is extended
• Sufficient lubrication of working parts
• Defective cords, ropes or chains
• Missing or defective foot pads or sleeves

What should you do after inspecting any ladder?

• Clean the ladder if needed and again thereafter as needed
• Replace worn or frayed ropes on extension ladders
• Lubricate pulleys on extension ladders regularly
• Tag any defective ladders and take them out of service

What are some things you should not do after inspecting ladders?

• Do not make temporary or makeshift repairs
• Do not try to straighten or use bent or bowed ladders

A fall from a ladder can be devastating, so please take the extra time to make sure your ladder is in good shape before you use it.

Lastly, check out our additional resources on ladder safety.

Originally posted May 2017; updated April 2024.

By Dana Mickelson, CSP, ARM

While some slips and falls result in only minor injuries, they can be much more serious, causing fractures, sprains, strains, abrasions and even death. They have the potential to be disabling, with claim costs in the tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), work-related fatalities due to falls slips, and trips have increased in recent years:

• 805 fatalities in 2020
• 850 fatalities in 2021
• 865 fatalities in 2022

These are all reasons to take slip-and-fall prevention seriously at your workplace, starting with the floors.

Choose slip-resistant flooring

When you’re choosing flooring, don’t choose just based on cost and aesthetics. Consider the floor’s slip resistance and the space and environment in which it will be used, too. There are several floor materials available on the market — quarry, ceramic, porcelain, vinyl composition tile, terrazzo, rubber tiles, concrete, marble, granite, etc.

Most types of flooring have good slip resistance when dry, but when wet, they have fair to poor slip resistance unless they are treated or textured. Most flooring materials become extremely slippery once water plus a contaminant, like grease, is present.

Use slip-resistant treatments for existing flooring

If you’re not in a position to replace your flooring with a more slip-resistant material, you can treat your floors to decrease the risk of slips and falls. The caveat with all of these options is that they typically lose their effectiveness over time and must be reapplied.

Options to treat flooring include:

• Abrasive floor coatings: These coatings include gritty substances such as aluminum oxide or walnut shells to improve traction of otherwise smooth flooring
• Chemical etching: This is an acid wash that’s typically applied to natural stone floors, concrete and porcelain that makes the floor surface rougher
• Carpeting: Covering your floor with carpet is another option to prevent slips and falls

Clean floors properly

When cleaning your floors, even small details like the temperature of water used for mopping can significantly affect their slip resistance (or lack thereof).

That’s why it’s important to have a floor-cleaning protocol that includes:

• Identifying the appropriate cleaning tools (deck brushes, squeegees, etc.) and solvent (for example, some solvents remove rust and scale, others consume oil)
• Determining how often the floors must be cleaned
• Thoroughly training all employees who clean floors

When training, be sure to include the proper water temperature and whether the floors must be rinsed after cleaning with the solvent. For example, an alkaline solvent used in a greasy kitchen could actually make the floor more slippery if not rinsed off after cleaning, so proper training is really important.

Maintain good housekeeping

Excellent housekeeping results in clean and clutter-free floors, preventing slips, trips and falls.

Here are three simple tips to improve housekeeping:

• Clean up spills promptly and use wet floor signs
• Keep cords out of the way of walkways or work areas as much as possible. You can tie cords together, use cord covers, or hang cords from the ceiling
• Designate walking aisles in warehouses, manufacturing environments, etc.

Also, develop a housekeeping program. For example, dedicate the last five minutes of each shift as clean-up time.

Don’t wax and strip — scrub!

SFM has seen extremely serious injuries result from employees falling while waxing and stripping the floors.

To prevent these types of injuries, consider investing in a floor scrubber. Floor scrubbers are great because most only require water, and they negate the need to wax and strip the floors. Not only will a scrubber help keep your employees safe, it might pay for itself over time.

If employees must strip and wax the floors, ensure they wear stripping overshoes to increase traction and reduce their risk of slipping.

Maximize the benefit of floor mats

Floor mats at entrances allow people to walk off the rain, snow and other contaminants they’ve gathered on their shoes to help keep the rest of the floor dry.

Here are a few tips for using floor mats to maximize effectiveness and prevent them from becoming a source of trips and falls:

Provide mats that are long enough for people to adequately wipe contaminants off their shoes. Mats should be the longest in snowy weather (about 10-12 walking steps) and can be the shortest (6-8 steps) in dry weather.

• Select mats with beveled edges and non-slip backing
• Do not overlap mats
• Don’t leave gaps between mats
• Avoid rolled up edges
• Inspect mats for wear and replace them when needed

Slips and falls can cause anything from simple embarrassment to serious head injuries, and they can happen to anyone. Doing what you can to make your floors more slip resistant is one way you can prevent slips and falls. Requiring your employees to wear slip-resistant shoes can also help.

For more resources to prevent slips and falls, visit our safety page.

Originally published June 2017; updated March 2024.

Climate control. Soft chairs and armrests. Standing desks and safety features… Office environments don’t conjure up thoughts of workplace hazards like, say, construction sites.

It’s true, office workers are at a lower risk for workplace injuries than many other types of jobs. However, it’s still important to talk about safety with office employees.

Below are seven safety tips for office workers to prevent workplace injuries.

1. Make sure your desk setup is ergonomic

To maintain a neutral posture, your head should be centered over your neck and shoulders, wrists flat and elbows resting comfortably at your side. If your feet won’t touch the ground unless you lean forward, use a footrest.

See our post on workplace ergonomics and neutral posture for more information on setting up an ergonomic workstation.

2. Take regular breaks to get up and move around

Sitting all day puts office workers at risk for numerous health problems. For examples of moving and stretching actions you can do in the office, check out our Get Up and Move illustrations, and you can find more resources on our Stretching and movement page.

3. When it’s slippery due to ice and snow, walk like a penguin when entering and leaving your office

Winter slips and falls in parking lots are extremely common (and costly). To avoid them, walk like a penguin — flatfooted and taking short, slow steps.

It’s also important to wear sensible footwear and carry only what you can handle. For more information and downloadable resources, visit our winter slip-and-fall prevention page.

4. Use a headset for prolonged or frequent phone use

Cradling the phone between your shoulder and ear can cause neck and back pain.

5. Keep your workplace tidy

Clean up spills immediately, keep aisles free of clutter, and tie up or secure cords so they don’t pose a trip hazard.

6. Don’t let electrical cords create a fire risk

Avoid running electrical cords under carpet or through windows and doorways. Also, don’t fasten them through non-standard means, such as staples.

7. Know your office emergency procedures

Make sure you know what to do in the event of a fire, storm, violent intruder, medical problem or other emergency.

Related office safety resources from SFM:

• Winter slip and fall prevention resources
• Indoor slip-and-fall prevention resources
• Office safety (1) 5-Minute Solution
• Office safety (2) 5-minute solutions
• Office ergonomics 5-minute solutions
• See all office worker safety resources from SFM

Originally published May 2017; updated February 2024.

Employees in a variety of occupations can find themselves in situations with the potential to be exposed to violence at work. De-escalation tactics can be used to defuse volatile situations so they don’t reach the point of violence.

What is de-escalation?

De-escalation is one technique that can be used when confronted with violent or aggressive behavior.

According to professionals, de-escalation means “transferring your sense of calm and genuine interest in what an individual wants to tell you by using respectful, clear, limit-setting boundaries.” In short, de-escalation is the process of managing someone else’s behavior with your own.

How does the concept of de-escalation intersect with workplace safety?

As workplace violence remains a continuously growing threat, many industries are beginning to utilize the benefits of de-escalation training.

These industries include:

• Education/academic settings
• Healthcare
• Policing/public service
• Social work

Are there some general de-escalation tactics that apply universally?

While specific threats vary among industries, Jason Clausen, a Loss Prevention Specialist at SFM, notes that many de-escalation tactics apply universally.

“These tactics all require a state of calm, and operate around the cornerstone of active listening,” he said.

General de-escalation tactics that apply universally include:

• Respecting personal space
• Maintaining safe body positioning
• Giving clear, concise direction
• Setting obvious boundaries
• Conveying empathy
• Establishing positive tone of voice

De-escalation resources

De-escalation training can be helpful to employees in many fields. To learn more about de-escalation, view these SFM resources:

• De-escalation Team Training – health care
• De-escalation Team Training – schools 
• Alternative intervention and de-escalation tactics, 5-Minute Solutions safety talk 

Originally published December 2020

By Nick Johnson, CSP, Loss Prevention Specialist

Imagine this scenario:

We are at the airport waiting for our departure flight. While waiting, we see our incoming plane land, taxi from the runway, and dock at the jet bridge with no issue. We watch as all the previous passengers disembark, and the plane is refueled. Soon, the gate attendant calls passengers to board. The process is running like a well-oiled machine with no delays, and it looks like it will be a smooth departure.

Once settled into our seats, we wait to depart, but minutes after the scheduled departure time, the pilot explains over the intercom that they found some “irregularities” during their pre-flight checklist. Since we just watched this plane land and taxi with no problem, it seems like it will be just a minor delay. After 10 more minutes pass, the pilot comes on the intercom again to express concern about the “irregularities,” and the maintenance team has been summoned.

Finally, the pilot comes back on and explains that the maintenance team reviewed the data and decided to fully assess the plane before clearing it for flight. Passengers are asked to disembark and go to another gate to board a different plane. There are audible groans throughout the plane, but who wants to be on a plane with a potential mechanical issue?

So how does this story relate to pre-task planning?

If the flight crew hadn’t performed a pre-flight check, we would have embarked on a flight with an increased risk for a tragic incident.

Experience doesn’t guarantee safety

Part of my role as a workplace safety professional is to speak with clients about pre-task planning. Employers often respond that their employees are well trained, or they perform this work “all the time.” I love to hear that! The problem is that even well-trained and competent employees can have incidents and be injured when placed in less-than-safe situations and environments.

Safety risks can change daily and it’s imperative that employees have opportunities to identify them so they can use their training to solve problems before they result in incidents.

Pre-task planning identifies potential hazards for a particular time frame, environment and/or work task. Taking time to ask questions before beginning work allows teams to focus on hazard recognition and put specific controls in place to prevent incidents from occurring.

A little preparation goes a long way

By prioritizing pre-task planning, employees can focus on hazard recognition so when working on a task, they can perform knowing they’ve put appropriate safety controls in place.

I encourage implementing pre-task planning at the start of the day and after lunch. It can be an excellent tool to prevent severe incidents and help reduce pesky (and potentially dangerous) one-off incidents.

Give it a try!

What questions should employers be asking to identify hazards? There is a wide range of topics to address relating to mental, physical, and environmental states, such as:

• What is the task I am performing, and what’s the end goal?
• What could go wrong with this task?
• Is there a potential to fall, be struck by or caught between objects/equipment or to encounter energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, etc.)?
• What other work is being performed in the area that might affect me?
• How will I control my work area to ensure safety?
• Do I have the proper equipment to perform this task safely?
• What physical limitations do I feel would prevent me from performing this task safely today?
• What is the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for this task?
• How will I mitigate the physical demands to prevent strains and sprains?
• How knowledgeable am I about the task being performed?
• What questions do I have about how to perform this task safely?
• How focused am I on the task at hand?

While this is not a comprehensive list of questions, it should serve as a good starting point to customize your own approach. The idea is to give employees every opportunity to assess a situation in real time and use training received to problem-solve and prevent incidents.

With the shift to remote and hybrid work in recent years, many employers are quickly learning how to support employees in their new work environments. As with in-office workers, remote and hybrid employees are subject to cumulative injuries, which are typically a result of poor ergonomics at their workspace.

Common slips, trips and falls are also frequent claims we see from remote and hybrid workers. These types of injuries can be avoided with proper training and preventive measures.

Injury prevention

As an employer, you have the ability to help prevent injuries among your employees, regardless of where they’re working.

“Preventing an injury before it happens really starts with the employer,” said Mike Fetting, SFM Loss Prevention Specialist. “Educating employees on ergonomic best practices, and home office maintenance and safety when they’re working remotely can help reduce the likelihood of injury.”

He recommends encouraging employees to set up their home or remote office spaces with these tips in mind:

Keep your office tidy and free of hazards

• Organize cords so they’re tied up and tucked away
• Eliminate clutter, especially in walking paths
• Clean up spills immediately to avoid slips and falls

Optimize your desk setup for proper ergonomics

• Sitting desks. Maintain neutral posture at the desk by adjusting your seat so you can keep your feet resting comfortably on the floor or on a footrest. Hips should sit at a 90-to-110-degree angle and your upper arms should rest comfortably at your side, with elbows at a 90-to-100-degree angle. The backrest of your chair should meet your back as you sit up straight and should support the natural curve of your back.
• Standing desks. Situate the desk height and your body so your upper arms can rest comfortably at your side, with elbows at a 90-to-100-degree angle, and your feet align below your head and hips. Wrists should be held straight, not pressed into the edge of the desk. Wear shoes with insoles or stand on an anti-fatigue mat with beveled edges that sits flat on the floor.

Utilize ergonomic tools and proper placement of office technology

• Adjustable monitor stands. Center the monitor in front of your keyboard and keep the top of the screen at eye level, or slightly below eye level for those who use bifocals. Use adjustable monitor stands to achieve the correct height for your body. Your monitor should be about an arm’s length away, but move it closer or increase the font if you find yourself leaning forward.
• Headsets. Go handsfree and eliminate neck issues from cradling a traditional office phone by using an over-the-ear or in-ear headset. Corded or cordless headsets are both better options than a traditional office phone when taking phone calls throughout the day.
• Adjustable chairs. Make sure the height, seat, arms and back are adjustable so you can set your chair to maintain a neutral position, as described above.
• Mouse and keyboard cushions. Your wrists should be raised and level when using your mouse and keyboard, and your keyboard should be set flat. Do not rest your wrists on anything while keying. Your hands should project straight out from your forearms, and not bend back at the wrists.
• Footrests. You may need a footrest to help achieve neutral posture when working at a higher desk. Once you set your chair to the correct height to allow for neutral arm placement, set the footrest below your desk to keep your legs from dangling and take the weight off your thighs.

Individual needs vary

“This guide includes standard practices that most people will find appropriate, but you should find what works for you using these tips as a starting point,” said Fetting. “If you find you prefer to have your knees slightly above your hips, that’s OK. Everyone is different.”

He also suggests that employees change positions at their desks occasionally to reduce the chance of a cumulative injury, which can happen because of repetitive movement or positioning.

“There’s no perfect position that you should remain in 100% of the time,” said Fetting. “Occasionally adjust things, such as raising or lowering your chair or monitors by an inch, to find alternatives that work for you.”

We have more resources to help you educate employees on their role in safety and injury prevention in office settings on our website.

Your safety committee can be a powerful tool for injury prevention.

A group of dedicated employees from throughout your company focused on making your workplace safer can make a real difference.

Whether you have a safety committee already or are thinking of starting one, you can use these best practices and activity ideas as a guide.

How an empowered safety committee prevents injuries

For one SFM policyholder, a proactive safety committee member helped prevent what could have been a serious injury.

This committee had created safety check­lists in partnership with workers in different areas of the business. They walked through the checklists before each committee meeting.

On one walk-through, a safety committee member discovered a frayed cord on a welder. The employee immediately reported the defect and had the machine taken offline until it could be fixed. He didn’t wait until the meeting to report the issue, since a frayed cord could cause electrocution. The committee member was proactive and empowered to address safety concerns on the spot.

Safety committees are most effective when they can identify issues and have the power and resources to solve them. When a safety committee is working as it should, employees and managers work together to address safety concerns before they cause injuries.

Benefits of a safety committee

You may be required by state law to have a safety committee, but even if you’re not, it’s worth considering.

In Minnesota and Iowa, companies with more than 25 employees are required to have a safety committee that meets regu­larly. Some companies with fewer than 25 employees may also need a committee, depending on their safety record and industry. States under federal OSHA do not have a safety committee requirement. (If you’re not sure whether you need a safety committee, check with your regional OSHA office.)

Even if you’re not required to have a safety committee, it can help you:

• Give employees an avenue to bring up safety concerns
• Identify and correct hazards before they cause an injury
• Involve management and employees in making safety part of your company culture
• Educate employees about risks
• Boost morale when employees feel heard and see their concerns addressed
• Reduce the risk of OSHA citations or other state penalties

And of course, if the committee’s work can prevent even one worker injury, it’s time well spent.

Nine safety committee best practices

Even if your state doesn’t require it, having a committee with the goal of preventing injuries and accidents is worth the time and resources. To make your team the most effective it can be, follow these best practices:

1. Define the role and responsibilities of your committee

Develop a written mission statement. Clearly define the duties and responsibilities of the members. Identify and prioritize goals, and establish action plans to achieve each goal.

2. Conduct regularly scheduled meetings

Use the time to discuss accident prevention methods, safety promotion, hazards noted on inspections and other pertinent topics. Review incidents that resulted in injury as well as the “near misses” that didn’t.

3. Review accident investigation forms

Digging deep into the circumstances of accidents will help you prevent them in the future. SFM offers a downloadable accident analysis form . Have all of the supervisors use the same form to make it easier for the safety committee to review them.

4. Look for claim trends

Analyze patterns in your workers’ compensation claims. Consider three data points to start: body part, cause of injury and result of injury. Look for patterns by comparing with other data, like occupation and business location.

If you start by using a report of claim activity from your workers’ compensation insurer, you might want to consider expanding and tailoring your report to include internal information, such as department, shift and supervisor — whatever you think might help narrow the hunt on when, where and why certain injuries occur.

5. Conduct inspections

It’s worthwhile to develop a safety review and inspection process – like the walk-through checklist in the example above – to identify operational hazards and observe employee work methods. Periodic inspections allow you to gauge the effectiveness of your efforts.

During a safety review you should look for: workplace environmental hazards, workstation set-up, work activity, modified work tasks and employees’ awareness of conditions.

6. Eliminate hazards. Correct employees’ unsafe behaviors.

To be effective, your inspections need follow-through. Unsafe conditions must be eliminated. Unsafe behaviors need to be corrected. Document your inspections, including appropriate follow-up procedures. Determine whether past recommendations have been addressed and implemented.

7. Promote safety

Keeping safety in front of the employees will remind them of the importance and will increase their awareness of hazards. Several types of safety promotions can work in any type of organization. See below for a list of fun safety activities your committee can organize.

8. Take action

Following up and taking action are key. If someone is injured or nearly injured, take corrective action to prevent similar accidents from occurring again. Follow up to ensure these corrections are made quickly. This might require increased safety training, additional equipment or safer work methods.

9. Recommend safety training

The purpose of training is to influence employees’ behaviors. Safety orientation should be provided to all workers, especially new employees. It ensures that they are familiar with the hazards of the workplace and know how to complete their job duties safely.

It’s a good idea to provide training regularly for workers of all experience levels and to have a training calendar to support those efforts.

Safety committee responsibilities

Once your safety committee is established, you’ll want to define its scope and responsibilities.

It’s important for all safety committees to define a purpose beyond just complying with OSHA requirements. Identifying objectives gives the group a sense of purpose and provides a roadmap for accomplishing something significant.

To get committee members to engage, start by creating a roles and responsibility sheet. Let committee members choose which tasks they want to take on and write them down. This could include items like planning a safety talk or taking meeting notes.

You may decide to make your committee responsible for some or all of the following:

• Reviewing your safety policies and practices
• Doing regular safety walk-throughs of your facility and noting any concerns
• Encouraging employees to report safety hazards to your group
• Looking at past incidents and “near misses” for patterns and areas to focus on
• Looking ahead to potential issues that could happen in the near-term

The committee provides a venue for front-line employees and managers to work together. It engages people at all levels of the organization and helps to build a cul­ture of safety.

Fun safety committee activity ideas

Are you looking for ideas to inspire your employees or to re-invigorate your safety committee?

Successful safety committees stay interesting, fresh and visible. They get outside of their comfort zones and get creative.

Popular activities that work for almost any type of business include safety contests, posters, special safety/health events, guest speakers and training programs, employee suggestion programs and safety recognition awards.

Get the committee out of the conference room and out into your facility with these ideas for hands-on activities:

1. Schedule a series of Supervisor Initiated Trainings (SITs) on relevant topics
2. Record a video about a safety issue
3. Hang up safety posters from SFM around the facility
4. Create an award for employees who are “caught” practicing safety
5. Bring in an ergonomics specialist to evaluate workstation set-up
6. If your organization holds a benefits fair, have a booth for your safety committee
7. Involve committee members in choos­ing personal protective equipment
8. Hold committee meetings outside during nice weather, or take a field trip for a team-building event

Other ideas include:

• Write safety tips for your company newsletter or intranet
• Create a schedule of supervisor-presented toolbox talks that include opportunities for feedback from employees (such as SFM’s Supervisor Initiated Trainings (SITs) series).
• Facilitate a find it/fix it incentive program to encourage employees to report safety hazards and see that they are corrected.
• Plan an informational campaign — with email messages, posters, maybe even a contest — around a key safety topic like winter slips and falls.
• Create a display and promotional board about a safety topic, such as using traction footwear to prevent slips and falls.
• Implement a “virtual safety store” (a page on your intranet with links to recommended vendors) where employees can learn about recommended home safety products such as carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers.
• Issue awards or plaques to recognize employees who point out safety hazards, for example, a plaque on a machine that states, “This machine made safer by Sarah Smith.”
• Have fun at meetings by incorporating quizzes, team-building exercises, compelling videos, etc.
• Encourage safety committee members to bring a guest to each meeting, who can be an employee at any level of the company. This helps increase safety awareness and sustainability of the committee.

When your safety committee is engaged and empowered, it can serve as a vital piece of your loss prevention program. With enthusiastic members and creative activities, the committee can spread a culture of safety to every employee.

Additional resources on safety committees:

• Safety Committee Success Guide
• Safety Committee Template Packet (Word document)
• Safety committees 5-Minute Solution
• Safety committees CompTalk

This is not intended to serve as legal advice for individual fact-specific legal cases or as a legal basis for your employment practices.

By SFM Loss Prevention Specialist Mike Fetting, CSP, CIEE, CSPHA

The potential for injury from repetitive motion and awkward positions in jobs is widespread across many industries and businesses.

You can greatly reduce the likelihood of these injuries by implementing best practices in workplace ergonomics.

Epicondylitis, tenosynovitis, trigger finger, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome are all common repetitive motion injuries that can develop over time without correct workplace ergonomics. While these types of injuries can occur in the lower body, they are much more common in the upper body — shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands and fingers.

Force, frequency and awkward position are the three main ergonomic hazards. Repetitive motion (frequency) alone is unlikely to cause an injury. The risk elevates when frequency is accompanied by excessive force, awkward position, or both. Vibration, static postures, contact stress and cold temperatures can also play a role in increasing risk.

There are a variety of benchmarks you can use to determine basic injury potential, but a professional ergonomic evaluation is the most accurate way to assess the risk of injury. Even without a professional evaluation, you can perform you own basic risk evaluation.

Consider the following:

• Force/intensity of exertion – Is the effort obvious? Is there a change of facial expression? Does a task using the hands require shoulder or trunk involvement?
• Speed of work – Is the worker visibly rushed or just keeping up?
• Duration of the cycle – Does the specific body part ever get a break while performing this task?
• Hours per day – Does the worker perform this same task all day?
• Awkward position – A neutral position is one in which the upper body is in the handshake position with the elbow at the side. The further away a worker’s body is from that neutral state, the more awkward the position will be, and the higher the propensity for a variety of repetitive motion injuries.

Preventing repetitive motion injury

There are three main tools for reducing the risk of repetitive motion injury: engineering, job rotation and stretching.

Engineering is easily the most powerful intervention. Changes should focus on the main risk factors: force, frequency and awkward position. Examples include changing from pistol grip to inline drivers, tilting the work, adding fixtures to hold the work, adding automation or mechanical assist to the job (or some portion of the process). It is important to work closely with employees and supervisors since changes may cause unforeseen problems. Ask employees to have an open mind and test changes for at least several days.

Once engineering is exhausted, the next most useful tool is reducing exposure through job rotation. Ideally the tasks use very different muscles, but even moderate differences can be helpful. Reducing a specific joint’s use from eight hours per day to two hours per day can cut the risk in half, according to some ergonomic models. One popular method is to change tasks at each break, including lunch. In most places, this means each employee will have three different jobs during the day. Changing tasks every two hours is even better. Some workplaces have high-demand tasks that are rotated after just one half-hour!

Lastly, stretching and flexing to warm up the muscles and get them ready for work can be a valuable addition to a complete ergonomic program. Check out sfmic.com for stretching exercises and workplace ergonomics tips.

The best solutions preserve employee health, increase production, and can even increase your job-candidate pool. Over the long term, fewer injuries often translate into lower workers’ compensation insurance premiums.