Physical Demands Analyses (PDA), are also known as Job Site Analysis, Job Demands Analysis, Job Site Visit, and a host of other names.  A PDA is a systematic procedure to quantify and evaluate the physical and environmental demand components of all essential and non-essential tasks of a job.  The PDA is a process of establishing what a job is in its entirety, and forms the cornerstone of the analytical process used to determine compatibility between a worker and a specific job.

A PDA, therefore, becomes an essential document to be used in many phases of employment. For instance, it can be used in the following situations:

1. to develop pre-employment, post offer testing protocols
2. as a basis for developing transitional or light duties
3. an objective measurement to determine what is ‘standard’
4. in return to work planning
5. identify safety concerns, engineering and administrative improvements

Additionally, in the event that an employee is injured, an employer has the right to request functional information from a treating health professional about the injured employee.  The purpose of obtaining an injured workers functional abilities is for facilitating the worker’s timely return to work.  Therefore, the primary role of this functional information is to assess whether an injured worker can return to work.  In the absense of documented physical demands of that employee’s job tasks, this functional information is not useful.

Ergo-Tip – Keyboard Positioning

1.  Use a keyboard tray with a downward tilt, if possible.   This will keep your wrists in a neutral position.

2.  Center the spacebar of the keyboard in front of you to keep your body in a neutral position.

3.  Avoid using a wrist rest as they can put pressure on the nerves running through your wrist.

4.  Position your keyboard in such a way that your forearms are parallel to your thighs with both feet flat on the floor (or footrest).  This will help maintain proper blood flow to the hands and arms while decreasing muscle strain and tension.

Our Services:

Ergo-Motion provides ergonomics consulting and education services throughout North America. We offer a wide variety of customized services, including office ergonomic assessments, industrial ergonomic assessments, educational sessions, and training webinars.

We have developed strong relationships with complementary companies to help our clients solve problems in the following areas:

• Occupational Health & Safety
• Organizational Development
• HR: Recruitment and Selection
• Disability Management
• Personal training & Wellness
• Equipment design and custom fabrication

To obtain more information, please call: 778-373-1940. Email us at: info@ergo-motion.com. Visit us on the web: www.ergo-motion.com

Think of the last time you got terrible service at a restaurant. Even if the food was great you probably don?t want to go back to that particular restaurant. The bad user experience spoiled any of the positives about it.

But, wait, you might think – there’s nothing ergonomic about that, that’s just what happens sometimes when you dine out! Wrong, it is all ergonomics. The success of the system as a whole depends on the interface between the user and the product. The comfort the user has with the interface and the efficiency and accuracy with which they complete their task are all ergonomic factors. So, your poor experience was a result of poor ergonomics after all!

To get the most from Ergonomics, you must apply ergonomic principles early on in a process. What that means is that if you set things up efficiently to begin with, you will reap the benefits over the life of the product or system. It also means that the longer you wait to implement ergonomic solutions, the more costly it will become, both in terms of implementation cost and the costs of inefficiencies. Perhaps the costliest thing a business can do is to not focus on ergonomic improvements to their systems and workspaces, whether they be office workstations, poultry processing, a manufacturing plant, or any other operation.

Go Canucks Go!!

Ergo-Motion proudly supports our Vancouver Canucks, as they battle the St. Louis Blues in First Round Playoff Hockey.

Ergonomics in Today’s Economy

Amidst economic uncertainty, employees worldwide are working harder than ever, which often means extra time hunched over the computer. Repetitive motion injuries, caused from everyday tasks like typing, reading a computer screen and talking on the phone can creep up on you if precautions are not taken. Not surprisingly, this type of injury is one of the top ten causes of the most disabling workplace injuries.

We all know the feeling of a sore neck from holding the phone on your shoulder while talking and typing, or the ache in your wrist from too much mouse action. Proactive ergonomics involves making changes before injuries occur and can not only save you and your employees pain but also be cost effective for your organization. When it comes to basic office safety, prevention is key. Often simple and inexpensive adjustments will have a lasting impact. These tied with employee education can not only prevent injury, but also increase comfort and productivity.

Keep in mind that you can provide your employees with the most expensive office equipment on the market, but it won’t make a difference if they’re not using them correctly. If your organization doesn’t provide employees with an ergonomic assessment, resources or classes, now is the time to implement them. It’s worth the initial cost and your employees are worth the investment.

Ergo-tip

Studies have shown that providing your employees with a new office chair and education on how to use it can increase productivity by 5-10%.

Certain power tools vibrate or transmit vibration into an operator’s hand and/or arm (or leg and foot). Continued use could lead to a condition called white finger (Raynaud’s Phenomenon) to develop. The symptoms include aching in the wrists and muscles of the forearm, tingling sensations, numbness, and whiteness in the fingers caused by restricted circulation. In fact, vibration from percussive tools (e.g. riveting tools), grinders, pneumatic hammers and drills, and chain saws can affect the whole body.

The following suggestions are provided to help you reduce the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) from these types of tools.

1. Choose power tools with that offer anti-vibration controls and/or handles coated with a material that suppresses vibration.
2. Properly maintain power tools; make sure tools are kept balanced, clean, and lubricated.
3. Wear gloves designed to absorb or decrease vibration.
4. Assign more than one employee to the job that requires the operation of equipment or a tool that vibrates.

Happy Holidays!

From all of us at Ergo-Motion, we wish you and your family the very best this holiday season!

Services:

Ergo-Motion Consulting provides ergonomics consulting and education services throughout North America. We offer a wide variety of customized services, including office ergonomic assessments, industrial ergonomic assessments, educational sessions, and training webinars.

We have developed strong relationships with complementary companies to help our clients solve problems in the following areas:

- Occupational Health & Safety
- Organizational Development
- HR: Recruitment and Selection
- Disability Management
- Personal training & Wellness
- Equipment design and custom fabrication

About Ergo-Motion Consulting

Ergo-Motion Consulting has extensive experience in the management and control of musculoskeletal injury risk factors. We provide ergonomic consulting and educational training focused on improving the performance of your people and preventing injuries. Our solutions are cost effective, reduce injuries and improve productivity. We focus on the root cause of problems, leading to ergonomic solutions. We offer both industrial and office ergonomic services.

To obtain more information, please call: 604-897-0787 or email info@ergo-motion.com

The primary function of light in the office is to support work. The criteria for a successful office lighting solution is how well it facilitates productivity and user satisfaction. Poor lighting can contribute to eyestrain, as well as muscle soreness and fatigue (due to the adoption of poor postures to see the screen or documents). Glare sources shine directly into your eyes, or are reflected from surfaces such as your screen or desk into your eyes.

To avoid glare from windows, position your computer monitor so that when you face the monitor, you are sitting parallel to the window. Attempt to place your workstation in between rows of overhead lights, and ensure that your screen is not tilted upwards. Consider reducing overhead lighting by removing bulbs, installing a dimmer switch, or adding light diffusers if overhead lighting adds glare. It is important to have task lighting such as a desk lamp when light levels are too low, and task lamps can be used to illuminate hard copy you are working from.

In response to the rising number of repetitive strain injury (RSI) cases, marketers are now plastering the magic word ERGONOMIC on many products. However, just because a manufacturer claims a product is ergonomic doesn’t make it so. In fact, some designs that flaunt this word may actually heighten your risk of injury. A truly ergonomic tool should be designed for humans, rather than forcing humans to contort themselves around ill-designed tools.
Look at the risk factors for injury. Devices that immobilize the wrists (such as splints) or encourage improper body movement/positions (such as wrist rests) can actually contribute to injury, if not used properly, by limiting normal movement and compromising circulation. Any tool that encourages the overuse of one hand can lead to RSI, not prevent it. On the other hand, a good telephone headset really is ergonomic because you avoid cramming the handset between your head and shoulder.
RSI have many risk factors, and using ergonomic tools is only part of the solution. Keeping in shape, stretching, and moving regularly throughout the day are also a big part of the picture.

Tip of the Month

Good sitting posture at your workstation means your shoulders are relaxed,not scrunched up and tight around your neck, your feet are flat on the floor, not dangling, and you can sit up straight without slouching to do your work.

Services:

Ergo-Motion Consulting provides ergonomics consulting services throughout Western Canada. We offer a wide variety of customized services, including office ergonomic assessments, industrial ergonomic assessments and educational sessions.
We have developed strong relationships with complementary companies to help our clients solve problems in the following areas:
- Occupational Health & Safety
- Organizational Development
- HR: Recruitment and Selection
- Disability Management
- Personal training & Wellness
- Equipment design and custom fabrication

About Ergo-Motion Consulting

Ergo-Motion Consulting has extensive experience in the management and control of musculoskeletal injury risk factors. We provide ergonomic consulting and educational training focused on improving the performance of your people and preventing injuries. Our solutions are cost effective, reduce injuries and improve productivity. We focus on the root cause of problems, leading to ergonomic solutions. We offer both industrial and office ergonomic services.

To obtain more information, please call: 604-897-0787 or email info@ergo-motion.com