MEMIC Safety Blog

The Little Things Can Cause Back Pain

 Posted by Allan Brown

Back pain is something that most of us will experience sometime in our lives.  Often the cause of back pain is misunderstood.  We do not have to be lifting something heavy to cause an injury.  Often it is the little things we do on a daily basis that initiate the injury process and it may be the lift or twist that is the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. 

Consider this:

• Sitting places up to 50% more force on the back compared to standing erect.
• Prolonged sitting or standing with a forward head or slightly bent forward posture increases the pressure on the lumbar disc and changes the pressure to the disk back wall next to spinal nerve roots.
• Our body sags in response to gravity; this adds stress to our back.  Poor posture, tight muscles, and weak core strength increase the risk of back injuries. 
• We sit at work more than ever in the past. 
• Pain, tingling, and numbness can go from the back to your foot and anywhere in between.  Often the cause of this pain is in your back.  The discomfort anywhere else is considered referred pain.  
• Heavy and awkward lifting are back pain contributors.

What you can do:

• Take stock of your daily behaviors and posture.  Do you walk, sit, and stand in good posture?
• Adjust your chair to fit your posture.  Ensure the back support fills the inward curve of your low back. Sit back in the chair and up on your pelvis.
• After prolonged sitting or driving, stand up and gently perform a back bend to neutralize the disc pressure.
• Eliminate all lifts from the floor.
• Set up your work bench to reduce any extended reaches and awkward bending.
• As you age your body changes.  Gravity’s pull seems greater and your muscles weaken and shorten.   Stretching and strengthening can help slow this change.  Maintaining good posture, core strength, and flexibility are keys to slowing these changes. 
• Good sleep and good food are essential to a healthy body.

More resources can be found within the Safety Director at www.memic.com; check out the Resource Library by searching “back injury” or click the Ergonomics tab. 

Dealing with Dual Monitors

 Posted by Greg LaRochelle

Dual computer monitor use is becoming more common in today’s office environment.  As this technology increases our workload, ergonomic setup becomes even more important.   Here are some tips for proper setup:  

1. If both monitors are used fairly equally (50/50 or 60/40) they should be positioned directly in front of the user, corresponding to the centerline of the keyboard, and angled slightly in a shallow V configuration. 
2. If one monitor is used more frequently (70/30 or 80/20) the primary monitor should be positioned front and center with the secondary monitor flanking it on either side at a 30 degree angle.
3. In both cases place the monitors as close together as possible.
4. Place monitor height so the top tool bar is at eye level; this promotes neutral neck posture. 
5. Bifocal or trifocal eyeglass wearers should adjust the monitor level lower to avoid neck extension.  
6. Proper monitor distance from the person depends on visual accommodation, but in general should be an arm’s length away or 18-24 inches from the user’s face.
7. When viewing the monitors, use eye movements more than head and neck rotation.
   If the monitor bases reduce available work surface space consider mounting the monitors on a single post monitor arm or add an articulating keyboard/mouse tray under the work surface.  This will free up more space to place an adjustable angle document holder on the work surface behind the keyboard.

It may take a few days to adjust to a dual monitor setup.  If discomfort sets in, review the proper setup and make sure to stretch periodically with a focus on the neck, upper back, and shoulders. 

For more information MEMIC policyholders can access online ergonomic resources within the Safety Director at www.memic.com.

Preventing Slips and Falls

 Posted by Peter Koch

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2010 294,620 employees suffered injuries from slips, trips, or falls.  Of these, 221,100 were from falls to the same level or slip or trip events. 

The National Floor Safety Institute or NFSI  reports : 

• Slips and falls are the leading cause of workers' compensation claims and are the leading cause of occupational injury for people aged 15-24 years.
• Compensation & medical costs associated with employee slip/fall accidents is approximately $70 billion annually (National Safety Council Injury Facts 2003 edition).

All slips and falls are preventable with a little planning and forethought.  Since we may have little control of the surface we tread upon, slip and trip avoidance depend heavily on YOU.  Your attention to your surroundings, what you have on your feet, and what you’re doing in the moment are all critical.

Consider the following areas when planning for prevention or analyzing a slip/fall event:

1)  The surface,
2)  The awareness or behavior,
3)  The footwear,
4)  The environment.

It is usually awareness/behavior that contributes the most to a slip or fall occurrence, but the best attack on slip and fall hazards is a combined evaluation of these four areas.

The following is a checklist and mnemonic when evaluating slip and fall hazards and developing a plan for preventing them.

• Condition and lighting of the surface and pathway
• Condition of the Footwear
• Surface Encumbrances (obstacles, fluids)
• Pitch and Condition of Stairs
• Location and Condition of Handrails
• Relevance of Pathway
• Behavior/Condition of the Worker
• Pace of Work in/around Pathway

This is not necessarily a complete list of areas to evaluate, so don’t limit yourself when trying to develop a plan for prevention or in post incident analysis.

So Take a MEMIC Minute and remember, ALL slip and fall events are PREVENTABLE!

Mousing elbow? It can be prevented

 Posted by Greg LaRochelle

“Hey doc, what do you mean I have tennis elbow?  I don’t even play the game!”

 Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis, as clinically described, refers to a condition that results in soreness to the outside of the elbow and forearm, typically to the dominant arm.  Tennis elbow is classified as an overuse injury though the cause can stem from a sudden blow to the elbow or forceful pull of the forearm.  Commonly, micro-tears occur to the extensor forearm muscle tendon near the elbow resulting in pain and discomfort.   Pain is most pronounced when grasping objects with the palm down (pronation), shaking someone’s hand, or turning a door knob.

With a move by many employers to go “paperless”, particularly in healthcare with the implementation of an electronic medical records system, computer mouse use has increased dramatically.  Navigating through software applications with multiple windows, tabs, and dropdown menus has become extremely mouse-click intensive, setting the stage for a repetitive stress injury such as tennis elbow.  

The risk of developing this condition can be caused by the placement of the mouse on a work surface that requires an awkward extended reach.  Additionally, the size and shape of the mouse can be contributing factors depending on the size of the person’s hand as well as overall conditioning of the forearm muscles. 

The good news on tennis elbow is that it’s not permanent if given prompt intervention and opportunity for adequate recovery time.  Here are some tips on avoiding tennis elbow related to computer mouse use.

1. Position the mouse close to the side of the keyboard with minimal reach.
2. Increase the mouse pointer motion speed to reduce force exertion.  The mouse properties are accessed through the computer control panel with the pointer options tab and motion (select a pointer speed) the means of adjustment. 
3. Take a micro-stretch break every half hour.
4. Alternate mouse location from the favored side of the keyboard to the opposite side (though this takes some adaptation). 
5. Learn control key shortcuts for the software application.
6. If tennis elbow has already resulted (from mouse use), replace the conventional mouse with an “in-line” design.  

For more information on controlling ergonomic risk factor exposure, consult the MEMIC Safety Director and lightly click on the Solve your Ergonomic Dilemmas! link.

Reducing Housekeeping Strains May Be Just a Drop in the Bucket

 Posted by Dan Clark

 When it comes to housekeeping workers, back and shoulder strains can be significantly decreased by, literally, a drop in the bucket. 

Housekeeping workers often work with wheeled mop buckets that, when full, can weigh 50 pounds or more.  The buckets are easily filled with dispensing systems or a hose from a sink which doesn’t place a huge physical demand on the worker.  However, considerable stress and strain is put on workers when these buckets are emptied after use.  

 Emptying the buckets, typically in a closet with limited space, places significant forces on the shoulder joints and back.  Many housekeeping workers manually lift these buckets to a sink, or other elevated drain, to empty them.  When doing so, these workers are subject to awkward postures, including lifting and twisting.

An inexpensive solution to avoid costly shoulder and back strains is a drop in the bucket.  A small electric submersible pump (priced between $80 and $100), equipped with a short piece of hose, can be set in the bucket that needs to be emptied.  Pumping the water into the sink or drain will eliminate the heavy, manual lift, twist, and awkward posture.

 Be sure that the electric pump is plugged into a ground-fault circuit and that workers are trained on the proper use of the pump.  This practice is so effective in eliminating the unnecessary, heavy lift and twist that some companies have created policies enforcing the use of these pumps by housekeeping workers. 

Is Sitting Good for Your Health?

 Posted by Allan Brown

Inactivity (like sitting) has a profound effect on our bodies.  Sitting increases disc pressure by as much as 50% and reduces cardiac output.  It also affects our bodies at the cellular level, changing the production of certain proteins that contribute to our overall wellness. 

Believe it or not, the simple act of getting up and moving around plays a huge role in our overall wellness.  Research done by Marc T. Hamilton, Deborah Hamilton, and Theodore Zderic at the University of Missouri-Columbia, show our bodies are changing because of a decrease in movement throughout the day.  This non-exercise activity (moving around an office) is being greatly reduced in our daily routines because of technology and jobs that involve sitting for an extended period of time.  Our risk of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and cardiovascular disease appears to be on the rise because of our sedentary work habits. 

For example, the researchers compared energy expenditure and found brisk walking 5 days/week or running 35 miles/week produced less energy expenditure and fewer muscle contractions than high non-exercise activity, like standing and walking throughout the day.  Structured exercise does contribute to our overall wellness however non exercise activities like walking, standing and moving during daily activities collectively, contribute more to our overall wellness.  The energy expenditure :

• "Standing workers”: 1400 kcal/day
• Shop assistants or homemakers:  2300kcal/day
• Seated workers with limited movement : 700kcal/day. 

So, what can you do?  Get out of that chair and take stretch break.  Take a walk. Move the printer further from your desk. Consider standing for a portion of the workday.  Walk or bike to work.  Leave your office for lunch and take a walk after you eat.  Do not sit down when you go home.  Take a walk, stay upright against gravity, and increase your non-exercise activity. 

According to public health studies, we are awake on average of 16 hours per day.  How much of that day do spend sitting?  Decrease your hours in the chair and stay vertical.  It is okay to sit and lay down, but save it for after a good day of being upright!

 

See more with less? Yes!

 Posted by Allan Brown

Office environments are usually well lighted, and believe it or not, this poses some problems for the computer operator.  Offices have been around for a long time but the world of computers is relatively new.  Most offices today are equipped with computer workstations, and lots of light from fixtures above.   These overhead lights are left over from the days of paper pushing.   

Today’s office routines pass in front of us electronically.  Less is done on paper and more from our computers.  Viewing a computer in an over-lighted office environment increases the strain on our eyes, necks and shoulders.   The computer is a screen in front of us that contains its own light source.  Adding more ambient light in the room from above or from windows does not make the viewing any easier.  As the ambient light increases the contrast on the computer screen decreases.  The words and images are actually more difficult to see.  A typical response to improve the contrast by the user is to squint or move closer to the screen usually with a forward head posture.  Either of these accommodations will eventually lead to a cumulative trauma disorder (CTD). 

Squinting is accomplished by contracting the muscle around your eyes.  Prolonged contracting can lead to fatigue and achiness around the face and eyes as well as red eye.  Leaning into the computer screen with a forward head posture can increase the forces on the neck and shoulders possibly leading to headaches and neck pain.  In both situations the root cause has not been addressed.  Until the overhead light is reduced the unconscious behaviors of squinting and leaning will continue. 

Reduce the lighting from above.  Look at your screen and have someone turn the overhead lights off and see if this improves the viewing experience.  Shade your eyes from lights from above and see if the screen contrast improves.  Complete darkness is not the solution.  A 3-to-1 relationship has been considered a comfort range for lighting.  In other words, the computer should be 3 times brighter than the room ambient lighting.  Try to balance the lighting to this ratio with shading or filtering the light from above.  Properly balanced light will improve the comfort at your computer work station. 

Of course, paperwork still needs light.  Get a document holder and a small task light to shed light on the paper and anything else below or away from the computer screen.  And, for those of us who hunt and peck at the keyboard, there's an added benefit to having it lighted, too. 

Does my company need a written safety and health program?

 
Posted by John Dodge

This week a business owner asked me if he needed a formal safety program. His business employed 10 people and has been successful in preventing workplace injuries for several years. However, he felt some level of uncertainty about his informal safety and health efforts.

Following a brief discussion and a work site tour, it was evident that his organization had elements of a formal safety and health program: An organized workplace, well maintained tools and equipment, elimination of hazardous tasks, and availability of personal protective equipment.

I suspect that many business owners find themselves in a similar situation. They feel that they are doing enough to provide a safe workplace and if they have few injuries, why have a formal program?

I also suspect that some businesses owners feel as if their luck has changed- the informal safety efforts that have worked in the past are no longer working.

If you wonder why you need a formal safety and health program, start by asking these questions:

1. How do my employees know that I expect them to work safely?
2. How do I address unsafe work conditions before an accident or near miss?
3. Does management understand that they are accountable for safe work conditions?
4. How are employees trained to perform their job?
5. Do my employees participate in the safety and health process?
6. Am I compliant with regulatory safety and health requirements?

If you don’t have answers to these questions, a written safety and health policy will provide a definite course of action and a schedule of activities. There are various guidance documents available, but most will have these basic program elements:

1. Management commitment and employee involvement
2. Worksite analysis
3. Hazard identification and control
4. Employee training

To get started, I recommend MEMIC’s Seven Steps to a Safer Workplace guide. This document and other safety support materials are available on MEMIC’s Safety Director website.  You will quickly build a formal safety and health program and will eliminate any uncertainty about the effectiveness and consistency of your future safety efforts.   

The Best 60 Minutes of Aging Workforce Advice

Yesterday, our ergonomist Allan Brown led a webinar about the much-discussed topic of the aging workforce. (A recording of the one-hour webinar is available to MEMIC policyholders on our website.) This demographic reality enters nearly every conversation about the future of workplace safety and about workers’ compensation insurance.

And it should. After all, what’s the fastest growing age range in the work world? Here’s a hint: it’s not the just-out-of-school, first-real-job set. In fact, workers 65 or older now make up about 17% of the total workforce – up from 11% in 1988.

But what does that mean? Well, as Brown points out, physiological changes mean that as we age from our physical peak (in our 20s!), we suffer reductions in strength, endurance, cardiac output, flexibility, hearing and vision. Depressed? Well, hold on. Older workers offer lots of benefits as well. They have better attendance records, tend to be more flexible with time, have a lower turnover rate and bring their life experience to the job.

In general, older workers suffer fewer on-the-job injuries, though that can vary by industry. And, offsetting that fact, is the truth that older workers who do get injured miss more work when recovering. In fact, an injured worker age 65 or older will miss an average of more than 16 days while a worker aged 45-54 would miss about 8 days.

Older workers are nearly twice as likely to suffer an injury due to a slip, trip or fall than any other category of workplace injury. Almost half of all workplace injuries to workers 65 or older are the result of a slip, trip, or fall.

So, what can an employer do? Well, there’s more in the webinar but here are a few important ideas. First, understand the limitations that come with age. Tasks which require significant strength may not be appropriate for older workers. Significant repetitive tasks (due to reductions in endurance) may require more frequent rotation of jobs, or breaks. Beware of noisy environments in which older workers are unable to hear instructions as clearly. Address slip, trip and fall hazards with good lighting, handrails and keeping walkways clear.

For all of us, the alternative to aging is, well, not generally acceptable. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, consider the realities in the workplace. You can take actions and create systems that allow you to gain advantage of the benefits of experienced workers while significantly reducing the risk.

Watch "An Age Old Problem: Addressing Workers' Comp with an Aging Workforce" webinar now.

Is a Sit/Stand Workstation Right for You?

 Submitted by Allan Brown

Sit/stand workstations are becoming more popular in the office environment as they allow the user to change position throughout the day.  The primary benefit of a sit/stand station is to reduce worker fatigue through frequent postural change.  Sitting at a conventional office workstation increases the forces on the low back and standing, while reducing these forces, can also place the worker in a prolonged static posture.   While “off-the-shelf” sit/stand stations can be purchased in models that are electric, pneumatic, or manual, simply modifying an existing workstation can achieve the desired benefit.  There are several considerations when creating this type of workstation.

10 steps to a sit/stand workstation

1. First determine the worker’s neutral standing elbow height.  Have the worker stand comfortably erect and bend their arm at the elbow to 90 degrees.  Measure the distance from the floor to the elbow. 
2. Measure the worker’s eye height from the floor. 
3. Measure the thickness of the keyboard.
4. The worker’s elbow height minus the thickness of the keyboard will be the recommended height of the work surface.   Many cubicle workstations have adjustable height work surfaces with support brackets mounted in partition tracks.  
5. Ensure there is ample room on the work surface for the mouse and keyboard.
6. If the worker has normal vision, the top of the monitor screen should be equal to the eye height measurement.
7. If the worker wears corrective lenses, adjust the screen according to the prescription, i.e., bifocal wearers will need the screen lower than eye height to comfortably view the screen without craning their head back.
8. A document holder should be included to support documents at the same level as the monitor screen.
9. For intervals of seated work, provide a chair with enough seat pan height adjustment so as to maintain the worker’s elbow height in the same position as if they were standing.  Typically a drafting stool/chair will provide enough height.
10. A sturdy box or other platform device should be provided as a foot support to provide lower extremity support while maintaining the thighs parallel to the floor.  The stool/chair should have an adjustable base foot-ring adjusted to the same height as the box.  The box should be positioned approximately 5 inches inward (recessed) from the front edge of the work surface to allow for proper positioning of the chair when the worker is seated.