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Effective Ergonomics Training

Identifying and solving workplace MSD problems require some level of ergonomic knowledge and skills. Recognizing and filling different training needs is an important step in building an effective program.

For ergonomics, the overall goal of training is to enable managers, supervisors, and employees to identify aspects of job tasks that may increase a worker's risk of developing MSDs, recognize the signs and symptoms of the disorders, and participate in the development of strategies to control or prevent them.

The educational component of ergonomics training ensures employees are well informed about ergonomic hazards so they can actively participate in identifying and controlling exposures. To be "well informed," includes knowing why using ergonomically safe procedures is important.

Employers may opt to have outside experts conduct ergonomics education and training. If so, the outside instructors should first become familiar with company operations and relevant policies and practices before starting to present the training. Tailoring the instruction to address specific concerns and interests of the worker groups can enhance learning.

Ergonomics Awareness Training

The objectives for ergonomics awareness training are as follows:

Recognize workplace risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders and understand general methods for controlling them.
Identify the signs and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders that may result from exposure to such risk factors, and be familiar with the company's health care procedures.
Know the process the employer is using to address and control risk factors, the employee's role in the process, and ways employees can actively participate.
Know the procedures for reporting risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders, including the names of designated persons who should receive the reports.

Training in Job Analyses and Control Measures

The objectives for training in job analyses and control measures are as follows:

Demonstrate the way to do a job analysis for identifying risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders
Select ways to implement and evaluate control measures

Training in Problem Solving

The objectives for training in problem solving are as follows:

Identify the departments, areas, and jobs with risk factors through a review of company reports, records, walk-through observations, and special surveys.
Identify tools and techniques that can be used to conduct job analyses and serve as a basis for recommendations.
Develop skills in team building, consensus development, and problem solving.
Recommend ways to control ergonomic hazards based on job analyses and pooling ideas from employees, management, and other affected and interested parties.

Special Considerations and Precautions

Training objectives are not intended to have workers, supervisors, or managers diagnose or treat MSDs. Rather, the purpose is to instill an understanding of what type of health problems may be work related and when to refer employees for medical evaluation. The training should include what is known about work and nonwork causes of musculoskeletal disorders and the current limitations of scientific knowledge.

Training should be understandable to the target audience. Training materials used should consider the participants educational levels, literacy abilities, and language skills. This may mean, for example, providing materials, instruction, or assistance in Spanish rather than English.

Open and frank interactions between trainers and trainees, especially those in affected jobs, are especially important. Employees know their own jobs better than anyone else and often are the source of good ideas for ways to improve them. At a minimum, employees must be given an opportunity to discuss ergonomic problems in their jobs as they see them and engage in relevant problem-solving exercises during the training.

The Seven-Step Safety OJT Training Model

Step 1. Introduction. State and discuss the learning objectives and answer any questions the employee may have. Discuss the acceptable standards of knowledge and performance. Tell the trainee what you’re going to train. Emphasize the importance of the procedure to the success of the production/service goals. Invite questions. Emphasize the natural and system consequences of their performance. The natural consequences describe the hurt or health that automatically results. The system consequences are those consequences the organization applies as a result of an employee's performance; discipline or positive recognition.

Step 2. Trainer shows and tells. In this step the trainee becomes familiar with each work practice and why it is important. Review the initial conditions for the procedure. Demonstrate the process, carefully explaining each step as you go. Answer questions and continue to demonstrate and explain until the employee understands what to do, when and why to do it, and how to do it.

	Trainer:	EXPLAINS and PERFORMS each step.
	Learner:	OBSERVES each step and QUESTIONS the trainer.

Step 3. Leaner tells - Trainer shows. This step is necessary when exposure to hazards inherent in the procedure could cause serious harm. It protects the trainee because the trainer performs the procedure. The trainee explains the procedure to the trainer, while the trainer does it. This gives the trainer an opportunity to discover whether there were any misunderstandings in the previous step. The trainee also responds to trainer questions.

	Learner:	EXPLAINS each step and RESPONDS to questions.
	Trainer:	PERFORMS each step and QUESTIONS the trainee.

Step 4. Leaner shows and tells. The trainer has the trainee do it. The trainee explains the step, gets permission to perform the stem and then carries out the step. This step is very important when training tasks that might result in serious physical injury or death if not performed correctly. The learner may try to perform the task too quickly, increasing the probability of an injury. Requiring permission helps prevent this from happening.

	Learner:	EXPLAINS the step, gets PERMISSION and then PERFORMS each step.
	Trainer:	Give PERMISSION and OBSERVES each step, ask QUESTIONS as the trainee performs.

Step 5. Conclusion. Recognize accomplishment - “Good job!” Reemphasize the importance of the procedure and how it fits into the overall process. Tie the training again to accountability by discussing the natural and system consequences of performance.

Step 6. Document. Training documentation should be more than an attendance sheet. See the sample training certification document on the next page. It represents one possible way to document training. Strong documentation includes:

Trainee’s and trainer’s name.
Date of training.
Subject(s) being trained - procedures, practices, related policies, rules, etc.
Certification - trainee and trainer signatures.
Trainee statement of understanding and intent to comply.
Trainee statement that he/she was provided opportunity to practice.
Trainer statement that testing of knowledge and skills was conducted.
Trainer statement that student demonstrated adequate knowledge and skill.

Step 7. Validate. At some point in time after the conclusion of the OJT session, observe and question the employee to validate that the training has been successful and that the employee has developed a proper attitude related to the work.

Source: OSHA