Author: Jennifer Sinkwitts, Sr. Director of Communications

This week, Patrick Flavin, a VelocityEHS-sponsored professional golfer, and Velocity’s Jeff Sanford, a board-certified professional ergonomist, sat down to answer the question, “Does professional golf have anything in common with ergonomics?” 

Patrick and Jeff agreed, “It certainly does!” 

The pair met up at the Ambassador Golf Course in Windsor, Canada, where Patrick was preparing for the BioSteel tournament on the PGA Tour Americas golf tour. As it turns out, the same principles that drive success on the golf course are must-haves for ergonomists and EHS professionals tasked with managing effective and sustainable ergonomics processes. Both rely on expertise and data-backed technology.  

Expertise is Critical to Performance 

Neither golf nor ergonomics is a solo sport. What makes someone a pro in either field is having the right support system to help you learn, grow, and coach you. Both Patrick and Jeff rely on experts to back them up. 

“I have had so many people help me achieve my goal of winning on the PGA tour,” says Patrick. 

His journey has largely been shaped by his  

• parents, who put his first golf club in his hands at age 11 and traveled across the country with him attending tournaments and observing top-performing players. 

• swing coach, Louis Sauer. They have worked together for over ten years, and Louis has dedicated immense amounts of time and energy to help Patrick improve every aspect of his game.  

• high school golf coach, Paul Harris, and his college golf coach, Zac Zedrick. Both significantly influenced Patrick; they were tough, demanding excellence on and off the course. They taught him the nuances of the game and instilled in him the importance of acting with class and poise.  

• Miami University Sports Psychologist, Dr. Jim Slager. To this day, Patrick still seeks Dr. Slager’s guidance. He has been instrumental in enhancing Patrick’s mental game and providing him with the tools to navigate the challenges of professional golf. 

• sponsors, like VelocityEHS. “I am so appreciative to have a partner who believes in me and whose values match my own. It allows me to travel all over the world, to compete in every event, and to give myself the best chance to earn my PGA tour card,” said Flavin. 

“Developing an environment where people feel excited to grow, safe to fail, and better able to deal with what comes next is a lot like building an ergonomics team,” says Jeff. “Surrounding yourself with a supportive team is the first step to improving the workplace.” 

In the world of ergonomics, that includes  

• training a cross-functional group to support the process, 

• getting them excited to learn what good workplace design looks like, 

• understanding how to assess and prioritize jobs that put workers at a high risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder injury, 

• working with experts at a facility to learn how to improve jobs and implement fixes, and 

• being able to pivot in the face of changes or challenges.  

Expertise is key to making a good improvement stick. There are many ergonomics risk assessment tools on the market that use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Some are solid tools, while others leave much to be desired in the effort to reduce risk. What makes a software tool successful is that it was developed by certified experts and backed by science.  

“Having a valid risk assessment tool with thresholds tied to the most recent and relevant research is vital to the process of risk assessment and risk reduction, says Sanford.”   

The VelocityEHS team includes researchers like Blake McGowan and Rick Barker, both board-certified professional ergonomists with decades of experience. Their expertise is embedded in the VelocityEHS Industrial Ergonomics software to enable EHS professionals to identify areas of concern in the workplace and fix them. 

Another key to embedding that expertise into the Velocity software is the team of AI scientists behind it, led by Dr. Julia Penfield, VP of Research & Machine Learning. She leads a multi-disciplinary group of AI and ML experts that includes partners from the University of Michigan, University of Toronto, Rutgers University, and biomechanical specialists from the University of Cincinnati. Pull it all together and you have an ergonomics “golf bag” stacked with the best tools to execute your health and safety goals!  

Technology and Data Amplify Expertise to Deliver Results 

The value of cutting-edge technology was another area where Patrick and Jeff found common ground. In both golf and ergonomics, the right tools can provide strategic advantages that reduce risk and greatly increase your chance of success.  

Technology essentials in Patrick’s golf bag, besides his clubs, include a TrackMan and rangefinder. These devices can work together to assess his swing and impact on the ball, as well as collect data points on the ball’s travel distance, spin, launch angle, height, and aspects of the golf club itself (attack angle, club path, face angle).  

When used correctly, the data highlights areas where he needs to focus during practice, improving his performance. “Data is vital to performing at a high level, especially on a new golf course with varying weather, altitude, and course conditions,” explains Patrick. “I also use the data to compare myself to other PGA tour players, identify areas for improvement, test new equipment, and make changes to my swing.”    

Another key piece of technology for Patrick is the Titleist ProV1x golf ball, which he has used exclusively since college. According to Patrick, “It provides the best performance. It flies higher and with more spin than most other golf balls on the market, which is exactly what I need according to my TrackMan data.” 

Just as golfers rely on tech to master their sport, ergonomists, and other EHS professionals tasked as workplace improvement experts, have powerful tools at their service. One game-changing example is Velocity’s new 3-dimensional (3D) model for motion-capture in the Industrial Ergonomics software. Launched this summer, it allows users to conduct ergonomics assessments more quickly and effortlessly. This tool enables extremely fast and accurate risk assessment of a job task, providing expert results without requiring you to be an expert yourself.  

“I wish I had a tool like our 3D assessment that could assess my golf swing and fix it as quickly as we help our customers identify and control risks for their workers,” says Jeff. 

Ergonomics is more than just assessments, however. It encompasses managing and sustaining the entire process: training workers, collecting the right data to make informed decisions, and implementing effective changes to drive exceptional outcomes for both frontline workers and the business.  

Velocity’s patented AI tools are revolutionary, enhancing efficiency and making people safer, faster. But without a robust management database to collect, sift, and sort the data, users would face the daunting task of refining an immense pool of information—millions or even trillions of data points—to find what will help them make informed decisions.  

In golfing terms, imagine each blade of grass on your favorite golf course is a data point, and one sliver of grass has the secret sauce to making a hole in one. If you had to find it, where would you start? Velocity’s ergonomics assessment tool crunches the data for you so you can prioritize and achieve your results in record time. 

Be sure to follow Patrick as he makes his way through PGA Tour Americas, with hopes of landing a spot on the Korn Ferry Tour—and then on to the PGA!  And stay tuned to www.EHS.com for expert updates and news on the latest technological advancements in industrial ergonomics.

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After going through all the work of assessing your workspaces for musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk, gathering the data and discussing possible positive changes to make, you’ve completed the initial steps of implementing an affective ergonomic process within your organization. GREAT!  

You and your team have selected a robust ergonomics software system that allows you to prioritize jobs to be analyzed; the risk assessments are complete; there’s buy-in from leadership and stakeholders; proper communication/training has been delivered to all affected personnel; and you’ve implemented the approved solutions for mitigation.  

You’re all set!  

Wrong!  

The Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle

Ergonomics is not a “one and done” approach. Approaching ergonomics with an attitude like this can result in stagnant activity towards your ergonomic process, which can lead to an increase in newly developed musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) or have a negative impact within the organization’s production.  

It’s more valuable to look at your ergonomics process through the lens of continuous improvement, with the Plan-Do-Check-Act model. This model operates as a continuous cycle, from the planning of an ergonomics process, through implementation, evaluation and further adjustment, then returning to the planning stage for further improvements. Striving towards a continuous improvement approach will help ensure the sustainability of the ergonomics process. Performing follow-up assessments consistently after implementing solutions can improve productivity, performance, and overall well-being of operators. 

Maintaining a Successful Ergonomics Process

When conducting a follow-up assessment, follow these ideas to maintain a successful ergonomics process.  

Gather Feedback from Operators  

• Ensure that the new solution does not create additional barriers for the operators.
• Survey the operator(s) in the newly ergonomically designed environment after a few weeks of implementation.
• Determine if any new MSD risk factors have been created due to the new intervention. Is the workflow impacted? If so, how?
• After gathering feedback, discuss the findings with the ergonomics team and leadership, and develop action items as needed.  

Measure the Effectiveness of the Implemented Solution  

• Generate productivity and medical surveillance reports to compare the data before the intervention and after.
• Establish a plan as to what reports to review and when.
• Determine the return on investment by visiting the VelocityEHS ROI calculators. 

Maintain Communication and Involvement 

• Reinforce the objectives of implementing ergonomics within the workplace to leadership and employees.  
• Share success stories of completed solutions implemented.  
• Address challenges discovered from follow-up evaluations.  
• Provide training and awareness as new team members are welcomed into the organization. 

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Presented by Josiah Allen, CPE, CSP, VelocityEHS Senior Solutions Consultant, the “Our Ergonomics Assessment is Done. Now What?” session of the 2024 Ergonomics Virtual Conference was a direct conversation on what organizations need to do after completing a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk assessment on a job/task. While many people believe an ergonomics assessment is the primary activity in an ergonomics program, the real work is in the follow-up and what you do to reduce the risks you’ve identified.  

So, What is Next in Your Ergonomics Process?

Prioritize Jobs/Tasks

After completing MSD risk assessments on the jobs and tasks in a facility, it’s important to review the risk scores and see where employees are hurting the most. Are there several jobs with high MSD risk scores in one section of the facility? Do employees working on those tasks have high risk scores in specific body segments? Note where the highest collection of risk is and focus on reducing those risks first to create the biggest positive impact quickly.  

Root Cause Analysis

While there are multiple ways of conducting a root cause analysis, this session highlighted the fishbone diagram, which systematically traces back from the unwanted event (an injury) through distinct categories of possible contributing factors, such as material, method, measurement, environment, machine, and people. This method of analyzing a task and its risk creates a clear understanding of the source and gives an idea of the improvements needed to address it. 

Develop and Prioritize Ergonomics Improvements

When developing ergonomics improvements, it’s important to remember the Hierarchy of Controls, as the type of control implemented has a direct impact on its eventual outcome. Simply creating a standard operating procedure and telling people to do something differently won’t create lasting widespread change. It’s vital to consider the engineering of the job task and how it can be easily changed to eliminate the risk, instead of just telling people to avoid performing a task in a certain way to reduce their MSD risk.  

Get Buy-In for Ergonomics Initiatives

What does any organization want to know for them to sign off on something? How much will it cost? What will the return-on-investment be? Communicating the cost justification for ergonomics to executive leadership focuses on improvements in productivity, quality, injury/illness avoidance rates and employee engagement. When it comes to getting buy-in from the folks on the floor, they care about how they’ll be impacted, how their jobs will be easier to do, and that they’ll be able to live healthier, more comfortable lives.  

Continuous Improvement in Ergonomics

Ergonomics is not a one-and-done thing, nor is it only about completing assessments–it’s a continuous process of improvement to ensure that employees are as safe and healthy as possible at work. Embracing the Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle ensures ongoing refinement, safeguarding employee safety and well-being.  

Watch the on-demand session for yourself and see how you can create the greatest positive impact on your organization’s ergonomics process, and then take a look at the other available sessions from the 2024 Ergonomics Virtual Conference.  

The post Our Ergonomics Assessment is Done. Now What?: Ergonomics Virtual Conference Session Recap appeared first on VelocityEHS.

In this year’s VelocityEHS Ergonomics Virtual Conference, the second session of the day, hosted by Rick Barker, CPE, CSP, and presented by Blake McGowan, CPE, shared the key points of Communicating the Value of Ergonomics to Business Stakeholders.

This presentation shared the language and metrics you should use to communicate with stakeholders, highlighting how ergonomics adds value, enhances operational and financial performance, and improves employee well-being.  

McGowan explains in the session that, “ergonomics aligns the workplace with people’s capabilities, yielding improved employee well-being and enhanced business performance.” 

Implementing a strong ergonomics process at any scale can have a huge positive impact on employees and the organization, but the effort required for such a program is often hard to validate to C-suite members. 

Bridging the Communication Gap 

Business stakeholders often lack awareness of the benefits of ergonomics due to ineffective communication. Data bridges this gap, being the language of the C-suite, showcasing connections between implementing ergonomics and positive outcomes like reduced absenteeism, turnover, injuries and more. And it’s important to keep in mind that C-suite folks are busy, so being able to share that hard data quickly and effectively makes a big difference. 

Communicating Strong Ergonomics Data  

Read on to learn the most influential statistics shared in the session, and then watch the session on-demand to learn how these results were achieved.  

After implementing a facility-focused ergonomics initiative, sites found: 

• 35% reduction in first-aid cases 
• 50% reduction in modified duty cases 
• 75% reduction in long-term sickness absences 
• 23% reduction in casual absenteeism 
• 93% reduction in the duration of long-term sickness absences 

After implementing a participatory ergonomics corporate initiative, organizations found: 

• 70% reduction in ergonomics recordable injuries 
• 50% reduction in lost-time cases 
• 50% reduction in workers’ compensation claims 
• 25% reduction in lost-time claims costs 

Watch the session now and take a look at the other insightful sessions from the Ergonomics Virtual Conference.  

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Carhartt successfully reduced its OSHA recordables by over 50% through implementing an ergonomics program. Recognizing the importance of proactive safety measures, Carhartt’s U.S. Safety Manager, Scott Harper, and Safety Specialist, Ashley Arvin, spearheaded efforts to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) resulting from poor postures, high forces, and repetitive movements in their stitching, sewing, and finishing manufacturing facilities.

Understanding the significance of engagement and buy-in from leadership to associates, Scott and Ashley collaborated with various stakeholders to identify where opportunities for improvements existed. They chose to partner with VelocityEHS using the Industrial Ergonomics Solution due to its comprehensive training and educational components, AI-driven assessments, and expert support. Despite initial concerns about associate engagement, the program quickly gained interest from them as they witnessed its success, causing the associates to actively participate in assessments and suggest process improvements.

Read the full case study on Carhartt’s commitment to workplace safety, coupled with strategic implementation of an ergonomics program. Discover how they reduced injuries while strengthening employee engagement and morale, paving the way for long-term success with a culture of care and worker engagement in health and safety.

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We recently published a case study sharing the story of how Parker’s Kent Campus, successfully reduced its recordable incidents by implementing an ergonomics program. The Parker corporation has a continuous improvement focus on safety, which includes an ergonomics program, in addition to other safety initiatives. Since its fiscal year (July 1–June 30) 2019, Parker has reduced its recordable incident rate by 45%, where the Kent campus helped to contribute to this success.

Shasta, Safety Manager at Parker’s Kent campus, led an initiative to reduce the total recordable incident rate by incorporating Parker’s ergonomics program with VelocityEHS Ergonomics. They formed teams involving safety personnel, engineers, and lean experts, while also engaging employees to understand job difficulties. Through data collection and collaboration, they identified improvement opportunities across the campus. By changing workplace conditions and educating employees through e-learning, they have reduced recordable incidents by 92% since 2019. Shasta credits their success to employee involvement, small changes, and taking the process one step at a time.

Read the full case study and discover how the Parker’s Kent campus went about making safety fun while improving employee engagement and proactively reducing workplace risks.

The post New Case Study—Parker, Kent Campus: How They Reduced Recordable Incidents by 92% Using Ergonomics appeared first on VelocityEHS.

In industrial environments, it’s important to take the time to properly assess the workplace for musculoskeletal disorder (MSDs) risks which can lead to sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries. While nothing beats the accuracy of performing a quantitative assessment using VelocityEHS Industrial Ergonomics, our ergonomists created a simple observation-based list of easily identifiable, common risks you can (and should) always keep an eye out for.

The 10 movements or postures that our ergonomists call the “Ergonomics Hit List,” can directly contribute to the development of MSDs and should be fixed immediately.

This Ergonomics Hit List is a foundational resource for the most problematic movements that contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders, which are noticeable without any special tools or technology. But it’s important to note that leveraging technology allows you to measure and prioritize MSD risk, make appropriate changes that address the root causes, and verify and track improvements.

Discover what VelocityEHS Ergonomics can do for your organization with its powerful combination of interactive online training, AI-driven assessment tools, embedded expertise to help identify and control root causes, and an innovative ergonomics management database. Your organization will have everything necessary to deploy, monitor, and manage a sustainable ergonomics process, from one to hundreds of locations.

The post The Ergonomics Hit List®: A Simple Tool to Identify Issues in the Workplace appeared first on VelocityEHS.

Becoming a true Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) is no small feat. It’s not like you “majored in ergonomics in college,” or “had a job doing ergonomics one summer.” It takes years of school, practice and devotion to become a CPE. But those who have that devotion enter a fulfilling career that helps organizations build cultures of continuous improvement for employee health and productivity.

Requirements to Become a Certified Professional Ergonomist

In order to become a CPE, you need to have obtained a Bachelors degree; apply for and recieve your Associate Safety Professional certification from the Board of Certified Professional Ergonomists; complete 3 years’ worth of work in the field of ergonomics; prepare and present work samples from time in the field to the BCPE board; study for 3 months and take a 3-hour exam. 

After passing the exam, you are a certified professional ergonomist. To maintain their certification, CPEs must submit their Continuance of Certification requirement to the BCPE board every five years.

This involves a completing a worksheet documenting their professional activities in at least 2 of 5 areas (amounting to a minimum of 100 points) over 5 years – working as a certified ergonomist; receiving or providing ergonomics-related training; providing ergonomics-related services to societies, committees or standards development activities; publishing ergonomics-related articles, papers or internal/external company reports; attending or participating in ergonomics-related professional conferences/meetings.

Why is it so important to be a Certified Professional Ergonomist?

Gaining CPE status demonstrates that the individual has undergone rigorous training, acquired necessary knowledge, and demonstrated proficiency in applying ergonomics principles to various work environments. It signifies a commitment to upholding high standards and best practices in ergonomics, contributing to the advancement of the field. 

But being a certified professional ergonomist is not just about a title or a credential; it’s about improving people’s lives by ensuring the workplace is designed to fit the worker.

Keeping people safe from MSDs through implementing good ergonomics isn’t just the job of a CPE, it’s their vocation. 

The post What It Truly Means to be a Certified Professional Ergonomist appeared first on VelocityEHS.

Since the 1990s, the field of ergonomics has experienced a remarkable evolution in assessing musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk using simple, paper-based assessment tools and helping organizations reduce MSDs in the workplace. For example, the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) have long been considered easy-to-use assessment tools. They’re simple and straightforward, and provide you with a nice, clean number for your risk level when you’re done.

However, they’re based on research from the 1980s (40+ years ago now) and were specifically designed for conducting assessments from manual observation, which means that they had to be over-simplified and don’t immediately give the clearest, most accurate result. So, why are so many EHS professionals still relying on these older tools?

The Dusty “Olds” of Ergonomics Assessments

The level of ergonomics knowledge in the 1980s, when REBA and RULA were developed, actually only represents 10% of today’s current knowledge with MSD risk assessment tools. While the two tools aim to simplify posture identification and categorization, their roots are in office ergonomics, focusing on task-based jobs, service and healthcare industries, rather than heavy manufacturing or chemical environments. This means that the assessment of industrial tasks (and forceful exertions) are over-simplified and under-measured. RULA and REBA were widely regarded as ”go-to” tools for identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing risks. Despite the incredible technology-related advancements that have occurred since their development, EHS professionals are still consistently using these old tools that have serious gaps.

Blind Spots of RULA and REBA

It’s important for EHS professionals to understand that there are several concerns with the repeatability and reliability of RULA and REBA, and each tool has nuances to note for maximum effectiveness. Peer-reviewed, cross-sectional research studies (observational studies that analyze data from a representative subset at a specific point in time) suggest RULA and REBA do not show strong correlations with lower limbs, back, shoulder or hands MSDs. The tools also may not accurately differentiate between postures, raising concerns about their ability to prioritize and quantify risks effectively. The importance of understanding these blind spots is emphasized for practitioners aiming to make informed decisions in their assessments. Although RULA and REBA remain prominent tools in ergonomics assessments, professionals need more than just easy tools, especially ones that don’t accurately assess and address MSD risk.

How to Fill in the Gaps Left by RULA and REBA

There have been 35+ years of new research since the development of RULA and REBA, and many new tools based on this modern research. There are also many new technologies that make it easier to capture biomechanical risk factors for the development of workplace MSDs, which are beyond the capabilities for manual observation. There’s a better way.

Innovations in ergonomics management systems like VelocityEHS Industrial Ergonomics provide incredible support and assistance to organizations. With interactive online training, AI-driven assessment tools, expert-led onsite implementation workshops and improvement events, and a powerful database to deploy, monitor and manage ergonomics processes across hundreds of locations, organizations can easily improve their health and wellness of their people.

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The human psyche and workplace ergonomics work in a balance, and fostering open communication is the linchpin that can elevate the entire process to new heights. With deliberate and open communication, you can have a transformative impact when engaging with operators on a personal level. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the art of meaningful dialogue during ergonomic assessments and explore two pivotal questions that can make all the difference.

Unveiling the Operator’s World: “What’s the most difficult part of your job?”

In the realm of ergonomics, understanding the intricacies of an operator’s daily challenges is akin to unlocking a treasure trove of insights. Asking the question “What is the most difficult part of your job?” invites operators to share their experiences, allowing ergonomics specialists to pinpoint the exact pain points that may not be evident through traditional assessments.

The answers to this question can go beyond the physical, showing that the ergonomics process is not just about identifying discomfort; it’s about understanding the holistic impact of their job on their well-being. Armed with this knowledge, ergonomics interventions can be tailored to address that physical strain that represents the most significant burden to the operators. Furthermore, it represents an important chance for the operators to voice their concerns and participate in the ergonomics assessment.

The Power of Empathy: “How can I help you?”

While technical assessments provide valuable data, the missing link lies in the emotional connection with the operators. The question “How can I help you?” is a beacon of empathy that goes beyond just a traditional ergonomics evaluation. It communicates a genuine desire to understand and support, creating a bridge between the technicalities of ergonomics improvements and the human experiences of the operators. 

Operators, often accustomed to facing challenges alone, are now invited to actively participate in creating a healthier work environment. This question fosters a sense of shared responsibility, breaking down the perceived barriers between the specialists and the operators. 

Asking the operators about the improvements they would like to have or see in their work environment is a key message that communicates how important they are. Don’t forget – operators are the specialists in their jobs! 

Crafting Ergonomic Solutions

Incorporating the insights gleaned from these crucial questions into the technical assessment is where the magic happens. This holistic and technical lens allows for a more nuanced understanding of the operator’s needs, going beyond the surface-level symptoms to address the underlying factors contributing to discomfort.

By combining operators’ experiences with our technical view, we ensure that solutions aren’t just functional, but resonate with the human experience. This holistic approach results in interventions that not only reduce physical strain but also contribute to a positive psychological climate within the workplace.

Transformative Ergonomics Through Human Connection

In the dynamic field of ergonomics, the collaboration between specialists and operators is a symbiotic relationship. Through open dialogue and empathetic questioning, we bridge the gap between the technical and the personal, creating ergonomics solutions that resonate within the human experience. It is in these moments of genuine connection that we pave the way for a more comfortable, supportive and enriching work environment.

Written by Ricardo Massola, VelocityEHS Ergonomics Consultant

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