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Participative Ergonomics

ErgoAnalyst is underpinned by the principles of participative ergonomics. 

Participative ergonomics is a process that reduces the risk of injury and maximises productivity in the workplace via active collaboration between operational, managerial and WH&S staff in a standardised process. This collaborative process harnesses the knowledge in the workplace and actively engages workers, managers and health specialists to produce effective solutions that achieve best practice in workplace design and processes. 

Note: Traditional manual handling courses that focus on lifting techniques do not reduce the risk of injury in the workplace.

Contact us today for the most effective ways to implement this system.

 

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ErgoAnalyst Process Cycle

The ErgoAnalyst Process Cycle systematically steps through the training, identification, assessment, control and documentation associated with the injury risk management process. Whilst these steps form a standard injury risk management process, the success of this process relies on the actions that are taken between each step (e.g. appropriate data collection, research on existing controls solutions, detailed action plans and simple documentation to communicate results). The ErgoAnalyst process and training is focused on enabling businesses to effectively and simply step through this process so that they systematically deliver controls that reduce the injury risk and maintain and/or improve the productivity of the business.

The ErgoAnalyst (EA)-SnapShot (displayed on the left of the process cycle) shows the task and its injury risk profile both before and after the control has been implemented, including the specific risk reduction calculations. It is also the primary way to communicate and share the solution both within the business and across the ErgoAnalyst community. 

Note: ErgoAnalyst members have access to a large database of these SnapShots of controls in the Members Area that have been successfully implemented by other ErgoAnalyst members, so they they can replicate the success of other businesses without having to 'reinvent the wheel'.

These EA-SnapShots are also the best measure of future injury risk reduction as they are lead indicators that will result in future improvements in injury risk reduction lag indicators like Lost Time Injury Frequent Rates (LTIFR).

Enlarge the ErgoAnalyst Process Cycle & SnapShot

The ErgoAnalyst process (printable version)

Purpose

It is essential to have an implementation strategy that is tailored to suit your particular business.

This plan should consider:

  • who is involved
  • how many tasks are to be assessed
  • where workshops are conducted
  • who will be trained
  • who the EA-Facilitators will be and how they will be trained
  • ensuring mangers and workers understand and support to the process
  • KPIs and targets
  • time and financial commitment

Business Requirements

  • develop a detailed implementation plan that is effective for your business
  • set implementation timelines and targets
  • ensure time and funds are adequate
  • present the system to managers and supervisors and get their support

ErgoEnterprises Support

  • ErgoEnterprises has helped many businesses, from small to global companies, develop ergonomic systems. Contact us today to ensure the smooth introduction and successful implementation of ErgoAnalyst in your workplace. 

 

1. Plan

Purpose

Appropriate training for both the ErgoAnalyst (EA)-Facilitators and workers is essential to ensure that the most effective solutions are developed.

EA-Facilitator training enables them to:

  • understand the real causes of injury so that they can effectively facilitate assessments and control workshops
  • deliver appropriate training to workers and managers in manual task risk management
  • develop effective facilitation skills
  • have the skills necessary to deliver results

Manual task risk management training given to workers and managers enables them to understand the process and participate in the ErgoAnalyst participative ergonomics system.

Business Requirements

  • choose EA-Facilitators and have them trained by ErgoEnterprises
  • allow the EA-Facilitators to train appropriate workers and managers

ErgoEnterprises Support

  • on-line training provided through the ErgoAnalyst system
  • in depth face-to-face training is also available to ensure even better results
  • note: traditional manual handling technique-based training (i.e. 'How to Lift') does NOT work!

 

2. Train

Purpose

A comprehensive list of potentially hazardous manual tasks across the business is essential for success. These tasks can then be prioritised according to:

  • the level of acute and cumulative injury risk
  • the number of workers exposed
  • how often the task is performed
  • the potential for controls to be developed in a short time period

Once this list has be developed, the highest priority tasks can be entered into ErgoAnalyst to be scheduled for assessment and control.

Business Requirements

  • develop a risk register of all potentially hazardous manual tasks
  • collect all relevant information on those tasks; for example, detailed task description, equipment details, photos and videos as required

ErgoEnterprises Support

  • ErgoEnterprises can audit your worksite to develop and prioritise a full list of potentially hazardous manual tasks

 

3. Identify

Purpose

The main aim of a risk assessment is not just to assess the risk, but to; help develop effective controls, evaluate those potential controls, and to determine how much risk reduction is being obtained compared to the expense of implementing that control.

The assessment tools provided by ErgoAnalyst:

  • include all risk factors (e.g. exertion, exposure, posture, movement patterns) and are able to calculate both the acute and cumulative risk
  • are simple to understand by all workers and visually represent the risk so that controls effectively targets the reals cause(s) of the risk
  • are quick to perform
  • can be easily accessed in a centralised searchable database

ErgoAnalyst does all this and more!

Business Requirements

  • EA-Facilitators can perform the risk assessment using the on-line and/or paper-based ErgoAnalyst risk assessment tools. They can also engage an appropriate working party (as required) to perform the risk assessment; including, workers, managers, engineers and specialist ergonomists as required
  • schedule time for the risk assessment to take place

ErgoEnterprises Support

The role of the assessor is to facilitate the risk assessment. It is an art perfected over time. ErgoEnterprises can help mentor and up-skill your EA-Facilitators so that they get the best results.

 

4. Assess

Purpose

Once the ErgoAnalyst assessment of a task is performed, a brainstorming process that focuses on controls that effectively target the main cause(s) of that risk (shown in the ErgoAnalyst risk assessment) is performed.

Through ErgoAnalyst, potential controls are then systematically evaluated for the viability of the control through a cost benefit analysis that compares risk reduction estimates (calculated by ErgoAnalyst) versus the expense of the control.

Once the best control option(s) have been selected then an action plan is put into place with accountabilities and timelines.

Business Requirements

  • review the solutions already developed and shared in the ErgoAnalyst-SnapShots
  • allow the working party to perform a control development workshop and analysis
  • allow time for potential solutions to be evaluated, researched, examined and trialled if required.
  • lock down an action plan for implementation

ErgoEnterprises Support

Facilitating the brainstorming and control refinement process requires skills that are developed over time. ErgoEnterprises can help mentor the EA-Facilitators as well as help with engineering solutions and searchable solutions in ErgoAnalyst. We are also constantly adding to the list of ErgoAnalyst-SnapShots that showcase the solutions already developed and evaluated by other ErgoAnalyst members.

 

5. Control
Development

Purpose

The control implementation phase is the most important part of the process. Until effective controls are in place there is no reduction in injury risk.

Action plans and KPIs are vital to ensure that potential controls are successfully implemented.

It is important to remember that some trialling of potential controls may be necessary.

Once the control is in place, the task should be reassessed using ErgoAnalyst to determine the risk reduction achieved and measure productivity improvements.

Business Requirements

  • ensure action plans are followed until the controls are in place and are effective
  • perform a post implementation ErgoAnalyst assessment to ensure that the acceptable level of risk reduction is achieved 

ErgoEnterprises Support

ErgoEnterprises has extensive experience in developing controls across a wide range of industries and, combined with our engineering background, we can help you develop effective controls. Just give us a call!

 

6. Control
Implementation

Purpose

Controls should reduce the risk of injury and should maintain or improve productivity.

It is important that any effective control be shared with the wider ErgoAnalyst community, so others can learn from you ... and likewise you can learn from them.

To do this, ensure all information and attachments (pictures, videos, etc) are complete in the system and consider letting the ErgoEnterprises team look over the task so that it can be shared via the ErgoAnalyst-SnapShots.

Periodic review of the task may be necessary so that it can be further improved in the future.

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly…
until you learn to do it well!

Business Requirements

  • ensure all information is in the ErgoAnalyst system and that you are getting the results you want
  • allow ErgoEnterprises to share the control via SnapShots with the rest of the ErgoAnalyst community

ErgoEnterprises Support

Let us know if you have a great solution. We can then generate the ErgoAnalyst-SnapShot for you to use to showcase your work within your business and to share it with the rest of the ErgoAnalyst community so that others can learn from you and we can share your success and promote your company's achievements with other ErgoAnalyst members.

 

7. Solved