Effective injury prevention is both an art and a science.
A balance must be achieved between the human element in work performance as well as the measurable results of ergonomics and process improvement.
Ergonomics – The Science of Injury Prevention
Ergonomics is defined as, “…the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.” (International Ergonomics Association)
The employer has the responsibility to provide a safe work environment free of safety hazards and ergonomic risk factors. The work design needs to account for all shapes and sizes of people and take into account the capabilities and limitations of the human body.
Ergonomics is the science of injury prevention.
People – The Art of Injury Prevention
Keeping employees and their families safe and healthy at work and home needs to become an integral part of the organization’s DNA. When employees see management accepting responsibility and building a culture of prevention and wellness, they are more likely to accept responsibility for adopting good health and safety habits.The goal of occupational health and safety (OHS) programs should be to build a prevention culture that eliminates injury risk and promotes overall health and wellness of all employees.
While I believe that ergonomics is a very important part of MSD prevention, this approach is not enough on its own. My 20 years of experience has taught me that people are at the core of effective management and prevention of “workplace” disorders. Risk factors associated with the person, as well as with the workplace, must not be overlooked.
Successful OHS programs adopt a “whole person” strategy for injury and illness prevention, building a prevention culture by integrating a good mix of organizational activities and programs designed to support healthy lifestyles along with workplace hazard elimination.
Leading people is the art of injury prevention.
Check out the rest of the MSD Prevention 101 series.
