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Archive for the ‘Workplace Ergonomics Legislation’ Category
The European Commission has announced a new consultation on the Working Time Directive (WTD), in a bid to create greater flexibility around working time laws for staff.
The consultation, which runs for six weeks, is the first step in a planned “comprehensive review” of the directive.
Issues likely to be discussed include:
- Working hours – in particular the opt out of the 48-hour limit
- ‘On-call’ time
- Flexibility on the averaging of weekly working hours
- Flexibility on the timing of minimum daily and weekly rests
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a downloadable tool to help businesses and organisations reduce the likelihood of their employees suffering from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) of the upper limbs associated with repetitive tasks.
MSDs are the most common occupational illness in Britain affecting more than 500,000 people every year and are often linked to repetitive work tasks such as packing on a production line or the regular use of hand tools.
The Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) tool, developed by the HSE and Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL), can help identify where the significant risks lie, suggest where to focus risk reduction measures and help prioritise improvements.
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, as amended in 2002 (‘the Regulations’) apply to a wide range of manual handling activities, including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying. The load may be either inanimate – such as a box or a trolley, or animate – a person or an animal. This guidance gives useful practical advice for employers, managers, safety representatives and individual employees on how to reduce the risk of injury from manual handling.
What’s the difference between a VDU, a VDT, a monitor and display screen equipment (DSE)?
There isn’t one. All these terms mean the same thing – a display screen, usually forming part of a computer and showing text, numbers or graphics. This booklet gives advice on health and safety in working with such screens. It covers both conventional (cathode ray tube, TV-style) screens and the newer flat-panel displays such as those used in portable computers. The advice in this blog pot applies to the whole workstation, job and work environment, as well as to the VDU, keyboard and other equipment.
Reduce accidents and ill health and increase productivity by fitting the task to the worker.
You may have heard of the term ‘ergonomics’. This is sometimes referred to as ‘human factors’. Not everyone really understands what ergonomics is, what it does, or how it affects people. This leaflet will help to answer these questions and to explain how understanding ergonomics can improve health and safety in your workplace.
Is ill health due to upper limb disorders a problem in your workplace?
A survey carried out in 1995 estimated that in that year, half a million people in Great Britain were suffering from a ULD due to their current or past work. On average, each sufferer took 13 days off work in that year. ULDs can be a serious problem, but it is possible to tackle them effectively by managing the risks. You are more likely to succeed if you tackle them in partnership with your workers.
A risk assessment is an important step in protecting your workers and your business, as well as complying with the law. It helps you focus on the risks that really matter in your workplace – the ones with the potential to cause real harm. In many instances, straightforward measures can readily control risks, for example ensuring spillages are cleaned up promptly so people do not slip, or cupboard drawers are kept closed to ensure people do not trip. For most, that means simple, cheap and effective measures to ensure your most valuable asset – your workforce – is protected.
Ergonomists consider all the physical aspects of a person, such as:
• body size and shape;
• fitness and strength;
• posture;
• the senses, especially vision, hearing and touch; and
• the stresses and strains on muscles, joints, nerves.
Ergonomists also consider the psychological aspects of a person, such as:
• mental abilities;
• personality;
• knowledge; and
• experience.
By assessing these aspects of people, their jobs, equipment, and working environment and the interaction between them, ergonomists are able to design safe, effective and productive work systems.