722 Ergonomics Program Management

Employee Involvement

They include:

• enhanced worker motivation and job satisfaction,
• added problem-solving capabilities,
• greater acceptance of change, and
• greater knowledge of the work and organization.

Worker involvement in safety and health issues means obtaining worker input on several issues.

• The first input is defining real or suspected job hazards.
• Another is suggesting ways to control suspected hazards.
• A third involves working with management in deciding how best to put controls into place.

Employee participation in an organization's efforts to reduce work-related injury or disease and ergonomic problems may take the form of direct or individual input. A common involvement process is participation through a joint labor-management safety and health committee, which may be company-wide or department-wide in nature. Membership on company-wide committees includes union leaders or elected worker representatives, department heads, and key figures from various areas of the organization.

Increasing Worker Involvement

To increase worker involvement in identifying and solving ergonomics-related issues in the workplace, management must show commitment. To do that, it's most important to make sure an ergonomics program is a formal (written) part of the safety and health management system. Management can do that by:

• developing ergonomics policies, programs, process, procedures and safe practices;
• sharing information about ergonomics and the results of inspections and workplace analysis;
• training both in ergonomic hazard recognition and control through active participation and group problem solving; and
• recognizing employees who participate in ergonomics as well as other safety activities.

No single form or level of worker involvement fits all situations or meets all needs. Much depends on the nature of the problems to be addressed, the skills and abilities of those involved, and the company's prevailing practices for participative approaches in resolving workplace issues.

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