Evaluate Ergonomics Efforts
Healthcare facilities should evaluate the effectiveness of their ergonomics efforts and follow-up on unresolved problems. Evaluation helps sustain the effort to:
- reduce injuries and illnesses
- track whether or not ergonomic solutions are working
- identify new problems
- show areas where further improvement is needed
Evaluation and follow-up are central to continuous improvement and long-term success. Once solutions are introduced, OSHA recommends employers make sure they are effective. Various indicators, such as OSHA 300 and 301 information data and workers' compensation reports, can provide useful data at this stage, as can other techniques, such as employee interviews.
For example, after introducing a new lift at the facility, the employer should follow-up by talking with employees to ensure the problem has been adequately addressed. In addition, interviews provide a mechanism for ensuring that the solution is not only in place, but is being used properly. The same methods used to identify problems in many cases can also be used for evaluation.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-7. _____ and _____ are important to continuous improvement and long-term success in an ergonomics program.
You forgot to answer the question!