MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

Often occur when the physical demands of work cause wear and tear Involve soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels They are cumulative (occur over time and not a result of a single incident): Work-related musculoskeletal disorders

Broken bones Cuts Slips Falls Trips Motor vehicle accidents Being struck by or caught with objects They are not acute injuries such as:

Hazards Work operations are necessary in many industries such as welding, construction, manufacturing, maintenance, etc. Welding has several hazardous conditions for women and men in these jobs.

WMSD Hazards Worked-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) hazards such as: awkward body postures, lifting heavy equipment or materials, static postures for prolonged periods, awkward postures of the wrist, etc.

Common disorders Back injuries Shoulder pain/loss of range of motion Tendinitis/Bursitis Reduced muscle strength White finger Carpal tunnel syndrome Knee joint diseases

By Nature of Injury Sprains account for more than 1/3 of the compensable claims among welders in the State of Washington. Some of those could be caused by hazardous WMSD exposures. WA State-funded compensable claims Welders, Cutters, Solderers

WMDS hazards most common in work Rigorous manual precision requirements ◦High degree of uniformity Awkward and static postures ◦Difficult work position Heavy lifting, difficult material handling ◦Heavy objects, heavy welding equipment Repetition ◦High work intensity  OFTEN, MORE THAN 1 RISK FACTOR IS PRESENT 

Hazard Elements Duration (how long?) Frequency (how often?) Intensity (how hard?)

Working in front Working at ground level Working above the shoulders Working at ground level, precision work Working at ground level, confined space Working above shoulders, confined space ‡From: Torner et al, 1991 Common postures adopted in welding

Awkward postures in work Severe torso flexion Torso twisting Kneeling, squatting Bent wrists Neck flexion/extension Shoulder flexion/abduction (separation )

POSTUR DUDUK

MANUAL HANDLING

HAZARD ERGONOMI & BIOLOGI

Hazard human error

MUSCULOSKELETAL DISSORDERS Repetition of work High Risk Repetition Rates by Different Body Parts Body Part Repetitions Per Minute Shoulder More than 2½ Upper Arm/Elbow More than 10 Forearm/Wrist More than 10 Finger More than 200 From Kilbom Å [1994]. Repetitive work of the upper extremity; Part II: The scientific basis for the guide. Int J Ind Erg 14:59–86.