Workplace accidents cost the employer and the employees a lot of money. An employee who sustains an injury at work may be placed on disability while the employer pays for the injured party's care. Understanding workplace ergonomics and developing strategies to reduce the likelihood of employees falling victim to ergonomic hazards is the only way to mitigate the above problems. Risk management strategies can help reduce ergonomic risks in the workplace.

Preliminary Hazard Analysis

Professionals in occupational safety and health (OSH) undertake an initial risk investigation using a preliminary hazard analysis (PHA) to reduce health risks at work. PHA assists occupational safety and health professionals by detecting potentially hazardous events that could lead to accidents, classifying risks according to their severity, and taking control and preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of a risk occurring (Leedeo Engineering, 2021). Another advantage of PHA is that it is used by OSHA as an advanced screening program to determine the potential impact of health problems associated with specific work activities (Aloqaily, 2018). For instance, OSH experts can use PHA to identify the occurrence of an ergonomic risk associated with airline luggage handling that can seriously damage baggage handlers' rotator cuffs and frequently necessitate surgery. Thus, Recognizing and comprehending these potential effects would enable OSH specialists to suggest danger mitigation to safeguard workers' health and well-being.

Risk Assessment Process

An organization should do an ergonomic risk assessment in the workplace to design methods to reduce occupational injuries, including but not limited to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDS) (Proactive MD, 2019). To conduct a risk assessment, ergonomic hazards at work must be found, analyzed, prioritized, and ranked. For instance, there is a danger of ergonomic hazards for airline luggage handlers due to the surroundings. To avoid this issue in this scenario, the business performs a risk assessment. To create a baseline, the organization must first analyze the available data on ergonomic risks (Proactive MD, 2019). The team will then examine information like workers' compensation files, first aid reports, and occupational injury reports connected to airline baggage handling that have happened on the job.

The risk assessment team will then choose the best tools to examine the data they gathered in step one. Since they are connected to injuries related to airline baggage handling, the team may use several instruments like the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) or Hand-Arm Vibration Calculator (HAV). The team will acquire and analyze subjective data that is obtained in real-time and integrate it with data that has been reported over a specific period, such as three, six, nine, or twelve months. Analysis and evaluation of the data are the next steps. The risk assessment team will integrate their subjective and objective data, classify the results into themes, and then conduct the risk assessment. Finally, the group needs to rank the ergonomic risk factors according to the likelihood of damage and the seriousness of harm (Proactive MD, 2019). As a result, the findings of the paper will impact and inform suggestions for future injury prevention measures.

Regulations/Standards/Guidelines that Apply to Ergonomic Hazards at A Workplace

According to HESIS (2001), repetitive motion injuries (RMI) are a common occupational hazard that is covered by the Cal/OSHA ergonomics standard. This requirement is valid, for example, when there is a connection between RMIs at work or when RMI has harmed at least two employees whose jobs are at least 50% repetitive action-related to the ergonomic hazard (HESIS, 2001). Suppose, for instance, that the business wants to assess the reliability of RMI among airline baggage handlers. If it impacts at least 50% of the airline baggage handlers, the risk assessment team should take that into account because that would support the claim that the issue is an ergonomic hazard.

As an alternative, a key rule for applying ergonomic risks in the workplace is to ascertain whether the issue has been brought up with the employer in the last 12 months. OSH experts ask an employer if they have data on RMI reports in their database. Employers can assess the reality and gravity of the problem with this information. Because of this, employers should always record and save such information for later use.

Abatement Strategies to Reduce the Risks Associated with The Identified Ergonomic Hazard

Employers can help to lessen ergonomic risks in the workplace. For instance, companies can decrease RMI by enhancing work schedules to ensure that employees spend the least amount of time doing the same duties. Consider the scenario when the airline's luggage handlers work 8-hour shifts. The company ought to have enough employees to rotate every hour. The staff who handle baggage will rotate frequently, allowing them to rest their wrists and backs before starting the duty. Employee well-being may be hampered if this method is ignored due to weariness and repetitive activity.

Employers should conduct regular refresher training to remind employees how to manage luggage to reduce RMI. For example, it is important to remind luggage handlers to load large bags close to the cart's opening (The Division of Workers' Compensation, n.d.). With this strategy, you reduce the risk of wrist or back injury from lifting with extended arms. In a similar vein, refresher training could use visual aids like PowerPoint presentations or role-playing, where employees who are prone to injury can learn and be reminded of how to reduce the ergonomic danger identified previously.

The organization should invest in the R&D division to redesign luggage carts so that workers don't lift and stack luggage beyond shoulder height (The Division of Workers' Compensation, n.d.). In this case, the company should set minimum and maximum stacking heights. Anyone who violates the rules will suffer the repercussions; in the worst instance, this may result in termination to safeguard the person's health and well-being.

Promoting Safety by Example

Management can encourage workplace safety by reminding employees of reporting procedures. To encourage employees to report any ergonomic dangers they encounter; the paperwork needs to be simplified. In addition, management should address ergonomic hazard issues directly rather than merely dismissing employee complaints. Consider the following scenario, The manager reports at least two instances of staff members experiencing wrist discomfort, shoulder pain, or back pain as a result of their jobs. In that situation, management should engage an expert to restructure the work process in the workers' favor. Finally, management should provide an excellent example to show how adhering to workplace policies can help workers avoid injury. To reduce ergonomic risks, for instance, managers should abide by the norms and recommendations. The personnel will probably imitate what their employers do, which will contribute to a safe work environment.

The Process to Create a Participative Safety Culture

Finally, a safe workplace culture that encourages participation is also a factor. Informing the stakeholders about a safety culture's definition, aims, and goals is the first step in developing a participatory safety culture. Second, employers need to involve all parties affected by safety issues in decision-making. In this case, those who handle luggage as employees or supervisors should be involved in developing a better way to reduce occupational injuries. The organization should then put the modifications into practice and keep an eye on the results for any adjustments or corrections.