Office Ergonomics Safety Guide

Identify ergonomic hazards in the office and take action.

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Section I Ergonomic Hazards in the Office Workplace

What is Ergonomics?
What are WMSD?
Why Is There So Much Commotion about Ergonomics?
What are the Common Symptoms of WMSD?
- Musculoskeletal Injuries
- Pain
How do Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) Occur?
How do WMSD Affect our Body?
- Joint Injury
- Muscle Injury
- Tendon Injury
- Nerve Injury
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Back Injury
- Prevention of Back Injury
What to Do if You Notice Symptoms of WMSD
How are WMSD Treated?
- Restriction of Movement
- Application of Heat and Cold
- Exercise
- Medication and Surgery

Section II Office Ergonomics Program

What is an Office Ergonomics Program?
How to Identify Ergonomic Hazards
How to Control Ergonomic Hazards
- Workstation Design
- Working in a Standing Position
- Work Organization
- Tool, Equipment and Furniture Design
- Manual Material Handling
- Work Environment
- Lighting and Vision
Ergonomic Aspects of Visual Display Terminals
- VDT Workplace Checklist
- Common Health Hazards
- WMSD Related to Using Computers
- Common Symptoms and Causes
- VDT Workstation Adjustment
- Using the Computer Mouse
- Selecting the Right Mouse
- Placement of a Computer Mouse
- Using the Telephone while Operating a VDT
- Radiation from VDTs
- Working with VDTs in a Standing Position
- VDT Workplace?Job Design
Office Safety
Exercises to do in the Office
Education and Training

Section III Ergonomic Regulations, Standards and Guidelines

Canadian Standards
International Standards

Section IV Occupational Health and Safety Legislation

Canadian Legislation
US Legislation

Section V Information Sources

Canadian
US

Appendices

A1: Sample Ergonomics Survey Questionnaire
A2: Sample Health Survey
A3: Sample Ergonomic Checklist

Single book:: $20.00 $20.00 ^*

Format:: PDF

Language:: English | French

Description

Designed and written as a practical workplace training and reference tool. This 121-page pocket guide is filled with clear-language text including safety tips, charts, diagrams, checklists and illustrations.

Objectives

This guide will enable you to:

Develop an understanding of the basic elements of office ergonomics;
Identify tasks that can potentially cause work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) and other injuries to the muscles and joints;
Develop an ergonomics program and set goals for your workplace; and
Focus on problem solving through employee and management involvement.

Scope

This guide is applicable to office work and covers factors that contribute to compatibility between workers and office work. It covers ergonomic aspects of the workstation, work organization, the work environment and recommended safe work practices.

This guide will assist in the development and implementation of office ergonomics programs. For employee training sessions, it is a practical handout for participants.

Target Audience

This guide is for managers, supervisors, workers, people working from their homes, occupational health nurses, occupational therapists, chiropractors, health and safety representatives and health and safety professionals.

Each publication produced by CCOHS undergoes several stages of review. As part of this review, representatives from government, employers, and labour are requested to comment on draft copies of CCOHS documents for technical accuracy and readability.

Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy and completeness of the information, it is understood that CCOHS makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of such information and assumes no liability for any damages or loss suffered as a result of any inaccuracy or incompleteness therein.

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CCOHS publications are unique in that they are developed by subject specialists in the field, and reviewed by representatives from labour, employers and government to ensure the content and approach are unbiased and credible.