risk management

One of the questions I am asked frequently is what do I think about job rotation as a method to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).  Instead of answering this question out right, let’s answer it based on a recent meta-analysis study which looked to determine the effectiveness of job rotation to prevent and/or control the risk of MSDs.  The study, Job Rotation Designed to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders and Control Risk in Manufacturing Industries: A Systematic Review, was published in the Applied Ergonomics journ

The CDC’s statistics regarding obesity in America is sobering when one considers the impact on our healthcare system and for employers who need to provide jobs that accommodate the physical characteristics that occur with obesity.  According to the CDC, the percentage of Americans adults over age 20 who are obese is 35.9%.  The percentage essentially doubles if t

I attended and presented at the ASSE’s Safety 2013 in Las Vegas a couple weeks ago.  Besides listening to other speakers and meeting new people, the one thing I really enjoy about the conference is the exhibit hall.  There are the usual products on display, such as various PPE (fall arrest systems, gloves, safety glasses, footwear, and then there are some new products that caught my eye.  Here are four that were new to me and definitely have an application in industry:

Everyone loves free stuff—especially if it of value and makes our lives easier.  I’m always looking for tools that can make my job and/or that of my clients’ easier and quicker to assess ergonomic risk.  Auburn Engineers offers free versions of three common ergonomic assessment tools—REBA, RULA and NIOSH lifting equation which they call eREBA, eRULA and eLift respectively. 

Why employees, even when they know the safety policy, they’ve been properly trained in the policy and even paid attention to it, still might consciously choose to take risks?  Part 2

Patient falls in healthcare settings has long been a problem that despite many attempts to solve still continues to happen all too frequently.  The solution most hospitals and long term care facililities have implemented in recent years are bed and chair alarms.

Have you ever brought up a new idea at work only to have it “shot down” before you could explain the reasoning and benefits of doing something different?  Or have you been the person who has “shot down” the new ideas?  Chances are we’ve had experience doing both.   Oftentimes we are very quick to put down new ideas because of our bias that new ideas mean more work with a less than certain outcome.  Based upon my experience in working for companies as an employee or as a consultant here the top 10 responses to new ideas that happen but shouldn’t.  Read the list and ask yourself are you sayin