Ergonomics

Overview

Ergonomics is the science of matching a job to a worker and the product to a user. The goal of ergonomics is eliminate injuries associated with the overuse of muscles and tendons, generally known as musculoskeletal disorders or MSDs. You may have also heard MSDs called overexertion injuries, cumulative traumas, repetitive motion injuries, or repetitive strain injuries.

MSDs account for more than half of all accepted workers’ compensation claims – a statistic that has not changed in decades. MSDs are also expensive to treat, and treatment costs rarely include indirect costs from increased employee turnover, absenteeism, and retraining.

Good ergonomic work practices prevent MSDs. Getting started with good ergonomics can be as simple as looking around the workplace, talking to employees, and asking the right questions.

To learn more about MSDs, see OSHA’s Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Workplace.

All available content

Publications

Apps-mobile/online
- Safe-lifting calculator
  Easy calculator for figuring out safe lifting operations.
  English
Brochures/Guides
- Construction ergonomics - Protect your back and your future
  Offers tips you can implement today to protect yourself and your workers from costly soft tissue injuries. Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of loss-time injuries for construction workers.
  English Order printed copy 10/19/2009
- Construction ergonomics - Protect your shoulders and your neck and Your Future
  Offers tips you can implement today to protect yourself and your workers from costly soft tissue injuries - specific to the shoulders and neck. Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of time-loss injuries for construction workers.
  English Order printed copy 10/19/2009
- Construction ergonomics: Protect your knees and your future
  Offers tips you can implement today to protect yourself and your workers from costly soft tissue injuries, specifically knee injuries. Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of time-loss injuries for construction workers.
  English Order printed copy 05/03/2010
- Easy ergonomics: a practical approach for improving the workplace
  Offers a simple, hands-on approach to workplace ergonomics.
  English 08/19/2005
- Ergonomics in construction and general industry
  Ergonomics is the applied science of designing the work to fit the worker. This brochure helps employers and employees with ergonomic solutions for construction and general industry work.
  English Order printed copy 11/16/2018
- Evaluating your computer workspace
  Describes how to evaluate a computer workspace and highlights solutions to ergonomic problems related to computer use.
  English Order printed copy 02/14/2008
- Understanding, recognizing, and solving ergonomic hazards in long-term care
  Learn how Oregon OSHA provides ergonomic assistance to long-term care facilities to help reduce care provider risk for strains and sprains.
  English Order printed copy 09/20/2022
Checklists
- Ergonomics
  Checklist for ergonomics - general.
  English
- Ergonomics: computer workstations
  Checklist for ergonomics - computer workstations.
  English
Fact sheets
- Sit-stand workstations
  Describes how sit-stand workstations can reduce health risks associated with prolonged sitting and standing.
  English 06/11/2014
Other
- 10 ergonomic improvements a contractor can make right now for little or no cost
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: construction
  English
- Banding coil handling
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: wood products
  Problem: An employee working at the bander was concerned about banding coil handling. Each strapping coil weighs about 85 pounds and has to be lifted from the pallet, carried to the reel and lowered onto the reel. The coils are difficult to grip and the task produces awkward trunk postures and forceful exertions, which are serious hazards. The NIOSH recommended weight limit for a job like this is about 35 pounds.
  English
- Best practices for nursing homes
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: health care
  Best Practices from consultation visits and other sources
  English
- Construction ergonomics
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: construction
  English
- Ergonomic tip sheet for concrete laborers
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: construction
  Problem: During concrete pumping laborers are frequently required to pull concrete filled hoses across rebar matting. There may be a dozen sections leading from the slick line to the pour site. It takes in excess of 80 pounds of force by each laborer to move these hoses. Pulling these hoses is difficult because latches on quick release couplings catch on rebar matting and hoses are heavy, creating friction and resistance to movement.
  English
- Ergonomics for women in the construction trades
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: construction
  Goal is to provide you with a better understanding of ergonomics in your job.
  English
- Paper wrap operator
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: wood products
  Problem: The paperwrap operator works at floor level and bends to staple the paper on the unit of lumber. The operator also holds the staple gun and repetitively squeezes the trigger.
  English
- Plywood putty patch line
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: wood products
  Problem: At the plywood mill, the putty patch operators fill holes and gaps in the surface veneer using putty guns. The operators repetitively squeeze putty gun triggers while reaching and twisting.
  English
- Pre-job planning
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: construction
  Problem: Back sprains and strains are the most common disabling injuries for construction workers. Working below the knees, working above shoulder height, doing repetitive jobs, and moving heavy things are common risk factors for ergonomic injuries.
  English
- Rail car loading
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: wood products
  Problem: Throwing cables Loaders use forceful and repetitive shoulder and arm exertions throwing the tiedown cables up over the top of the car and tightening down the cables.
  English
- Sander smoothing bars
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: wood products
  Problem: Our Ergonomics Task Force (initiated as part of our SHARP certification process) chose our Kimwood 8 head, 5 foot wide sander as an area where there is potential for injury due to poor ergonomics. The group evaluated work practices at the sander by video taping activities where operators perform physical tasks, and reviewed the tape in a group setting. From this, the removal and installation of 80 pound smoothing bars (as seen in the pictures) was identified as the task with the highest risk for injury.
  English
- Sawmill chop saw/debarker control room
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: wood products
  Problem: The operators twist their necks to the left to view logs on the log infeed deck and 180 degrees to the right to view the video monitor of the down stream conveyor. They lean forward to see the process, hit their knees on the controls, and have an extended reach for the controls. Also, the chop saw cuts directly in front.
  English
- Sawmill log scaling
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: wood products
  Problem: The employee bends repeatedly to measure logs.
  English
- Sawmill trim saw feeder operator
  Industry-specific ergonomic solutions: wood products
  Problem: The operator lifts and adjusts every board with the right hand and reaches back and twists to operate pedestal controls with the left hand.
  English
- The Advantages of Ergonomics
  Workers come in all different sizes. Ergonomics can help make the work more comfortable for the individual worker.
  English
Posters
- Protect your back and your future
  Tips for construction workers on preventing back injuries.
  English 03/05/2014

Education and training

Grant program
- Firefighter and Emergency Medical Services Ergonomics Curriculum
  English Grant program
- Safe Patient Handling in Health Care:
  English Grant program
- Safe Resident Handling Program
  English Grant program
Online course
- Curso en línea sobre ergonomía diaria
  During this program, you will learn about preventing musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace through the identification and control of risk factors.
  Spanish Online course
- Everyday Ergonomics online course
  During this program, you will learn about preventing musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace through the identification and control of risk factors.
  English Online course

Grant program
- How to prevent musculoskeletal injuries
  This guide is your tool for teaching forest workers and their families about the risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries from forest work, and at the same time, teach them about the actions that the worker can take to prevent them. The training is provided in English and Spanish.
  Training program English 12/30/2019
- Como evitar enfermedades osteomusculares
  How to prevent musculoskeletal injuries
  Esta guía es su herramienta para enseñarles a los trabajadores forestales y a sus familias sobre el peligro de desarrollar enfermedades osteomusculares en el trabajo forestal, y de igual forma, enseñarles sobre las acciones que el trabajador puede tomar para evitarlas.
  Training program Spanish 12/30/2019

Rules and rule-related

Program Directives
- Local Emphasis Program (LEP): Hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities
  Purpose: This instruction describes policies and procedures for enforcement efforts to reduce occupational illness and injury in hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities in NAICS 622 Hospitals, 6231 Nursing Care Facilities, 6232 Residential Mental Retardation, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities, 6233 Community Care Facilities for the Elderly, and 6239 Other Residential Care Facilities that are on the A or B tier of the Safety and Health scheduling lists.
  A-284 11/08/2022

Video Resources

Borrow from the Resource Center

Back Safety
See available titles
Borrow DVDs about Back Safety from the Resource Center
Ergonomics
See available titles
Borrow DVDs about Ergonomics from the Resource Center
Lifting
See available titles
Borrow DVDs about Lifting from the Resource Center

Watch Online

English
- Box Lifting 101
  Learn how to safely lift boxes and prevent injury.
  Length: English
- Easy Ergonomics for Caregivers grant project videos
  Easy Ergonomics for Caregivers, parts 1 and 2
  Length: English
- Firefighters and EMS Ergonomics grant project videos
  Firefighters and EMS Ergonomics, parts 1 and 2
  Length: English
- Safe Patient Handling in Health Care grant program video
  Applied ergonomics for nurses and health care workers and patient orientation.
  Length: English
- Smart Lift
  Stretching and smart lifting techniques can prevent soft tissue injuries in the retail industry.
  Length: English
- Soft tissue injury prevention in the grocery retail industry
  Impacting the possible occurrence of upper extremity soft tissue injuries in the grocery retail industry.
  Length: English
- To The Point About Ergonomics (TrainingVideoNow)
  When parts of our bodies are subjected to awkward positions, we risk the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Using proper work practice controls in both office and industrial settings can prevent these types of injuries.
  Length: English
- To The Point About Preventing Back Injuries (TrainingVideoNow)
  Our workplace is full of hazards, hazards that can hurt us or kill us. Controlling these hazards and preventing injuries is the point of our safety and health program. One such hazard is the risk of suffering a back injury due to improper lifting or poor posture.
  Length: English
- Work Smarter Not Harder grant projects video
  Developed by the Oregon Association of Nurserymen by a workplace education and training grant from Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (Oregon OSHA)
  Length: English
Spanish
- Al Punto Sobre Ergonomía (TrainingVideoNow)
  To The Point About Ergonomics (TrainingVideoNow)
  When parts of our bodies are subjected to awkward positions, we risk the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Using proper work practice controls in both office and industrial settings can prevent these types of injuries.
  Length: Spanish
- Al Punto Sobre Prevención De Lesiones En La Espalda (TrainingVideoNow)
  To The Point About Preventing Back Injuries (TrainingVideoNow)
  Improper lifting and poor posture can lead to a variety of painful back injuries. Practicing safe lifting techniques and maintaining neutral posture can prevent those injuries.
  Length: Spanish

Additional Resources

Computer Ergonomics for Elementary School (CERGOS)

Safe Patient Handling Pays Advisor

Oregon Coalition for HealthCare Ergonomics