A Primer Based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders
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Elements of Ergonomics Programs A Primer Based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders |
Table 5. Determining priorities for job analyses and control actions
| Nature of available information |
| Priority and action | of WMSDs for persons in selected jobs |
but past plant records indicate WMSDs in select jobs or departments that have not changed |
cases, but worker complaints and symptom surveys suggest WMSDs in select jobs or departments |
of WMSDs, or complaints, but job screening and checklists suggest high risk factor potential in select jobs |
| Priority for followup analyses and control actions | Immediate need | Priority is second only to the need to address more current cases | Third in priority; resolving problems at an early stage is commendable | While last in priority, this effort is preventive; most positive of all actions |
| Type of followup job analyses needed | Perform job analyses to sort out and rate job risk factors for observed cases | Perform job analyses to sort out and rate risk factors for jobs with highest number or severity of past WMSDs and largest work group at risk | Perform job analyses to sort out and rate risk factors for jobs having frequent WMSD complaints and symptoms | Perform job analyses to sort out and rate risk factors for jobs with the highest problem potential (based on screening observations) |
| Focus needed for control actions | Control actions should be focused on reducing the highest rated risk factors in current jobs linked with the greatest number of cases | Control actions should be focused on reducing the highest rated risk factors in jobs with the highest number or greatest severity of past WMSDs for the largest work group at risk | Control actions should be focused on reducing the highest rated risk factors in jobs having frequent WMSD complaints and symptoms | Control actions should be focused on reducing the highest rated risk factors for WMSDs before any are reported |