Ergonomics for Fire and
EMS Departments
Ergonomic Hazard Analysis
University of Oregon
Labor Education and Research Center
This material has been made possible by a grant from the
Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division,
Department of Consumer and Business Services
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Today’s Workshop
We will:
• Review the definition
of ergonomics
• Review
musculoskeletal risk
factors
• Step through the
process of conducting
a hazard analysis
2
What is Ergonomics?
Worker
Task/job Environment
The goal of ergonomics is to design the
job to fit the worker
NOT make the worker fit the job.
3
Musculoskeletal Risk
Factors
Excessive force/weight
Awkward postures
Prolonged postures
Repetition
Contact Stress
Temperature extremes
Vibration
Risk magnitude is increased by
time, intensity, or combining factors
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Activities of
Fire/EMS workers
Firefighting
Training /
Drills
EMS
Operations
5
Common Activities
Involving Ergonomic
Hazards:
Fire Fighting
•High rise fires
•Ventilation and
overhaul procedures
•Hose laying
operations
•Ladder work
•Forcible entry
•Extrications
•Extended procedures 6
Common Activities
Involving Ergonomic
Hazards:
Training
•Hose rolling
& Drills
•Carrying heavy equipment
•Physical exertion
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Common Activities
Involving Ergonomic
Hazards:
EMS Operations
•Patient extrication
•Patient
transportation
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Some Perspective…….
• NIOSH Guidelines:
Load limit for lifting: 51 lb
Spine compression force: 764 lb
• Spine compression forces for patient
handling activities:
– Pulling 105 lb patient (with bedsheet)
from bed to stretcher: 832-1708 lb
– Carrying 105 lb patient down stairs
using stretcher: 1012-1281 lb
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Ergonomics Program
Elements
• Assessment of musculoskeletal hazards
• Prevention and control of musculoskeletal
hazards
• Training
• A medical management system
• Procedures for reporting injuries
• A plan for the implementation of the program
• Methods for evaluating the program
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Why Do A Job Hazard
Assessment?
• Each job has actions that stress the body
• Stress takes a number of forms
•Physical: muscles,joints, nerves
•Environmental: heat, cold, noise
or vision
•Psycho-social/organizational:
scheduling, emotional trauma,
poor supervision
• Recognizing hazards is the first step
toward injury prevention
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What is a Job
Hazard Assessment?
•Breaking each specific job
down into elements
•Identifying conditions within a
job that contribute to risk
Performed by person with
ergonomics training
– Safety committee members
– Line personnel 12
Steps to an Assessment
1. Identify and prioritize
jobs/tasks
2. Break down each job
into discrete tasks
3. Study and assess
each task
- Determine the specific
risk factors for each task
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1. Identify and Prioritize Jobs
Identify jobs where:
– Work-related injuries have occurred previously
– Frequent non-severe or severe injuries occur
– Past injuries result in restriction from doing job
– Workers leave because of inability to perform physical
requirements of job
– Workers have difficulty sustaining quality performance
doing job
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– Workers complain of pain, fatigue, discomfort that does
2. Break Job Down into Tasks
List components of doing a job
such as when handling a patient:
• Lift patient from bed on to
stretcher
• Secure patient on stretcher
• Transport patient from
house to ambulance
• Lift patient into ambulance
• Secure patient in 15
ambulance
3. Perform Assessment
Be a DETECTIVE !
Observe:
– Worker performing task
– Work environment
– Work tools and equipment
– Work organization
– Task demands
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3. Perform Assessment
(cont.)
Record observations using:
– Check lists
– Photos
– Video analysis
– Interviews
– Small group
discussions
– Symptom surveys
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3. Perform Assessment
(cont.)
– Measure workstations
• reach distances
• work surface heights
– Measure tool
• size
• weight
• does it vibrate?
• grip
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Consider the Worker
What are the What body parts are
worker’s physical being stressed?
limitations? Neck
Age Low back
Height Shoulders
Fitness level Knees
Previous injuries
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Consider the Work
Environment
Is the work environment
ergonomically advantageous?
patient home emergency room
ambulance
nursing facility
fire station
community
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Consider the Job/Tasks
Do you have the right tools
and equipment for the job?
Are they designed to minimize
stress?
Are all the steps necessary to
complete the task? Why? Are
there other ways to complete
the task that are more safe?
Do you have the needed
personnel to do the job safely?
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What and Why Analysis
Job: Carrying medical
supplies on every call
Say your department uses
a hard pack that weighs
12 pounds empty…
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What and Why Analysis
• What are the steps involved in doing
this task?
• What body parts are under stress?
• What specific risk factors are present?
• Why must it be done this way?
• What are some things that can be done
to reduce or eliminate the risk factors?
• What is the cost of this solution?
• What are barriers for this solution?
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Potential Solution
Alternate Medic Packs
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The What and Why
Analysis
The dreaded single wide
mobile home
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Floor Plan
• 240 pound, 78 yr old woman
• Fell in master bedroom, is not ambulatory
• Back door blocked
• Need to transport her to hospital
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Review and Conclusions
Musculoskeletal injuries result when
risk factors occur alone or in
combination.
Job hazard analysis is a tool for
examining and assessing tasks that
place workers at risk for
musculoskeletal injury.
Hazard analysis is the first step in
finding ergonomic solutions and 27
preventing injuries.
? ? ?
Questions and Evaluation
?
Thank you for your attention
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