Are Your Workers Moving Naturally and Comfortably Performing Their Tasks?
You don’t need a medical degree to predict worker injuries caused by poor ergonomics. Watch your maintenance staff perform common tasks to see if they look comfortable and move naturally. If their daily chores put them in awkward physical positions or require repeated motions, it’s worth talking about better ergonomic tools and techniques.
The three biggest risk factors for maintenance staff injuries, according to Ergonomics Plus:
- High-effort actions like lifting heavy objects or pushing heavy carts can cause musculoskeletal injuries even in generally strong people. Simple machinery and motorized, automated equipment like dumpster tugs should be preferred.
- Awkward stances or motions cause extra stress on the muscles and joints. For maintenance staff, this often includes reaching above the head, bending over, and carrying or pushing items without the ability to hold the arms at a natural position.
- Repetitive tasks can build up an injury risk, and the risk worsens if the task requires strength or a non-ergonomic (awkward) position.
Assess Ergonomics for Reduce Worker Injury Risks
Talk to staff and observe their daily duties for signs of the risk factors above. Changes to consider: rotating jobs throughout the day and adjusting or changing equipment to make repetitive tasks easier and more comfortable.
Some aspects of janitorial work simply require too much physical strength to be done safely — like manually pushing a dumpster on wheels across a parking lot or ramp.
Battery-powered equipment like dumpster tugs provide the best injury prevention for the high-force, awkward task of maneuvering a loaded waste container. Contact DJ Products to explore our variety of dumpster tugs and cart pushers that improve ergonomics and productivity.