The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with MooreCo, Inc. announced a voluntary recall of the Spine Align and Posture Perfect Ergonomic Office Chairs.  Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

The legs of the chair can break, posing fall hazard to the user.  The company has received five reports of the legs of the chairs breaking, resulting in three minor injuries and in the aggravation of an existing back injury.

This recall involves the Spine Align and the Posture Perfect Ergonomic Office Chairs with model numbers 34571 and 34556 respectively. The base of the chair is made of hard plastic and the chair has no marks or labels. Chairs bearing marks or labels are not included in this recall. The model number is found in the packaging.

These chairs are sold through catalogs and online by United Stationers, Staples, S.P. Richards, and W.B. Mason from December 2007 through October 2009 for between $320 and $650.

Consumers should stop using the recalled chairs immediately and contact MooreCo for a free repair or a replacement chair.  For additional information, contact MooreCo toll free at (888) 446-5161 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit the company’s Web site at www.chairrecall.com

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The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) recently published a Position Statement on Ergonomics (http://www.aiha.org/news-pubs/govtaffairs/Documents/ErgonomicsPositionstmnt100509.pdf ). The main purpose of the paper was to communicate their position regarding the role and benefits of ergonomics in the workplace and to encourage the development of ergonomic regulations and standards.

The reasoning behind supporting the adoption of these regulations is that they provide well designed jobs and processes for the workplace. Here is a summary of the benefits listed in the statement:

• Enhanced safety and health program performance
• Improved quality and productivity
• Reduction in errors
• Heightened employee morale
• Reduced compensation and operating costs
• Accommodations of diverse populations., including those with restrictions or disabilities

The AIHA stated that while ergonomic guidelines are effective when followed, not all companies are adopting sound ergonomic strategies. Based on this, they support the development of ergonomics-related reporting, regulations and standards to encourage a more consistent approach to ergonomics across industry.

The AIHA also supported private and government funded research in the field of ergonomics. While many studies have been conducted on ergonomics, there still is a need for the development of assessment tools and best practices, as well as additional research on work place exposure and risk for musculoskeletal disorders.

One of the major arguments that the AIHA puts forth to support this additional regulation are the costs of musculoskeletal injuries to our economy. These costs can sometimes be overlooked. However, the negative impact still exists from higher compensation costs, and lost wages and productivity, to name just a few. It is estimated that the ‘costs’ of not addressing ergonomics in the work-place is about 50 billion dollars annually.

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Chairs made in China and sold by Office Depot Stores have been recalled due to fall hazard by Raynor Marketing.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

150,000 of the Quantum Realspace PRO™ 9000 Series Mid-Back Multifunction Mesh Chair and Multifunction Mesh Chair with Headrest were sold through Raynor Marketing LTD, of West Hempstead, N.Y.  The manufacturer is Comfort Office Furniture, LTD, China aka Evergood Co. Ltd.

The bolts attaching the seat back on the recalled chairs can loosen and detach, posing a fall and injury hazard to consumers. Raynor has received reports of 33 seatback detachments and 14 injuries involving bumps and bruises.

This recall involves the Quantum Realspace PRO™ 9000 Series Mid-Back Multifunction Mesh Chair SKU # 510830 and the Quantum Realspace PRO™ 9000 Series Mesh Chair with Headrest SKU # 690690. The Realspace PRO™ Mesh Guest Chair is not involved in this recall.

These chairs were sold Exclusively at Office Depot stores nationwide and on the Web at www.OfficeDepot.com from May 2006 through August 2009. The mid-back chairs sold for about $300 and the chair with headrest for about $350.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled office chairs and contact Raynor to receive a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information and to receive a free repair kit, contact Raynor toll free at (866) 244-8180 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.Quantumchair.com/recall

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting: https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at:

www.cpsc.gov.

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More often than not in the course of conversation about my beloved profession the question comes up these days about OSHA , safety, and where it is all headed under the new administration. I have come to the conclusion that my answer is “we are on the verge of a Perfect Storm”. Let me put the factors in motion for you. When the actual Perfect Storm occurred around Halloween of 1991 it was a culmination of three significant weather related events. These events were a low pressure system, a Hurricane, and a high pressure system. I am seeing the same thing today with what is going on with OSHA.

The Low Pressure System - The life cycle of OSHA:

In it’s heyday of the 70’s the agency was new and aggressive and grew to its peak in the Carter administration with almost a “crazed activist” demeanor. During both terms of Reagan and the George H.W. Bush term the agency was still powerful and responsible for such new regulations as Hazard Communication, Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), Respiratory Protection, and several others.

It wasn’t until the two terms of the Clinton administration that we saw the agency begin to mellow and drift from its origional mission. If you will recall it was Al Gore who proposed a more “mature” OSHA focused around creative partnerships with business and industry and it was only at the midnight hour of the Clinton administration when the poorly written Ergonomic standard was shoved out the door so the George W. Bush administration would have time to kill it, and be blamed for its demise.

Many now refer to OSHA as the toothless tiger and the EPA has significantly upstaged it on the “Fear” meter over the years with a much greater potential of seven figure fines and jail time for business owners and leadership.  As OSHA is preparing to turn 40 years old many are calling for a complete overhaul of the organization.

The Hurricane - The Recession:

This current economic downturn has become a storm like many businesses have never seen before. Many were not prepared, or simply hit so hard that no amount of preparation would have protected them from its wrath. Employers are hurting. Many are failing and don’t have the luxury of the government jumping in to prop them up through this storm.

Contrary to what some believe, the majority of employers are not the bad guys.  They want to do what is the correct and ethical thing.   But in these struggling economic times many have been forced to throw anything they possibly can overboard just to stay afloat. In many instances this may include their occupational safety and health personnel and programs.  Right or wrong it was a decision that had to be made.  After all, worker’s compensation premiums and OSHA fines are not what is nipping at the business owner’s heels.  It is payroll, cash flow, lost sales, and creditors.   A close friend and Safety Director for a major corporation made a comment to me the other day that when you are consuming all your financial resources to bail the boat, you are not too concerned about your safe boating certification. 

The High Pressure System – Obama Administration:

Enter the “New OSHA” under the direction of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis. Ms. Solis has been an outspoken critic of OSHA for some time and has made it clear under her direction OSHA is about to heat up enforcement and promulgate new standards. In a speech given by Solis in April she made the following statements.

“Under my watch, enforcement of our labor laws will be intensified to provide an effective deterrent to employers who put their workers’ lives at risk. OSHA and MSHA will be about workers — not voluntary programs and alliances.”

Then Jordon Barab, Solis’ pick to run OSHA (for now) who’s opinions and thoughts are easy to find and read due to his five year diatribe on safety, OSHA, and his antipathy toward the republican party on his blog that he calls “confined space“.  It is quite possible that he could be the most radical and aggressive OSHA leader since Eula Bingham during the Carter administration. OSHA under Barab has already committed to an increased budget, adding over a hundred new enforcement officers and the rapid development of over a half a dozen new regulations. There is strong congressional action as well that would increase the monetary amount of OSHA fines as well as the likelihood of jail time for individuals for specific OSHA violations.

Convergence:

As these three factors begin to converge I suspect the worst possible scenario. What was once viewed by many as pretty much a toothless tiger is rapidly evolving into a hungry beast with an attitude. Employers distracted by other issues and in a survival mood being caught unaware and unprepared now become the victim of their own ignorance and the changing winds of this growing storm.

I don’t have a crystal ball but from my perspective some of this is pretty obvious. Expect much more aggressive enforcement of OSHA regulations. We are already seeing it on a federal level with more utilization of willful and repeat penalties that are carrying the maximum allowed fines.Look for significant increases in criminal prosecution of business owners and senior leadership when it comes to work place fatalities, catastrophes, and serious injuries. Just a few weeks ago a California business owner was given nine months in jail and ordered to personally pay nearly $250,000 in restitution due to two workers falling through skylights during roofing work.    I am afraid these types of stories are going to become more commonplace when employers are forced to make hard decisions in order to keep their business afloat as they stretch their resources even thinner. If businesses don’t have the capital then they can’t replace aging machinery and processes, they will be forced to cut back on preventive maintenance, personnel, equipment and training. We will begin to see more catastrophic events such as the ConAgra explosion in North Carolina, the ammonia leak in Kentucky and many others.

Recently a colleague of mine was telling me that his neck had been really hurting at night.  He also mentioned that reclining back with traction had really helped.  When I asked him what he thought had been the cause of the pain he did not really know.  The focus was on how to get rid of the pain, versus what actually was causing it.  This is a common pitfall for many employees experiencing repetitive-use aches and pains.  What pill or stretch can I do to relieve the pain?  I think the more important question should be what caused the pain in the first place?

If the cause of the pain is not addressed, then eventually it will return (like when you stop taking the pain medication).  In the case of my colleague, we determined that his laptop computer was most likely the culprit.  It was positioned too low, causing him to bend his neck forward to view the screen.  A simple laptop riser alleviated his pain, without the use of traction or an anti-inflammatory.

So the next time either you or your employees are complaining of an ache or pain, look beyond the simple fix of just stopping the pain, to the root cause of it.  Once the cause is identified and fixed, the pain should be too!

One concern that employers are hesitant to bring up when starting an ergonomics program is “will my employees start to report more injuries if we start to talk about ergonomics?”  This is a legitimate issue that should be addressed up front.  Many times there are ergonomic related aches and pains that have been occurring prior to the start of the ergonomics program.  These aches and pains if left unaddressed will eventually turn into a full blown repetitive use injury.  So the answer to above question is, maybe. 

A better way of looking at the reported concerns is that you now have the ability to fix the problem before someone gets an OSHA recordable injury, and before anyone else get injured.  Typically the cost to fix the concern is relatively minor compared to the costs of the workers compensation insurance and operator replacement.  Then on top of all of that, the job still needs to be fixed so no other employees become injured.

Many of you are already incorporating ergonomic improvements into your work environment.  One area that you may not have considered for ergonomics is in your home.   Ergonomic injuries can occur just as easily at home as at work, but your company’s health insurance pays the medical costs regardless of where the injury occurs. 

So, here are a few ideas to consider when at home:

• Is your home office set up with ergonomics in mind?  Your office at work most likely has been set up to prevent ergonomic injury.  Often people will spend hours at home on the computer either surfing the net or getting caught up on e-mail. If the work station is not set-up to keep the body in a neutral ‘safe’ posture, you may be inadvertently causing a CTD.
• When you are lifting heavy objects (like bags of mulch, heavy grocery bags, or landscaping bricks) are you using a safe technique?  Pulling the bag or object directly in front of you and using a stoop/squat to lift will keep your back protected.  In addition, consider how heavy the object is before you start the lift.  If the object weighs more than 20 pounds, you may want to consider a two-person team lift to reduce the chance of a back injury.
• In the kitchen, make sure that the blades of can openers and cutting tools are sharp (reduces the amount of force needed) and use electric equipment whenever possible.  Food processors decrease the hand intensive repetitive motion used in chopping, shredding, and slicing.  Many kitchen tools now have ‘ergonomic’ designs which incorporate large, cushioned handles to minimize the strain on hands during use.  Keep frequently used kitchen tools within close reach to reduce the need for repetitive bending, reaching, and lifting.  This is especially important with heavy appliances and pots.
• Take a look at your posture when you are watching TV.  If your low back is unsupported or you are putting a twist in your spine, you may end up with a sore back when you get up from the couch.
• And finally, evaluate your back and leg posture when driving your car.  Make sure that your low back is firmly supported by the seat.  If the support is not adequate, add a low back pillow.  A seat back position of 100 – 110 degree tilt provides for the least amount of stress to the back.  The seat should be positioned so that there is a slight bend in the legs.

Evaluating ergonomics in the home usually means small changes to your everyday tasks, but they can add up to big benefits in your overall safety and comfort.

Most of the time when you read an article on office ergonomics the focus is on adjusting your chair and computer. While these are two critical areas to adjust, if you miss correcting the other aspects of your desk you may still be experiencing pain and muscle tightness while working.

Here are a few areas I recommend you look at on your desk to insure a pain-free environment.If you use your phone repeatedly or for extended periods of time, then it should be close to the edge of the desk, in front of your body and within arms reach. Repeatedly extending your arm engages your shoulder and can cause fatigue and tightness. In addition, a headset should be utilized when talking on the phone for more than a brief conversation. Most of the time a person will tilt their head to the side to cradle the phone to multi-task. This posture can lead to both neck and upper back pain.  

Another area to evaluate is any paperwork you work from while typing on the computer. Often the papers are located on the desk surface to the side of the computer screen. This causes a craning of the neck from repeatedly bending and twisting your neck to look at the paper and then computer screen. An easy remedy is to use a document holder. Optimally the document holder should hang from the monitor so that they are on the same plane.

Take a look under your desk to ensure that the area where your legs and feet are positioned is clear of any items. If boxes, purses, unused files or anything else is in the space your legs will not have any room and will be in an awkward position. This awkward posture will cause a twist in your spine while sitting. So clear out anything under your desk (except of course your legs and feet) to ensure comfort for your low back and spine. Move all of your small pieces of equipment that you use on a regular basis within easy reach. A lot of times when I am evaluating an office there are nick-knacks, pictures and coffee cups on the front surface of the desk, while the staplers, hole-punches and pens are located at the far corner of the surface. From an ergonomic stand point, this makes no sense, especially when the person is complaining of upper back and shoulder pain.

When you add up every time you extend your shoulder to reach for a piece of equipment over the workday it can really accumulate. Also keep in mind, if your tasks require any kind of force (hole punching or stapling large stacks of paper) stand up to use both gravity and body weight vs. shoulder strength. I know a lot of this information seems like common sense, but you will be amazed when you really look at your desk how many little improvements you can make. Sometimes it is the small things that can add up to be a big pain, so take the time to do a quick perusal of your desk and do a little rearranging.

This article was provided by Laura Dietrich who is a Certified Professional Ergonomist based in our Louisville Kentucky office.  Laura can be contacted at (502) 240-6910 or ldietrich@AdvancedSafetyHealth.com.

When should I consider hiring an ergonomist?

• Employees are complaining of repetitive stress aches and pains (this is an optimal time because the ergonomist can often resolve the concern without an actual injury occurring).
• A repetitive injury has occurred that needs correction
• Your company is starting an ergonomic program
• Your company is re-designing a production line or installing a new production line; the correct equipment can be purchased and installed at the optimal line heights
• You want to have ergonomic training provided for your staff that reviews issues/injuries or engineers that design work stations/lines

Why should I hire a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE)?

In order for individuals to become a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) they must have at least 7 years of ergonomic working experience, at least a masters level degree in the field, submit multiple work documents that verify the individuals ability and pass a seven hour exam.  The combination of these credentials ensures that the ergonomic evaluations will be done methodically, using both science and experience to recommend an optimum resolution(s)

How will hiring an ergonomist help my bottom line?

• Reduces workers compensation claims and long term costs associated with workers compensation insurance
• Increases productivity
• Decreases worker lost time due to medical care or injury
• Improves worker morale/job satisfaction
• Increases quality due to decreasing fatigue/mistakes made

Static work is an ergonomic risk factor that is often overlooked by employers when evaluating a task. Static work is defined as muscles contracting without motion. Standing in front of a machine is the most common example of this type of work. Another form of static work would be holding hand tools for extended periods of time.The main concern with static work is that the muscles are contracted during the work and blood flow to the muscle groups is decreased. As a result, muscle soreness and fatigue can result. The most severe effects of this risk factor could be tendonitis, tenosynovitis, or epicondylitis, to name a few.Preventing this type of ergonomic risk factor is relatively easy - provide a break from the static task which allows the body to recover and increases blood flow to the affected areas. Here are a few thought provoking points to consider if you think your work is static:

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