{"id":21738,"date":"2016-10-18T15:58:26","date_gmt":"2016-10-18T22:58:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/?page_id=21738"},"modified":"2025-07-07T11:23:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T18:23:26","slug":"sppm-2-74","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/index\/manuals\/safety-policies-procedures-manual\/sppm-2-74\/","title":{"rendered":"2.74 Ergonomics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading wsu-font-size--xxmedium\">Safety Policies and Procedures Manual<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ergonomics<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-row wsu-row--single\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n\n<p><strong>SPPM 2.74<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>For more information contact:<\/strong><br>&nbsp; &nbsp;Environmental Health and Safety<br>&nbsp; &nbsp;509-335-3041<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h3>Overview<\/h3>\n<p>Ergonomics is the science and practice of designing tasks and workplaces to accommodate human capabilities and limitations.<\/p>\n<p>The ergonomic process involves evaluating equipment, tools,&nbsp;tasks, and work environments to identify and control physical risk factors that can lead to musculoskeletal disorders and computer vision syndrome.<\/p>\n<p>Physical risk factors include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Repetitive motions<\/li>\n<li>Awkward and static postures<\/li>\n<li>High hand forces<\/li>\n<li>Mechanical\/contact stress<\/li>\n<li>Vibration<\/li>\n<li>Stress to the visual system<\/li>\n<li>Manual material handling (lifting, lowering, pushing and pulling)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Physical risk factors can be controlled by applying ergonomic principles when designing, modifying and\/or adjusting equipment, tools, tasks, and the work environment to fit the employee.<\/p>\n<p>Ergonomic principles apply to office, laboratory, industrial, agricultural, and all other work environments.<\/p>\n<h4>Purpose<\/h4>\n<p>The purpose of this policy and procedure is to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Prevent musculoskeletal disorders and computer vision syndrome.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure early intervention once a musculoskeletal disorder or computer&nbsp;vision syndrome has been reported.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Ergonomic Evaluations<\/h3>\n<p>Environmental Health and Safety (EH&amp;S) is available to conduct ergonomic&nbsp;evaluations when:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>New work spaces are designed.<\/li>\n<li>Requested by an employee&#8217;s supervisor.<\/li>\n<li>Requested by an employee.<\/li>\n<li>Significant changes occur in equipment, tools, and\/or tasks.<\/li>\n<li>An employee reports symptoms consistent with musculoskeletal disorders&nbsp;and\/or computer vision syndrome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Contact the campus EH&amp;S office to schedule an ergonomic evaluation. See <a href=\"#ehs\">EH&amp;S<\/a> for contact information.<\/p>\n<h3>Ergonomic Training<\/h3>\n<p>Environmental Health and Safety offers training classes in the following areas:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Computer workstation ergonomics (offices)<\/li>\n<li>Manual material handling (lifting, lower, pushing and pulling)<\/li>\n<li>Laboratory ergonomics<\/li>\n<li>Custodial ergonomics<\/li>\n<li>Other topics upon request<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Training classes vary by campus. Contact EH&amp;S for information on what is offered at specific locations (see&nbsp;<a href=\"#ehs\">EH&amp;S<\/a>).<\/p>\n<h3>Reporting Musculoskeletal Disorders and Computer Vision Syndrome<\/h3>\n<p>Musculoskeletal disorders are soft-tissue injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments,&nbsp;cartilage, blood vessels and nerves. Symptoms might include chronic discomfort,&nbsp;fatigue, pain, swelling, stiffness, burning, numbness, tingling, and limited&nbsp;range of motion of the fingers, hands, wrists, elbows, knees, neck, and back.<\/p>\n<p>Computer vision syndrome is a collection of symptoms associated with viewing&nbsp;a computer monitor for prolonged periods of time. Symptoms might include burning,&nbsp;itchy, watery or dry eyes; eyestrain\/blurred vision; headaches, and neck and&nbsp;back aches.<\/p>\n<h4>Employees<\/h4>\n<p>Employees experiencing symptoms consistent with musculoskeletal disorders&nbsp;and\/or computer vision syndrome are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>To report the symptoms to their immediate supervisor.<\/li>\n<li>Encouraged to contact EH&amp;S for an ergonomic evaluation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Supervisors<\/h4>\n<p>Supervisors, upon notification of potential musculoskeletal disorders and\/or&nbsp;computer vision syndrome, are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>To complete an Incident Report (see<a href=\"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/index\/manuals\/safety-policies-procedures-manual\/sppm-2-24\/\">&nbsp;SPPM 2.24<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li>Encouraged to contact EH&amp;S to schedule&nbsp;an ergonomic evaluation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Additional Resources<\/h3>\n<p>Contact the following departments for additional ergonomic information&nbsp;and assistance.<\/p>\n<h4><a name=\"ehs\">EH&amp;S<\/a><\/h4>\n<p>The EH&amp;S publication Office Ergonomics&#8211;Adjusting Your Environment&nbsp;contains steps to assist employees in setting-up their computer workstations.&nbsp;This publication and other ergonomic-related information are available at&nbsp;the <a href=\"https:\/\/ehs.wsu.edu\/workplace-safety\/ergonomics\/\">EH&amp;S Ergonomics website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Environmental Health &amp; Safety personnel at each of the four campuses&nbsp;is available to perform ergonomic evaluations and training sessions.<\/p>\n<p>For evaluation and training assistance, contact:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>WSU Pullman EH&amp;S; telephone 509-335-3041<\/li>\n<li>WSU Spokane EH&amp;S Coordinator; telephone 509-358-7621<\/li>\n<li>WSU Tri-Cities&nbsp;EH&amp;S Coordinator; telephone 509-372-7163<\/li>\n<li>WSU Vancouver&nbsp;EH&amp;S Coordinator; telephone 360-546-9706<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>University Stores<\/h4>\n<p>For ergonomic chair&nbsp;trial and acquisition on the Pullman campus, contact University Stores; telephone 509-335-4592.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: .8rem\">_______________________<br><strong>Revisions:<\/strong>&nbsp; Feb. 2016 (Rev. <a href=\"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/index\/revisions\/sppm-revisions\/sppm-revision-104\/\">104<\/a>); Dec. 2008 (Rev. 77); Sept. 1999 (Rev. 24); Sept. 1987 &#8211; new policy (Rev. 4).<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Safety Policies and Procedures Manual Ergonomics<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1061,"featured_media":0,"parent":21864,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"wsuwp_university_location":[],"wsuwp_university_org":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21738"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1061"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21738"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67214,"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21738\/revisions\/67214"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_location?post=21738"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_org","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/policies.wsu.edu\/prf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_org?post=21738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}