Safety 2009 Proceedings

629 The Aging Workforce: Secondary Ergonomics Risk Factors & Solutions (Sponsored by the Ergonomics Branch of the Industrial Hygiene Practice Specialty)

Instructor: Ronald W. Porter, P.T., CEAS, Back School of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Description: As our workforce ages, we see an increase in the accidents, injuries and musculoskeletal disorders reported in occupational environments. Research has documented that the primary ergonomics risk factors of repetition, force, posture, contact stress and vibration contribute to this epidemic. We will examine the secondary risk factors of vision, noise, temperature, shift work and cognitive ergonomics and see how they have a much greater impact on the aging workforce. Solutions to address this increasing problem for the workplace and society such as ergo breaks and training ergo leaders will be explored.

Level: B I