Implementing a participatory program requires sustained commitment to both ergonomic principles and continued participation by employees and management.
 Steps to implement a participatory ergonomics program:
| 2. | Choose a competent facilitator
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| 3. | Set up an ergonomics or manual handling committee
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| 5. | Collaboratively identify and analyse workplace problems
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| 6. | Collaboratively generate solutions
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| 7. | Trial and implement solutions in a timely manner
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| 8. | Track and assess the system |
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1. Get commitment
| a. | Major programs are unlikely to succeed without senior staff sponsorship and involvement, so it’s vital to get management on board at the beginning of the process.
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| b. | Commitment levels need to be sufficient to overcome barriers to implementation. At the local level, strong commitment is required from supervisors, line managers, RTW Coordinators and Health and Safety Reps because other employees will take their cues from these figures.
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| c. | For example, a supervisor may meet resistance from employees who have always done a job a certain way. A common example is resistance by some employees to the introduction of task rotation. If a supervisor demonstrates commitment and is able to explain the benefits of the change, employees will be more willing to give task rotation a go.
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| d. | The goal of the participatory process is to generate enthusiasm for identifying, exploring and evaluating alternatives; contributing to solutions; and providing a basis for future participation and implementation. Creating a culture that values continuous improvement helps the participatory process, and the participatory process contributes to further development of that culture. |
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2. Choose a competent facilitator
A large program is best undertaken with the assistance of a facilitator who has appropriate people and project management skills. Getting people together to talk and identify solutions can be challenging, and the ability to work positively with people is important. Persistence and follow through are key competencies of the program facilitator.
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3. Set up an ergonomics or manual handling committee
The establishment of an ergonomics or manual handling committee is an important step in implementing a successful participatory ergonomics program. The committee should:
Include representatives of workers, management, and health and safety, as well as people with an ergonomics background;
| a. | Use external specialist ergonomic resources where needed; |
| c. | Review all workstations and prioritise ergonomic interventions; |
| d. | Hold or arrange ergonomic education sessions and assessments; |
| e. | Make recommendations to management about new equipment purchase; and |
| f. | Make recommendations to management about preventative and remedial ergonomic interventions. |
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4. Train staff
Complex industrial ergonomic changes require a specialist ergonomist. However solutions for many common problems are straightforward to identify and introduce.
Ergonomics is surprisingly simple to learn. Most ergonomic principles seem like ‘common-sense’, and once taught people generally catch on quickly. Basic training should be reinforced and supplemented with written material and pictures that outline key ergonomic principles.
Most people can be taught basic ergonomic principles within an hour. Initial training should be supported by someone who can review and assist early attempts to identify problems and solutions.
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5. Collaboratively identify and analyse workplace problems
This is the time to make the most of employee expertise. Employees should be involved in manual handling risk assessments and ergonomic risk identification and assessment.
Problems may be identified through:
| a. | An employee pointing out a concern; |
| b. | Health and safety reports, identifying tasks that are causing health problems; |
| c. | Toolbox or formal meetings, seeking input from staff about tasks they consider hard or more demanding than they need to be; |
| d. | A walk-through of the site; and / or |
| e. | Formal risk assessments. |
Identifying the root cause of a problem may require a more detailed review of the task, and discussion and further investigation.
Workstation assessments and job task analyses are very effective way of identifying problem practices. Such assessments should:
Look closely at the task demands, for example weights handled, the frequency of lifting, and other health and safety aspects of the job;
| b. | Be carried out for all workstations and tasks. |
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6. Collaboratively generate solutions
A number of solutions may be suggested, followed by discussion and agreement about the best approach.
Electrical cords linking a wall power outlet to the centre of a meeting room desk are a trip hazard and need to be put out of harm’s way. Options include putting them under the carpet, taping over the cords as they run along the carpet, hanging them from an overhead point, or by rewiring the room so that the cords sit directly underneath the table. The chosen solution will depend on many things, such as the need for flexibility in the future, the varying cost of suggested solutions and the frequency of room use.
Possible solutions can be generated in many ways, including:
Individual suggestions;
| a. | A group process such as a toolbox meeting; |
| c. | The collection of individual solutions which are then reviewed and discussed by a group; |
| d. | Round-robin questionnaires, in which a series of simple open-ended questions are presented and answered collectively by a representative group; |
| e. | Cause and effect diagrams; |
| g. | Mock-ups (full-size or scale); |
| h. | Computer visualisations; and |
| i. | Layout modeling, wherein small groups create their optimal workplace layout. |
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7. Trial and implement solutions in a timely manner
Once an appropriate solution has been identified, it is important that the agreed changes are implemented as soon as possible. Delays in implementation undermine employee faith in the program and dampen enthusiasm. If new equipment or workstation adjustments have been promised, they need to be delivered in a timely manner.
It can be worthwhile to trial the selected solution before making permanent or broad changes.
Pliers used to assemble a component may require forceful application. Changing the handle of the pliers is identified as a way of lessening the required force. If all the site’s pliers are modified immediately, it may subsequently be discovered that a better modification is available, or that the chosen modification does not allow the task to be performed as required. It’s a good idea to alter one set of the pliers and then seeking feedback from staff on the modification before all of the site's pliers are modified.
An ergonomics program must be practical and concrete. The program requires ongoing support to progress from an idea to a reality. A hands-on approach brings focus to the design and change process and helps ensure that the input of participants is put to good use.
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8. Track and assess the system
Useful methods for tracking and assessing the participatory program include:
| a. | Reports to managers that show manual handling and ergonomic performance measures; |
| b. | The review of injury records; |
| c. | There is evidence of trend analysis of ergonomic incidents |
| d. | Identified hazards are prioritized and documented in a register |
| e. | Ergonomic successes are tracked and recorded, as are unsuccessful interventions |
| f. | A preventative maintenance program is in place for equipment |
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This hand book also contains sections on Practical ergonomics: Bodies, people, workstations
