Ergonomic working environment

• On a construction site, you can ensure workers help each other with heavy physical tasks and that they use good techniques and assistive aids. 
• In a nursing home, you can ensure that workers get variation throughout their workday by rotating tasks and include breaks.  
• In a kindergarten, you can ensure that workers use assistive technology to make their work easier, such as dressing steps or adjustable changing tables.
• In an office, you can ensure that workers receive training in good work techniques, work postures and how to properly use equipment.

This includes requirements for the workplace and the premises

• being designed to protect the safety and health of workers
• being designed with the work to be done, the individual worker and specific risks inherent to the work in mind 
• being designed and furnished with a focus on the work to be done and to ensure that the work and use of work equipment does not pose a risk to safety and health  
• has a floor area large enough for the workers to be able to vary their positions and movements

This includes, among other things:

• taking into consideration how far persons, materials or objects must be carried or transported 
• assessing whether assistive technology is needed to alleviate some of the burden, such as lifting equipment for heavy or repeated lifts 
• making sure assistive tools and aids are available as needed

This includes, among other things, making sure workers have the option

• to vary and switch between different tasks 
• to rest and recover  
• to personally organise and control their workday, e.g. by controlling the timing of breaks and the pace of work

This includes, among other things, that employers must

• organise the work in such a way that workers have the opportunity to vary and switch between different work tasks 
• ensure that the work meets the need for variation both physically and mentally 
• ensure that workers have enough opportunities to rest and recover if the work does not allow for sufficient variation

This includes that the employer, among other things, has a duty to  

• map and assess risk and implement preventive measures if the work involves intense physical work, such as lifting, carrying, stacking, pushing, pulling, lowering and twisting.

This includes that the employer, among other things, has a duty to

• map and assess the equipment causing vibrations, assess the risk of injury to workers due to such vibrations and implement preventive measures.  

Body positions and movements contribute to physical strain. Any type of work that forces the worker to maintain a certain body position or movement over time subjects the body to strain, which can lead to health problems and injuries.

Detrimental and straining body positions can occur in many different jobs and tasks. That is why employers have a duty to map and assess the risk associated with certain body positions while working, such as seated, kneeling or standing work.

Workers know how the work affect their bodies and the types of work that can be detrimental. They also often have insight into solutions with the potential to reduce strain without interfering with the work.

That is why the employer must ensure that the safety representative, employee representatives and any other representatives for the workers have an opportunity to contribute in the mapping, risk assessment and design of measures. Their contributions are essential for a realistic overview of the work and the nature of the challenges they face.  

The occupational health service can help in the effort to map and assess risks. They have specialised expertise in and a good understanding of

• the musculoskeletal system and the potential consequences of detrimental body positions 
• the interaction between human workers and their physical working environment 
• the causes of work-related musculoskeletal problems and disorders 
• factors that may affect ergonomics, such as noise, vibrations, mechanics or physical forces 
• methods used to map and assess the risks of detrimental ergonomic conditions 
• measures and guidance to prevent musculoskeletal problems 

In some industries, employers have a duty to establish an arrangement with a certified occupational health service (BHT). This duty also extends to any enterprise whose activities are associated with a certain level of risk. If your enterprise is required to have an occupational health service, your occupational health service will assist you in your mapping and risk assessment.

See which industries are required to have an occupational health service

• How is the work organised?  
• Do the workers have deadlines or time-limits? 
• Do the workers work alone or in teams with others?

• Where is the work performed?
• How are the premises designed? 
• Are the work stations adjustable?

• Which equipment and tools do the workers use?
• Is this equipment fit for purpose?
• Is the equipment being used correctly?
• Are the workers exposed to vibrations as part of their work?

• Which tasks do the workers perform?
• Do these tasks offer variation, or are they monotonous and/or repetitive?

• How do workers perform their tasks?
• Are their body positions or work techniques straining? 

• Working with the head leaned forward
• Working with the body leaned forward
• Working with arms lifted
• Working while squatting or kneeling
• Working while standing
• Working while seated
• Working while lying down
• Lifting in uncomfortable positions

• Repetitive or monolateral hand or arm movements

• Heavy lifting
• Carrying
• Stacking
• Pushing and pulling

You can take different approaches to your risk assessment. For example:

• By occupational group, e.g. painters, welders or servers 
• By type of work task, e.g. by different departments, such as warehouse, office or workshop 
• By type of activity, e.g. manual labour, office work or driving 

Regardless of the approach you choose, you need to describe the risk associated with the work tasks performed as specifically as possible and document it in writing. 

You need to assess:

• Frequency: How often during the work day are these tasks performed? 
• Duration: How long do the work tasks go on for? 
• Intensity: How severe, heavy or straining are the body positions, movements or lifts required by the work tasks? 

• Are there any risks that may lead to work-related musculoskeletal problems and disorders, and how serious are they? 
• Are the consequences too high, or are they acceptable? 
• Are there any short-term consequences, such as musculoskeletal disorders, acute injuries or temporary pain?  
• Are there any long-term consequences, such as reduced capacity for work and absences due to sickness, chronic conditions and, in severe cases, disability? 

In order to be able to assess the combined risk, it is important to be able to consider multiple factors in context and assess how different types of strain affect the body over time. 

Assess the work tasks overall: Are there some tasks and individual operations that, separately, are not straining, but that, together and over time, can lead to a high combined strain?

Assess whether other conditions in the working environment may affect risk:  

• Organisational conditions: Are there, for example, opportunities for breaks, rest and variation? Are there time constraints that may negatively affect workers? 
• Psychosocial conditions: Are there any interpersonal factors, such as collaboration and communication, that may negatively affect workers?  
• Physical conditions: Are there any physical factors that may negatively affect workers? This includes such factors as where the work is performed, how the physical environment is designed, lighting, and whether the work stations are adjustable.    

In addition, it is important to take into consideration individual differences and the individual worker’s experience of the work when you assess overall risk.  

Include some uncertainties in your risk assessment:

• It is difficult to determine exactly what causes musculoskeletal problems, because many different factors may play a role and interact. 
• When you do not know for certain what causes the problems, it is also difficult to assess how likely something is to occur and how severe the consequences may be.
• This may lead you to believe that some tasks are more risky or safer than they actually are. 

Below are some examples of tools you can use to assess ergonomic risks and whether the work can lead to musculoskeletal problems or repetitive strain injuries.

Read more about the potential tools you can use to assess ergonomic risks (in Norwegian)

Is it possible to eliminate the ergonomic risk factor that may cause detrimental strain? Examples:

• Do the work in a different way. 
• Use different equipment. 

Is it possible to implement measures that safeguard or protect many workers from the ergonomic risk factor that may cause detrimental strain?

Examples:

• Facilitate for adjustable work stations and equipment. 
• Eliminate differences in height. 
• Obtain appropriate aids or equipment to alleviate strain. 
• Provide training and practice in the use of assistive aids, proper work techniques and good body positions as a collective measure. 
• Consider measures related to physical activity. 

Is it possible to change how the work is organised?

Examples:

• Consider the distribution of tasks, breaks, rest, variation in working positions or rotation of work tasks.  
• Organise the work in such a way that you reduce time constraints as much as possible and give the workers enough time to use assistive aids.

If 1) to 3) above is not sufficient to eliminate the risk or cannot be implemented, is it possible to implement measures to protect the individual worker?

Examples:

• Individual follow-up and workplace adaptation (personal equipment and aids, etc.) 
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Have the measures reduced or eliminated ergonomic risk factors? 
• Do any of the measures need adjusting? 
• Are additional measures necessary? 
• Have new risks occurred because the work situation or work tasks have changed? 
• Are more mapping and more specific risk assessments needed for specific tasks, situations or occupational groups?

Document that you have evaluated the measures and what your conclusions are.