Every job requires some amount of movement, with certain jobs more challenging than others. Ergonomic evaluation assesses the physical movements needed to perform a given job. More importantly, these evaluations can be used to determine if any of these movements are unsafe — or could potentially lead to a work-related injury.
Lifting, reaching, and carrying are common movements most of us engage in every day. Yet few of us were ever taught how to do these things properly. Or how injuries such as lower back strains can occur. No wonder there are so many on-the-job injuries that result in workers’ comp claims.
In an ergonomic evaluation, the physical therapist can come to the work site to evaluate how the employee performs their job. They then can recommend ways to perform the tasks in a safer, more efficient manner. That benefits future hires as well as existing employees.
Goals include:
- Mitigating risk and lowering the likelihood of work-related injuries or cumulative trauma disorders
- Identifying opportunities for making job tasks more efficient
- Developing more accurate job descriptions, so that everyone understands what is expected
- Improving overall workplace safety
