What does an ergonomic assessment include?

There is no clear cut golden rule as to what an ergonomic assessment should include. Simply put, a copy and paste assessment format from another business organization or vendor will not be effective, meaningful, or of value to your organization. An ergonomic assessment is best utilized when it is tailored to your site specific operations and workstations.

Beside the usual information such as who conducted the assessment, workstation identification, date of assessment, and name of employees/operators involved in assessment, there are key factors that any assessment should observe during an assessment that apply to most any job task or workstation. They are as follows:

Ergonomic Assessment Topics

Workstation Environment (noise, lighting, and temperature)

Workstation Design

Equipment Design

Operator Posture

Physical and Muscular Work Demands

It is noteworthy to mention that the assessment should be conducted by an experienced occupational therapist or ergonomist so that they can identify current condition of the workstation and provide a professional opinion on how to correct any ergonomic issues. Below are ideas of what should be included in an ergonomic assessment package.

Ergonomic Assessment Package

Completed Ergonomic Assessment of Each Workstation in the Study

Behavioral and Postural Recommendations

Pause and Stretch Routine Program

Workstation and Equipment Adjustment Recommendations

Workstation Equipment Use Recommendations

National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH) lifting equation calculations as applicable