Safe, healthful work environments impact mission readiness

By CRDAMC Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas--Look around any office or worksite and there will be lots of workers with hunched shoulders, angled necks and wrists and twisted hands. Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center’s Safety Office is promoting worksite safety and occupational health programs to help reduce the risk of injury to workers.

“Our goal is to help maintain a safe and healthful work environment. Work-related staff injuries have a direct impact on mission readiness,” said Steven Smith, safety engineer at CRDAMC. “Many, if not all, of work-related injuries are preventable. Many times solutions to common hazards can be as simple as rearranging a work space or moving the work area higher or lower or closer.”

More than 38 percent of all reported staff incidents last year at CRDAMC such as lost time, first aid or near miss were the direct result of ergonomic risk factors, according to Smith. 

“Essentially, ergonomics is about fitting the workplace to the worker. Primary ergonomic risk factors that increase risk of injury are awkward postures, repetition, and force (typically lifting),” he said. “Be aware that your risk multiplies when any of these are combined or you are exposed to them over long periods of time.”

Ideally when performing tasks, your posture should be balanced and aligned to put minimal pressure on your joints and muscles, Smith stated.  The three curves of your spine (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar) should be relaxed and in alignment, your shoulders in a resting position, your head level and balanced (not tilting or twisting), your wrists in-line with your forearms and your feet shoulder width apart for stability. 

To avoid awkward posture and reduce risk of injury, make some adjustments to your work area, Smith suggested.  Place most frequently used items so they are within easy reach, rearrange your work space so it is closer and directly in front of your body and move the work area higher or lower  to avoid excessive reach.

The more repetitive your job tasks, the more you are at risk, he added.

“Rotate your tasks often. Get up and get moving: get a drink of water, make a phone call, take a walk to the copy machine or walk down the hall to discuss an item with a co-worker rather than using email,” he said.

Despite efforts to educate everyone on the proper lifting techniques, Smith said he wants to keep repeating them as the Safety Office continues to receive reports of staff members – from every part of the organization – who are injured in lifting incidents. Use hand trucks and carts to transport items.  Size up the load; ensure access to the item and that the path of travel is clear. Know your limits and ask for help.

“We all want to go home at the end of each day and enjoy our family, our events, and our activities. Application of basic ergonomics to work tasks is an important step to not only ensuring mission readiness, but also allows you to enjoy a quality lifestyle outside of work,” he concluded.

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Steven Smith (left), safety engineer at CRDAMC, measures the floor-to-arm height of Dr. James Pryor, dermatologist, before adjusting the armrests of his chair.  Proper adjustments to individuals’ work stations based on their height help avoid awkward posture and reduce risk of injury. (U.S. Army photo by Patricia Deal, CRDAMC Public Affairs)

 
Steven Smith (left), safety engineer at CRDAMC, measures the monitor-to-eye distance for Dr. James Pryor, dermatologist, to ensure his monitor is correctly placed approximately two feet away.  Proper adjustments to individuals’ work station based on their height help avoid awkward posture and reduce risk of injury. (U.S. Army photo by Patricia Deal, CRDAMC Public Affairs)