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Highlights of CSA Standard Z412-17;‘Office Ergonomics – An application standard for Workplace Ergonomics’

8/4/2019

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Section 1 - Scope
  • Standard applies to ‘all office users in office workspaces’.
  • Workspace is defined as ‘any location where a person’s work is performed, (e.g. home offices, vehicles, and temporary locations), as well as the furniture, accessories, equipment, environmental conditions, and psychological workplace factors within these locations.
 
Section 4 – Ergonomic Process
  • The organization is to provide and maintain the infrastructure to conform to the standard.
  • The organization shall access persons competent to implement this Standard.
  • Senior management is to ensure the Ergonomic Process is established and shall document their commitment.
  • Workers are to provide input and participate in the process.
  • All employees are to be trained on ergonomic risk factors.
 
Section 5 – Application of Process
  • Hazard Assessment to identify, eliminate and reduce risk of hazards
    • Assess for physical (musculoskeletal and environmental) and psychosocial hazards.
  • Organization shall apply ergonomics at all stages in the design of work systems and involve persons competent in ergonomics in the process.
  • System to evaluate furniture/equipment to be procured before bringing it into the workplace, which includes someone competent in ergonomics.
 
Section 6 – Ergonomic Requirements
  • Every employee is to be accommodated within the parameters of the specific ergonomic guidelines.
    • The furniture and equipment must meet certain criteria and shall accommodate the characteristics of the user.
 
Annex A – Detailed Requirements
  • Details the specific requirements of equipment (i.e. chair, input devices, etc.).
  • Outlines specific training requirements.
  • Demands postural variation.
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Recommendations for Employers In Implementing Office Ergonomics

8/2/2019

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Purpose
  • Achieve compliance with Occupational Health and Safety requirements
  • Pursue compliance with CSA Standard, Z412-17 Office Ergonomics – An application standard for Workplace Ergonomics
  • Enhance the overall health and well-being of employees.
  • Minimize absences
  • Optimize employee performance, retention, engagement and job satisfaction.

​Recommendations
  • Obtain leadership commitment and engagement in Office Ergonomics and Employee Wellness. 
 
  • Identify hazards in the workplace.  
 
  • Establish means of delivering training on office ergonomic risks and best practices;
    • Self-guided modules or videos
    • Group training sessions (in-house or outside)
    • One on One
      • External Ergonomic Consultant
      • Internal rep who has received training on Ergonomics  
           **Must consider both existing staff and how to train new staff as they come on board.

  • Ensure that every employee is working within the ergonomic guidelines, i.e., has equipment that is suitable to their stature and is being utilized appropriately.
    • For existing employees;
      • Self-assessed by the training and resources they’ve been provided
      • Internal rep who has received training in Ergonomics
      • External Ergonomic Consultant
    • For new employees;
      • Should be a part of onboarding, within first day or two in position
 
  • Address any gaps in ergonomic equipment immediately.
 
  • Respond immediately, with an ergonomic consult, if any employee reports the development of work related symptoms.
 
  • Ensure an ergonomic consult has been competed for anyone returning to work from injury and refresh training to optimize successful return to work.
 
  • Ensure that an ergonomic professional is part of any process to obtain new equipment or workspaces.
 
  • Monitor and manage that employees are engaging in appropriate ergonomic practices.
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Balance Consulting
Charlottetown, PE
902.786.3746
​info@balanceconsulting.ca
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