Project Description
The focus of this doctoral capstone was on ergonomics in the industrial workplace. At the Vera Bradley distribution center, I was able to identify key ergonomic risk factors of various jobs, provide a comprehensive assessment that prioritized high-risk jobs along with proposed interventions based on a variety of factors, and created additional educational resources for the existing WorkWISE program at Vera Bradley.
Vision and Mission
Vision: A positive and injury-free workplace environment that fosters health and productivity.
Mission: To promote health and wellness in a work environment and provide education from an OT perspective.
PROJECT PLANNING
Prior to the start of my project, I completed a comprehensive needs assessment and reviewed the current literature on the impact of ergonomic programs in the workplace. There is significant evidence that ergonomic programs can prevent a variety of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and save employers money in the long run.
As of a 2020 report, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) still contributed to 30% of days away from work (DAFW) cases in the U.S. private sector, with the median number of days away from work being 12 days for MSDs (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020).
Providing an ergonomic workstation for all types of workers, including office and manufacturing workers, can lead to increased production quality, job satisfaction and quality of work life, and ultimately benefit the company with increased production and decreased time-off due to work-related MSDs (Ecklund, 1995; Khayal, 2019).
Occupational therapists are extensively trained in key aspects of ergonomics, including the social, emotional, and physiologic impacts of injury, activity analysis, task grading and modification, and developing remediation programs (Bade & Eckert, 2008).
MENTORS
Thank you to my expert and faculty mentors who provided continual oversight and guidance throughout the design and implementation of my project.
PROJECT Outcomes
CHRIST | SCHOLARSHIP | SERVICE
Christ
Incorporating Christian values throughout all my work and asking how I can serve others every day.
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve on another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." 1 Peter 4:10
Scholarship
Pursuing advanced education in ergonomics and seeking continual mentorship.
Service
Advocating for the best outcomes of health and wellness for my targeted population.
Future Implications
Impact on OT: Occupational therapists can provide a unique and specialized perspective for ergonomics in the workplace, not only evaluating how best to fit the work to the person but also taking into consideration all external factors of a person's life that may contribute to well-being in the workplace.
Impact on my career: This capstone helped to further develop my ergonomic assessment and data analysis skills, as well as gave me a unique experience working within a large corporation. This experience will be a great stepping stone to expand my future career in ergonomics.
Connect With Me
If you are interested in connecting, please contact me at langee79@gmail.com
References
Bade, S., & Eckert, J. (2008). Occupational therapists’ expertise in work rehabilitation and ergonomics. Work, 31(1), 1-3. http://feelhappy.se/filer/lena/PSYKINFO/Occupational%20therapists%20expertise%20in%20work%20rehabilitation%20and%20ergonomics.PDF
Eklund, J. A. E. (1995). Relationships between ergonomics and quality in assembly work. Applied Ergonomics, 26(1), 15–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-6870(95)95747-N
Khayal, O. M. E. S. (2019). Correlation between ergonomics and economics. Acta Technica Corviniensis - Bulletin of Engineering, 12(4), 77-83. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338644175_CORRELATION_BETWEEN_ERGONOMICS_AND_ECONOMICS
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2020). Fact sheet: Occupational injuries and illnesses resulting in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/case/msds.htm
Credits:
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