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Member Helper: Preventing Ergonomics Injuries is AWB’s Latest Member Helper Program |
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Written On: March/April 2004 |
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Written By: By Daniel Brunell |
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Controversy over ergonomics had caused heartache and headaches within the employer community for years. When the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) announced it would implement statewide ergonomic standards a few years ago, employers throughout the state felt a collective shiver.
The Association of Washington Business (AWB) and other employer groups responded by passing Initiative 841 (I-841), repealing what employers dreaded most: more state bureaucracy, new litigation and added costs. The voters approved I-841 and the ergonomics rules are gone, but the problems with “muscular skeletal injuries” still exist. So the Association of Washington Business is doing something about it.
First, contrary to the dreary scenarios about uncaring business tycoons painted by some labor union leaders during the campaign, employers care and have a vested interest in maintaining a healthy, vibrant workforce. After investing time and money in training employees, employers want to prevent injuries. It defies common sense to subject workers to potential injury and have them off the job collecting workers’ compensation.
In this spirit, AWB offered our members an ergonomic workshop. This seminar, the first in a series of voluntary ergonomics initiatives to be offered by AWB, provided our members an opportunity to gain practical tips on what it takes to make a workplace more ergonomically sound. For example, members received analysis and suggestions to correct their own ergonomic problems with industrial and computer workstations.
AWB teamed with Ian Chong, certified professional ergonomist with Ergonomics Inc. Chong’s clients include the cities of Seattle and Tacoma, Boeing, Chrysler, Johns Manville and Nordstrom.
“Our goal is to provide solutions for the employee, the employer and the bottom line,” Chong said. “At our workshops we have attendees encourage people to bring in their problems. After all, not every company can afford a professional consultant to come in. Many companies don’t know how to approach ergonomics or what it really is. What we try to do is take away the myths and lead people to solutions that benefit all.”
To many in the audience, the workshop was an eye-opening experience.
“I have been to a government workshop before and was frustrated because all they discussed was the law and not practical solutions to any of my problems” said Rick Johnson of Walla Walla’s Coffey Communications, Inc, which specializes in health care publications.
“I didn’t want to spend weeks figuring out this stuff. I got all the answers I needed in less then five hours,” remarked Johnson, who wanted to resolve ergonomic issues involving keyboards, the computer mouse, chairs, foot rests and specialized equipment. “They were very easy solutions,” he said.
Since the workshop, Coffey Communications has implemented most of Chong’s recommendations with a great deal of success.
This is not the first or only workshop that AWB has provided its members. On a regular basis, the Member Services team provides workshops on a wide range of topics including healthcare, wage and hour taxes, and environmental regulation.
“What many people outside our organization don’t realize is that we are not just a governmental affairs organization, but a place where businesses can come with their problems.” said Deb Brown, AWB’s Senior Vice President of Member Services. “We offer these seminars, workshops, and programs to help our members in ways they might not find anywhere else. Also, the savings our members receive in our HealthChoice and Retro programs more than make up the cost of membership.”
For further information on future AWB Workshops or any other services, contact the Member Services staff at 1-800-521-9325.
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