MSD (MusculoSkeletal Disorder)

Musculoskeletal disorders are injuries and disorders of the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and cartilage) and nervous system. These painful and often disabling injuries generally develop gradually over weeks, months, and years. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders occur when the physical capabilities of the worker do not match the physical requirements of the job. Prolonged exposure to ergonomic risk factors can cause damage a worker’s body and lead to musculoskeletal disorders. Parts of body affect by musculoskeletal disorders are arms, hand, finger, neck, back, wrists, legs and shoulders. Carpal tunnel syndrome and low back pain are also included in musculoskeletal injury.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is any condition that causes swelling or a change in position of the tissue within the carpal tunnel can squeeze and irritate the median nerve. Irritations of the median nerve will causes tingling and numbness of the thumb, index, and the middle fingers, a condition known as "carpal tunnel syndrome.”

The low back, or lumbar area (L5 S1), serves a number of important functions for the human body. These functions include structural support, movement, and protection of certain body tissues. Low back pain is a quite common musculoskeletal injury and it affects the spine's flexibility, stability, and strength, which can cause pain, discomfort, and stiffness. It can be either acute or chronic back pain which caused by task that requires strain from lifting, twisting, or bending.

MSDs affect workers in almost every occupation and industry in the nation and in workplaces of all sizes. The disorders occur most frequently in jobs that involve:

• Manual handling,
• Manufacturing and production,
• Heavy lifting,
• Twisting movements, and Long hours of working in awkward positions.

Causes of work-related MSDs

Work-related MSDs occur when the physical capabilities of the worker do not match the physical requirements of the job. Prolonged exposure to the ergonomics risk factors can cause damage a worker’s body and lead to MSDs.

Conditions that are likely to cause MSDs problem including:

• Exerting excessive force. 
• Excessive repetition of movements that can irritate tendon and increase pressure on nerve. 
• Awkward postures or unsupported positions that stretch physical limits can compress nerves and irritate tendons. 
• Static posture for a long period of time can restrict blood flow and damage muscles. 
• Motions such as increase speed or acceleration when bending and twisting can increase the amount force exerted on the body. 
• Compression from grasping sharp edges like tools handle can concentrate force on small area of body; reduce blood flow and nerve transmission and damage tendon and tendon sheaths. 
• Inadequate recovery time due to overtime, lack of break and failure to vary tasks can leave insufficient time for tissue repair. 
• Excessive vibration usually from vibrating tools can decrease blood flow, damage nerves and contribute to muscle fatigue. 
• Whole-body vibration from driving trucks or operating subways can affect skeletal muscle and cause low back pain.

P.S. Happy New Year :)

Workplace Bullying

Bullying in the workplace is a common phenomenon that has been reported in various types of Organizations throughout the world. Majority of the workplaces do not have a formal program or policy that prevents or mitigates workplace bullying. Thus, some organizations may be practicing corporate/institutional bullying and entrenching bullying throughout the organization. Workplace bullying has been getting a lot more attention in the media lately after some high-profile bullying cases have come to light — but the issue is unfortunately not a new one.

According to survey results, 14 percent of workers felt bullied by their immediate supervisor, while 11 percent felt bullied by a co-worker. Seven percent said the bully was not their boss but someone else higher up in the organization, while another 7 percent said the bully was their customer.

Bullying reports by gender and age

· Comparing genders and age groups, the segments that were more likely than others to report feeling bullied were women, workers ages 55 or older (29 percent), and workers age 24 or younger (29 percent).

· Women reported a higher incidence of being treated unfairly at the office. One-third (34 percent) of women said they have felt bullied in the workplace, compared to 22 percent of men. Of course, this doesn’t mean fewer men are bullied, necessarily — just that fewer men report it. And, according to research by organizational behavior and leadership expert Denise Salin, women are more likely than men to self-label as a target of bullying.

· Workers ages 35 to 44 were the least likely to report feeling bullied, with only one in four doing so.

Here are some suggestion,

1. Provide a supportive culture, and encourage open communication with both peers and leaders.

2.Introduce a specific, zero-tolerance anti-bullying policy to employees to increase general awareness of appropriate work behavior. The content of the document is very important; simply having one is not enough. It should cover the definition of what is regarded as bullying and what is not, as well as a statement of consequences of breaching your organization’s standards. It should also clarify who to report to, list specific contact persons and clearly explain the procedure for making and investigating informal and formal complaints.

3. Incorporate staff from all levels of your organization to help develop your policy, and increase awareness and acceptance of it throughout the organization — having a written policy is not enough. Policies are not just for the potential victim of workplace bullying, but are also helpful for managers, to give them advice and guidelines about how to deal with bullying. In turn, having a policy may make managers more willing and competent to react appropriately to a situation.

4. Include skills to identify and deal with bullying during management training, any action taken to increase leader competence in dealing with bullying is of utmost importance.

5. Spread knowledge of both the definition of workplace bullying and your organization’s policy at all levels,so that situations that could escalate into bullying can be quickly identified (and hopefully dealt with before the level of intensity increases). Increasing awareness may also encourage more employees to feel empowered to combat bullying by refusing to take part or refusing to silently watch it happen.

6. Increase the perceived cost to the perpetrator in order to deter potential bullies from taking action by making it clear that there will be serious consequences.

Floods

We are moving to the new year tomorrow. Yes, 2011 just passed and tomorrow we will be in 2012. Just as I was thinking on what subject matter to contribute this time around, my dad suggested that I should write about the fire incident in a hospital in India. I believe you guys too heard about the fire that destroyed a private hospital at India. There was lost of life’s and it was mentioned that the hospital did not adhere to some safety procedures. That’s all with that.

Well, my subject matter today, will be on flash floods that have hit the Klang valley in the last weeks.Not only Klang Valley, many other states in Malaysia experienced floods including sabah and Sarawak. There was heavy down pour for the past two weeks in Klang valley such that many motorists were affected by floods. The roads were jammed and some unfortunate motorists got stuck in the flood waters that over flowed to the roads. Again last week, two motorists drove straight into the Sunway under pass of the Pantai Express Highway not realizing that it was flooded. One of them practically had to climb out of the window. This is how bad the situation was, not to mention the distress and property damage. About a week prior to the above incident, Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Semarak and Kampung Baru roads in Kuala Lumpur, were flooded. It was reported in the media that the flood was similar to the 2006 floods.

The Smart tunnel which was reported to be the longest and biggest storm drain in South Esat Asia and which was supposed to address the flood problem was helpless to rectify the situation. The RM1.9billion Smart Tunnel was designed such a way should there be a heavy down pour in the Kuala Lumpur town Centre, the water will be channelled to the tunnel such that the road will not be flooded.

On the recent flooding of Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Semarak and Kampung Baru, the DBKL officials reported that the waterway or rather this particular locations are not covered under the Smart tunnel. What a disappointment that the authorities overlooked these locations despite knowing that these are also flood prone areas. In this incident it was reported that the Sungai Bunus river burst it banks and as such several roads were affected.

Another, question raised was whether the flooding could also be due to huge development around or near the river whereby the developers have failed to look into the drainage system properly. In order to remedy the problem, the DBKL Mayor, have announced an allocation of RM85 mil for flood mitigation works and another RM20 mil for the FT Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) to divert the water from Sg Bunus to Lake Titiwangsa should the former overflow. Let’s hope that this will solve the problem.

Speaking on the same subject, and just to share, if you were driving when there is a heavy downpour,(example along the middle ring road) you would certainly notice flash floods or water clogs along the side of the roads. Assuming you are driving on the middle lane and another car on the right side hit the pool of water clogged, then this water will immediately splash on your car and for a moment or few seconds you will not be able to see what’s in front of you. At this moment you cannot stop neither because the fear of the back car knocking on to you. You may immediately, engage the wiper but it would not be that helpful because the incident happened all of a sudden. I am sure many motorists would have experienced this and it is quite scary. This is also very dangerous and hopefully the relevant authorities look into the drainage system along the roads.

The DBKL and other relevant authorities should also look into the flash floods that are constantly affecting some of the roads in Klang Valley and in other states for the safety of the motorists at large. The drains must be checked and cleaned periodically. Hope the authorities will be proactive in addressing the flash flood issue immediately. In the meantime, to all motorists please drive carefully.

To all we wish you Happy New Year, 2012.

Consumption of BlackBerry Smartphones

Its been one month since i wrote about 'Global Killer No. 1 - Road Accident - Part II' in this blog. And yet, as expected I am writing this article at the end of the month due to bustle of doing trading stuff. When there are few hours to go before we are going to move to the 'next step' of our lives, i would like to wish 'Happy New Years 2012' to everyone in Batch 13.

First of all, this not a 'Product Placement' and I'm not trying to promote any brand of mobile phone devices. As 2011 winds down, it’s time for us to flashback-ing about what happen in 2011. For me, when it comes to tele-communication, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) was a major hit of our times. In before, even Malaysia's Government convince their staffs to use BlackBerry in daily communication with their colleague while Petronas have made their move already by giving out for free BlackBerry Smartphones to all of their staffs. The issue is, did the employers take into considerations before promoting or supplying BlackBerry's Smartphones to their employees?

A BlackBerry Smartphones is a instrumentality invented for a particular purpose which enables e-mail, internet surfing, word processing, telephone and text messaging as well as other information services at anywhere and anytime. The use of BlackBerry Smartphones has exploded in recent years for both individual and work use. Because they are a relatively new group of devices there are no major studies assessing the ergonomic characteristics of their use. Despite from their manifest benefits regarding size, portability and multi functionality, they are not without their disadvantages of ergonomic considerations.

The first circumstance is that the thumb is not intentional to be dextrous, and on an average keyboard the use of the thumb is ordinarily limited. The design of the BlackBerry means that most BlackBerry's user use their thumbs to press the button and accumulate repetitive movements are more probably to put strain on the thumb. One of the BlackBerry's coolest feature is BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) would encourage over use, compared with other kind of mobile phones in the current market, as the number of words or that can be send is unlimited due to various telecommunication's company such as Digi from our country that offer lowest internet data plan (BlackBerry Internet Service – BIS) as low as RM15 per month, thus encouraging repetitive movements for longer periods of time.

Applying a device that boosts improper thumb postures and over usage could lead to symptoms of pain and swelling as a result of continual stretching and rubbing of tendons over the thumb joint. It is potentially, over usage could lead to the development of many serious conditions called 'BlackBerry Thumb' such as ‘Trigger Thumb’, ‘DeQuervain’s Tenosynovitis’ and ‘Carpal Tunnel Syndrome’ all of which can be difficult to resolve and increase susceptibility to recurrence.

In conclusion, all BlackBerry's users or who might buy BlackBerry's smartphones should take notes that BlackBerry usage could bring to difficulties with stress, if there is a strong addiction on the device that is related with a failure to manage information, message, time demands and ergonomics factor as well.

So is BlackBerry Thumb likely to be a major issue for companies that provide BlackBerry's Smartphones to their employees?

Forklifts safety rules ;)

Forklifts are excellent labor saving devices. They save time and reduce the likelihood of injury associated with manual material handling activities. However, forklifts can become very dangerous if operated by a reckless or untrained operator. All operators should receive safety training prior to being allowed to operate a forklift.

Forklift accidents tend to be very serious, involving both personal injury and damage to property. These accidents can be avoided if operators use some common sense and follow safe operating procedures. Do not operate a forklift until you have been properly trained and authorized to do so.

Basic Forklift Safety Practices

Here are a few common safety rules to follow during forklift operation:

1. Use the seat belt. It will keep you secured in the seat in the unplanned event of a tip over.
2. A parked forklift should have the forks flat on the floor with the controls set to neutral and with the parking brake set.
3. A forklift is considered to be "unattended" if the operator is more than 25 feet away or if the forklift is out of the direct vision of the operator. Unattended forklifts should be parked with the power turned off.
4. When operating the forklift on inclines, the load should always be on the uphill side of the incline. Drive forward going up the incline. Drive backward going down the incline.
5. When traveling without a load on the forks, keep the forks approximately four to six inches off the floor.
6. Never allow anyone to walk underneath a raised load.
7. Stop at all blind corners to check for other traffic in the area. This includes other forklifts and pedestrians. Honk your horn and look before you proceed.
8. If carrying a tall load that blocks your forward vision, drive in reverse and turn your head so you can see where you are going.
9. If operating around other forklifts maintain a three-forklift length distance between forklifts and never attempt passing.
10. Never drive a forklift up to the back of a person who is unaware that the forklift is behind them.

FORKLIFT SAFETY IS FOR EVERYONE'S BENEFIt

What Is Health & Safety at the Workplace?

What Is Health & Safety at the Workplace?

Even with a proper diet and established exercise program, you might be neglecting critical health hazards that affect millions of Americans annually. Adults spend nearly one fourth of their total weekly hours at work, where injuries regularly occur. According to a 2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics report, 3.7 million work-related non-fatal injuries and illnesses occurred in private industry alone. Regulated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), health and safety in the workplace is a system requiring joint efforts of management and labor to prevent injury. But it's also a highly personal safety conscious attitude- knowing key elements and your part in the process can protect you on the job.

Functions of OSHA

OSHA create legislation that requires eligible employers to follow safety procedures as well as keep documentation, develop policies, and train workers for potentially hazardous work practices. Annual re-trainings are often a further requirement by law for most workplace situations. Employers must abide by both federal and state departments of OSHA. Twenty-six states have their own branches of OSHA and may apply more stringent standards than the federal codes. Enforcement and education departments of OSHA continually advance workplace health and safety through research, company inspections and monitoring the working environment.

Hazard Recognition

A vast portion of workplace safety and health is a proactive attitude on the part of employers and workers alike. Recognizing hazards by regular internal inspections, safety committee meetings and advanced education, such as attending voluntary federal 10 or 30 hour OSHA trainings, can aid in protecting workers. Employees play an important role in hazard recognition by reporting machine malfunctions and potentially dangerous incidents or behavior. To be most effective in workplace health and safety, employers should have a designated reporting system for these incidents, along with established protocol for insuring corrections are properly made.

Health Effects

Safety issues are often easy to spot. You can readily identify an employee driving a forklift unsafely. But health aspects in the workplace are often far more subtle and easily overlooked. Yet, 187,400 workplace illnesses were reported by private industry in 2008 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Environmental factors can cause many industrial illnesses, including deafness, asthma, heat stress or life threatening heat stroke, and repetitive motion disorders. Nearly all of these can be prevented with proper training, engineering controls, and awareness by employers and employees as part of a sound workplace health and safety program

Chemical Potential

With more than 650,000 hazardous chemicals identified by OSHA in the workplace, employee exposure is common. Even the most familiar chemicals can pose a serious danger to your health if used improperly. Take for instance, the May 2010 fatalities of Eric J. Dalton, a self-employed Indiana plumber and his 19-year-old assistant. Working in a confined space, Dalton collapsed while using muriatic acid- a very mainstream masonry cleaning product. Two volunteer firefighters were also overcome with fumes and hospitalized. The catastrophe may have been prevented if chemical safety procedures were followed. Always adhere to Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) proper chemical handling techniques as part of your workplace health and safety practice.

Emergency Situations

Although employers under OSHA are required to have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP), which includes drills for severe weather and evacuations, it still falls to the employee to follow established protocol. Make sure you know where to go in the event of severe weather or fire. If you travel for business, keep an eye on the weather and listen to local weather broadcasts. Be ready to seek shelter in a sturdy building, such as a rest area, local hospital or fire station if necessary. The National Weather Service recommends driving at right angles to the storm as you seek shelter.