ROI for Safety, Ergonomics and PDAs
Written by Jackie BraceyWe’re looking back on 2023 and the impact of our services on employers’ operations. One observation is the increase in the employers’ return on investment (ROI) of our services as the duration of our services increases.
The ROI for safety, ergonomics, and physical demands analysis programs tends to increase over time for several reasons:
Physical Demands Analysis (PDA), also known as Functional Job Analysis (FJA) or Job Demands Analysis (JDA) is a systematic process used to evaluate the physical requirements of a job or task. It involves breaking down the specific tasks of a job while considering physical demands, such as lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or repetitive motions, that are necessary to perform the job effectively and safely.
The analysis aims to provide a detailed understanding of the job requirements, including the forces, postures, and motions involved. Many professionals conduct PDAs, but I will outline why Physical Therapists are well-suited to conduct a Physical Demands Analysis due to their expertise in human anatomy, biomechanics, and movement.
Here are a few reasons why Physical Therapists are the best choice for conducting PDAs:
I don’t normally write the blog posts because I spend my days in the office, behind a desk and my expertise is not something we bill for. But, I am a small business owner and I make many of the financial decision for our business. I understand weighing the costs vs. the benefit. Throughout the years, I have heard from so many employers that they have a hard time justifying the initial investment of validated Physical Demands Analysis for their organization. So, normally we get called after a terrible accident or when OSHA comes to visit…again. However, we really do our best work when things can be addressed proactively.
So, here’s my overview of cost justification for Physical Demands Analysis.
Preventing Heat Illness
Written by Beth GoodwinSummer temperatures and humidity are here. If you haven’t already, now is the time to ensure your heat illness prevention program is up to date and implemented. Your supervisors and employees need to have adequate training on the hazards leading to heat stress and how to prevent heat illness.
Its Better to LockOut than Luck Out
Written by Beth GoodwinIt’s Better to LOCKOUT than to LUCK OUT
Some tools can’t be replaced!
OSHA defines amputations as the traumatic loss of all or part of a limb or other external body part. This would include fingertip amputations with or without bone loss, medical amputations resulting from irreparable damage, and amputations of body parts that have since been reattached. Since workplace amputations result in workers taking an average of 31 days away from work to recover, which is 22 days more than any other injury, we must spread the word that some tools (our fingers/hands to name a few) just can’t be replaced.
