Ergonomics Assessments
Crew tier and aboveIn the app: /risk/ergonomics
Ergonomics Assessments look at one job: the lift, worked through the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation, and the postures, repetition, hand force, contact stress and vibration it involves. The result is a risk level of Low, Moderate or High with a score and the findings behind it, so you can see what to change first.
1.Assess a lift
- Open Risk Assessments and then the Ergonomics tab. Give the assessment a title, the job site, the task and who does it.
- Leave This job involves lifting ticked. Enter the load weight in pounds, and at the start of the lift how far the hands are out from the midpoint between the ankles, how high they are off the floor, and any twist.
- Enter the hand height where the load is set down, which gives the vertical travel. If the load has to be placed with care there, tick the box and enter the reach and twist at that end too; the lower limit of the two ends governs.
- Enter how many lifts a minute, how long the lifting goes on (1 hour or less, 1 to 2 hours, or 2 to 8 hours) and how good the grip is.
- The Result panel shows each multiplier, the recommended weight limit and the Lifting Index as you type.
2.Screen posture and repetition
- For each question, choose how long it happens in a typical day: Not done, or one of three duration bands.
- The questions cover hands above the head, neck and back bent or twisted, squatting, kneeling, repeated motions, keying, pinch and grip force, using the hand or knee as a hammer, and vibrating tools.
- Press Save Assessment. We recompute the result on the server from what you entered.
3.Act on the result and re-assess
- Record what will be done in Controls.
- On a Moderate or High assessment, press + Corrective Action to give the fix an owner and a due date. The findings are copied into its description.
- Once the controls are in, press Edit, update the answers and save. The level and score move, and the change is in the audit log.
- Press Mark Closed when the job no longer needs attention. An admin can press Export CSV for every assessment with its inputs and results.
Common questions
- How is the risk level worked out?
- Each finding is Low, Moderate or High. A Lifting Index of 1.0 or less is Low, above 1.0 up to 3.0 is Moderate, and above 3.0 is High. A posture or repetition answer in the middle band is Moderate and in the top band is High; repetition combined with high hand force raises both one level. The assessment's level is its highest finding, and the score adds 1 for each Moderate finding and 2 for each High one.
- What does the Lifting Index mean?
- It is the load divided by the recommended weight limit the NIOSH equation gives for that lift. Above 1.0, the load is over the limit for those conditions. The equation starts from 51 lb and reduces it for reach, height, travel, twist, frequency, duration and grip. A lifting rate between two rows of the NIOSH frequency table takes the next row up, the more protective reading.
- What does it not cover?
- The lifting equation covers two-handed lifting while standing. It does not cover one-handed lifts, lifting while seated or kneeling, carrying, or pushing and pulling. The posture and repetition questions are a screen to find jobs worth a closer look, not a full ergonomic evaluation or a medical assessment.