Ergonomics Consulting

Services

Office Workstation Assessments HLK Consulting's Workstation Assessments consist of the following steps: Identifying risk factors for injury present in the workstation Analyzing the current workspace in terms of suitability for the tasks being performed Photographically recording the employee in typical working postures Making adjustments to equipment Making recommendations for practical and cost-effective solutions Following the assessment, the ergonomist will compile a report which will include information collected, as well as recommendations for improvement. A follow-up assessment is recommended after the modifications have been made.
Industrial Work Site Assessments HLK Consulting can help address ergonomic issues in industrial settings such as manufacturing plants or warehouses through an on-site visit. We can address a specific manufacturing process, or provide an assessment of a factory as a whole. Components of an industrial work site assessment include: Analysis of employees' working postures during typical tasks Designing alterations in type or positioning of tools and machinery to reduce harmful postures Suggesting changes in manufacturing processes to increase efficiency and prevent injuries Suggest work routine modifications when appropriate to minimize musculoskeletal risk Optimizing the balance between factory cell output and human factors Following the assessment, the ergonomist will compile a report which will include information collected, as well as recommendations for improvement.

Group Training

HLK Consulting can provide group training geared towards employees or management. Below are descriptions of the various training programs:

Office Ergonomics for Computer Users

Many studies have shown that employees lose a significant amount of productivity due to common work-related discomfort, and that work-related injuries continue to be very costly to the employer. By implementing an ergonomics program, companies can dramatically decrease discomfort, lost productivity, and injuries. One of the most important steps in an ergonomics program is to increase awareness of ergonomics principles. This introductory ergonomics training translates much of the relevant research into palatable, straightforward training slides. The presenter will explain what ergonomics is and its relevance to them, give employees tips on proper workstation configuration, and train them on proper use and adjustment of their equipment. The training typically runs 50 minutes, with 15 minutes at the end left for Q&A. Attendees will leave the training with skills they can apply to proactively prevent some of the common work-related injuries. In order to maximize the effectiveness of the training, many companies offer individual assessments following the training in order to reinforce training material and address any individual questions or concerns.
Topics covered in the training include:

• Overview of typical risk factors for injury present in office settings and what causes them
• Steps employees can take to promote health and comfort and reduce risk of injury:

- Changes in behavior
- Changing workstation configuration
- Training on proper use and adjustment of existing equipment (if applicable)

Basics of Ergonomics for Machine Operators and Laborers

After the ergonomist observes the operations and tasks performed at your work site, we will create a customized training for your employees, which will include methods for injury prevention and increased efficiency.

Office Ergonomics for Management

This course is appropriate for Human Resource Professionals, facility managers, office managers, and others, who are involved, wish to become involved, or wish to initiate their company’s ergonomics program.
Management level training is available in two formats:

1.5 hour overview course which covers everything from the employee-focused training (see above) plus:

• Tips on how to evaluate ergonomic products when making purchasing decisions
• How to ensure employee participation in your ergonomics program

Six - hour course, which includes all of the above plus:

• Risk Factor identification workshops
• Hands on workstation assessment training
  

In the six-hour course, the ergonomist will spend the second half of the day teaching the participants how to conduct basic workstation assessments using a workstation assessment tool, and will have the opportunity to practice using this tool during an actual assessment with the supervision of the ergonomist. Therefore, the six hour course is appropriate for companies who wish to have an internal staff member as the first response to ergonomic issues.
At the end of the course, participants should be able to complete a basic ergonomic workstation assessment. All who complete the course will be provided with HLK Consulting’s workstation assessment tools to customize and use going forward. Participants will also receive a certificate of course completion.

Space Planning

There are many factors to consider when building a new office space, and HLK Consulting can be an added resource to ensure that all decisions promote a healthy and productive working environment for your employees. From decisions about workstation layout and lighting, to product purchasing, HLK Consulting will bridge the gap between science and aesthetics to create a highly effective workplace. During this planning phase, we can work with your architect and/or interior designer to ensure that your office is not just beautiful, but is also functional.

Expert Witness Consulting

A personal injury may have many implications on a person’s quality of life, some of which may be obvious from the medical records, and some of which can only be determined through an in depth ergonomic analysis of the person’s work and home activities of daily living (ADL). The purpose of the ergonomic evaluation is to demonstrate how the injury has affected a typical day in the individual's life. This service fills in the missing link between the doctor's exam and objectively demonstrating the actual loss of function.

Return to Work Planning

HLK Consulting assists companies in getting injured workers back to work, and partners with the company to design a modified job based on both the employee's physical capacity and the company's requirements.

Studies have shown that modified work programs facilitate return to work for disabled workers, double the likelihood of returning to work, significantly reduce lost work days, and reduce the cost of the injury to the employer. Additional studies have shown that the longer an employee is out of work following an injury, the less likely they are to return. Therefore, we encourage companies to contact us as soon as possible after an injury occurs, as we can be most effective early on in the process.

To create the optimal return to work plan, HLK consulting employs a multidisciplinary team consisting of an ergonomist and an orthopedist, and, when appropriate, calls upon specialists such as spine surgeons, internal medicine physicians, physicists, and others.

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