Professional Services
Office Workstation Evaluations
Understand key job tasks, discomfort levels, and overall work environment in order to make recommendations that will reduce identified risk factors.
Office and facilities managers look to Performance Ergonomics when they’re searching for an effective, integrated solution for managing office ergonomics that tracks progress and measures outcomes.
We realize that you have competing priorities, so allow our board-certified ergonomics professionals to support your needs. Using a combination of the latest online technology and face-to-face attention, our office workstation evaluations will ensure that you have a plan in place to prevent workplace injuries and maximize workplace wellness. Clients tell us that our streamlined process makes it easy for all those who share responsibility–including supervisors, human resource managers, information technology staff, and facilities services–to create an injury-free workplace.
Our services include:
- Ergonomic Program Development and Support
- Individual Ergonomic Assessments
- Innovative Software Solutions
- Customized Training
- Move Support
Return-to-Work Job Matching
Speed return-to-work by assessing the physical demands and the point of recovery needed to obtain a work release.
At Performance Ergonomics, our ultimate objective is to return employees to their original job duties. Until they are able to do so, however, we will find low-cost solutions for return-to-work job matching with a focus on reducing physical demands and matching work capabilities. We will ensure that injured workers can safely perform 100 percent of their job assignments. As needed, we will outline temporary modifications that best fit current functional capabilities.
Seeking to facilitate a safe return-to-work job matching program, workers’ compensation professionals and claims adjusters rely on Performance Ergonomics to conduct job demand analysis and more clearly identify the point of recovery that injured workers must reach in order to obtain a work release. These professionals are often frustrated that many job descriptions lack essential function profiles, and they are not content to simply wait for an upgraded work status while they negotiate with employers that refuse to accept an injured worker who is “less than 100 percent.” They are looking for ways to move cases forward in order to avoid ongoing indemnity costs and expenses.
Employers benefit from the ability to manage the return-to-work process by securing appropriate, productive job-fit accommodations. It does not make sense for them to continue paying an injured worker’s indemnity wages when the worker could, in fact, be accommodated at work with workplace ergonomic improvements.
Finding the Right Disability Accommodations for Injured Workers
Our services include:
- Safely returning injured workers to productive work assignments
- Determining the best fit with injured worker’s functional capabilities
- Identifying modified and alternative job assignments
- Recommending ergonomic job accommodations
- Improving communication with healthcare management team and claim review
- Closing claims quickly and resolving barriers to return-to-work
Ergonomic Program Development
Development of a comprehensive ergonomic program, including identification of program goals, participants and ongoing operation.
Risk managers, safety leaders, and others searching for an effective way to implement an ergonomic program and prevent workplace injuries across multiple sites count on Performance Ergonomics to help them implement industry best practices.
We identify program gaps in order to create comprehensive, sustainable, cost-effective, ergonomics programs at individual sites or across multiple corporate locations.
Preventing Ergonomic Injuries in the Workplace
Common elements of our worksite ergonomics engagements include:
- Preventing injuries and reducing related costs
- Identifying and reducing underlying causes of, and exposure to, workplace risk
- Resolving complex cultural safety issues
- Designing the work environment to match workers’ capabilities
- Implementing proven strategies to boost your bottom line
Job Demand Analysis
On-site job assessment is to develop a functional job description and identify essential physical demands components.
Human resource professionals seeking to update ADAAA-compliant job descriptions with valid and accurate information turn to Performance Ergonomics to help them meet the requirements for essential function profiles with a physical or job demand analysis. They need data that objectively quantifies, measures, and categorizes the active components of the job, including required movements, forces, weights, and postures.
Creating Functional Job Descriptions
Employers know they can benefit in several ways by providing a comprehensive, objective evaluation of the physical aspects of work, the worker, and the worksite. A well-written, functional job description is well worth the effort. Employers realize that it is important to have essential job functions identified, analyzed, and documented.
The data from a job demand analysis by Performance Ergonomics can be used to assist with development of functional job descriptions, job function tests (JFTs), ergonomic modifications, customized educational programs, and return-to-work efforts.
Safe Patient Handling & Mobility
Address the challenges of starting and sustaining a SPHM program in today’s complex healthcare environment. Working together with key resources, we will map out a project plan to avoid common pitfalls.
Nearly every healthcare organization has attempted to introduce safety measures in an effort to reduce musculoskeletal injuries related to handling and moving patients. Healthcare executives, safe patient handling and movement (SPHM) professionals, and program leaders rely on Performance Ergonomics to help them make the business case for an SPHM program, develop a program focused on patient care ergonomics, and ensure that the program is successfully implemented.
The ergonomics specialists at Performance Ergonomics understand the challenges of starting and sustaining an SPHM program in today’s complex healthcare environment. We’ve done it, and we know what to do when a program fails or struggles to reach its full potential.
We roll up our sleeves and get dirty working with your staff to learn your facility’s challenges. No one handles underperforming SPHM programs better—it’s our specialty. Working together with your key corporate resources and facility stakeholders, we will map out a project plan to avoid common pitfalls. Because culture matters as much as equipment, we apply proven tools to drive real change. Our approach follows a continuous performance improvement model that actually enhances the culture of safety.
SPHM program support services include:
- Diagnostic Status Report
- Leadership Development Workshop
- Program Gap Assessment
The Return on Investment of SPHM Programs
Since capital resources are prioritized, leaders are looking to justify the purchase of equipment and devices. Because we are “vendor agnostic,” it allows us to recommend the best-fit products for your particular applications without bias. You gain the confidence of knowing that you are purchasing exactly what you need. We’ll work with you to determine where to start.
SPHM Improves Favorable Outcomes
Our goal is the same as yours—to ensure the safety of your staff and patients. We understand that safe patient handling is a powerful tool to enhance patient outcomes and overall organizational performance. Our credentialed safe patient handling specialists lead the way to apply the American Nurses’ Association (ANA) Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Interprofessional Standards. We hear from patient safety champions, nursing practice leaders and quality improvement teams, seeking to gain traction with their effort to achieve positive clinical outcomes with early patient mobility. We’ve blazed a trail with best practices in early patient mobility. From program design through implementation and monitoring, our approach can be customized to fit your organization and culture.
We will assist with:
- Training for team members and leaders
- Complying with SPHM legislation
- Developing competent SPHM champions
- Linking equipment use to the Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool (BMAT)
Ergonomic Risk Management
Leverage industry standard methods to identify and evaluate risk factors. Identify and prioritize solutions to help mitigate risk related to employee heath and safety.
Risk managers and business owners understand that their leading workers’ compensation cost driver, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs), can largely be prevented. Fed up with rising workers’ compensation insurance premiums and claim costs, they’re finally ready to implement an ergonomic risk management program and address the root causes of overexertion injuries.
What they know is that best-in-class industry leaders actively initiate a proactive approach to eliminate workplace risk. By being proactive rather than reactive, you too can adopt industry best practices to enhance ergonomics in the workplace.
Creating a Workplace Safety Ergonomics Plan to Mitigate Risk
At Performance Ergonomics, we respect your people and your workplace, and we view our role as your partner in building a culture of safety. We collaborate with you to evaluate, prioritize and control hazards within your work environment through the use of proven risk assessment tools. Once we determine the root causes of workplace safety pitfalls, we will continue working with you to develop effective, positive solutions. Our background and experience have afforded us the opportunity to bring our expertise to a variety of diverse workplaces. This allows us to help:
- Prevent injuries and reduce related costs
- Identify and reduce underlying causes of workplace risk
- Boost your bottom line
Our jobsite analysis includes observation, interviews, photo and/or video analysis, and measurements of the worksite. Industry-standard methods are used to evaluate risk factors. A comprehensive report is provided to identify potential solutions. Prioritized recommendations target work techniques and equipment that may support further mitigating workplace risk.
Ergonomics Training Programs
Training helps communicate ergonomic principles, program goals, and raise awareness to potential risk factors.
We’re not posture police, nor the scolding “sit-up straight” figures whose advice is typically ignored. We understand that watching videos on “proper lifting” is boring. The problem is that designing successful workplace ergonomic training programs consumes time, energy, and resources. To combat these challenges, human resource professionals consult Performance Ergonomics to develop workshops that are both informative and interactive. Our trainers provide presentations, seminars or workshops designed to meet your unique needs and improve ergonomics awareness in your workplace. We focus on practical sessions to achieve the desired results.
If you’d like, we can depict your workers in the slides and show proper use of your workplace, tools and equipment. We will explain the objectives of your ergonomic program to your employees and contractors, and will teach them how to use their equipment effectively and safely. Training can be targeted to specific job titles, departments, work groups, supervisors and employees. All courses can be customized to range in length from 15-minute safety talks to full-day interactive, hands-on seminars.
Raising Ergonomics Awareness in the Workplace
Our on-site workplace ergonomic training programs are custom designed for your industry and include practical hands-on scenarios to solve your challenges and issues. Whether it is a basic awareness lunch-and-learn session or a full-day course for managers and supervisors, we can help you accomplish your ergonomic education goals. Potential services include:
- Ergonomics program awareness
- Ergonomics team training
- Ergonomics orientation for team leaders, supervisors and managers
- Ergonomic training for employees and contractors