Types of Controls

Different types of controls can help reduce the chance of injury and limit exposure to ergonomic risk factors that can lead to MSDs, as follows:

• OSHA recommends that, where feasible, employers use engineering controls as the preferred method of dealing with ergonomic issues in shipyards.
• Administrative or work practice controls may be appropriate in some cases where engineering controls cannot be implemented, or when different procedures are needed after the new engineering controls have been implemented.
• Personal protective equipment can provide some protection from ergonomic risks in some cases, but may have limited effectiveness.

Engineering Controls

Engineering controls involve implementing physical changes to the workplace to reduce or eliminate the hazard of a task or job. Several examples of these types of controls include using a device to lift and reposition heavy objects to limit force exertion, reducing the weight of a load to limit force exertion, and repositioning a work table to eliminate a long reach and enable working in neutral postures.

Administrative and Work Practice Controls

Administrative and work practice controls are used to establish more efficient processes that limit risk exposure. Such controls could include requiring that heavy loads are only lifted by two people to limit force exertion; or establishing a system where workers are rotated away from tasks in order to minimize the duration of continual exertion, repetitive motions, and awkward postures.

Personal Protective Equipment

In some cases, personal protective equipment (also referred to as PPE) can provide protection to reduce exposure to ergonomics-related risk factors. An example of personal protective equipment that might lower ergonomics risk is padding to minimize direct contact with hard, sharp, or vibrating surfaces.

To learn more about Ergonomics visit our Shipyard Ergonomics Online Training web page.