Step 3 - Engage
What does engaging workers to manage the risk of MSI look like?
- Inviting workers to participate.
- Involving workers in all aspects of the work and safety process.
- Acting on ideas based on feedback to minimize risk.
- Evaluating solutions involving workers to assess effectiveness.
- Communicating throughout the entire process.
Opening lines of communication
Open communication means all workplace parties are encouraged to share observations and insights about the work. The information shared from all sources often leads to better decision making, helping increase understanding, motivation, and connectedness. This requires active two-way engagement and sharing of information with those who are involved directly with the work.
Actively engaging workers involves going beyond understanding the issues and concerns of those who perform and know the work, it includes things like:
- Equipping workers with the knowledge and skills to identify and assess MSI risk factors.
- Involving workers in workplace changes, training, procurement, and evaluation processes.
- Providing additional training or opportunities for learning about ergonomics.
- Inviting participation on an ergonomics task team or developing ergo leads for each department.
- Inviting workers to share ergonomic ideas or concerns at tale tail-gate meetings or during tool-box or health and safety meetings.
- Having your team follow-up on concerns or ideas for ergonomic improvements.
Did you know...
- The biggest determinant for effectively managing MSI risk and implementing workplace change is employee engagement. This one ingredient, together with top management commitment, are crucial to the success of interventions for controlling MSIs in your workplace and reaching safety goals successfully.
- When workers are engaged in health and safety, know they are being listened to, and that the organization will respond in a timely and appropriate way, they will report health and safety concerns, solutions, and suggestions for improvement.
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Preparing to manage MSI in 3 key steps
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