Ergonomics (lifting)

The ergonomics module scores manual lifting tasks with the NIOSH Revised Lifting Equation. It calculates the Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) and the Lifting Index (LI = load ÷ RWL), so you can see at a glance which lifts put workers at risk.

Assess a lift

1. Go to Ergonomics and use the New lifting assessment form.
2. Choose the Site, then name the Task and Location.
3. Enter the load and the lift geometry: Load (lb), horizontal H (in) and vertical V (in) hand positions, D travel (in), asymmetry angle A (deg), the coupling quality (good/fair/poor), and the frequency multiplier.
4. Choose Assess. The system computes the RWL and LI and assigns a risk band.

Read the risk band

• Acceptable (LI ≤ 1.0) — green.
• Increased risk (LI 1.0–3.0) — amber.
• High risk (LI > 3.0) — red.
• The table sorts by Lifting Index so the worst lifts rise to the top.

Correct a high-risk lift

Any lift at increased or high risk can be corrected with the Raise CAPA button on its row, which opens a corrective action to redesign the task (set the owner and due date on raise). The row then links to the CAPA so you can follow it to closure.

Record a work-related MSD case

When a lift task actually injures someone, capture the case. On an at-risk row with no linked case, click Record MSD… to open a short form — Affected worker, Job title, Body part / description, and Onset date — then Open 300-log case. That opens an OSHA 300-log injury case (column M(1)) for a physician-confirmed, work-related musculoskeletal disorder. This is a human determination, never automatic — one case per assessment. The row then badges the case number, and you can follow it into incidents. Note MSDs record as injuries: the separate MSD column was removed from 29 CFR 1904 in 2003, so there is no distinct "ergonomic" box on the log.

What happens automatically

• A NIOSH high-risk task escalates (danger). A lift scored in the high-risk band (Lifting Index > 3.0) raises a notification to the Safety Team — "Redesign the task or add a lift assist" — with the Lifting Index, the load, and the RWL. It's anchored to the assessment date, so the sweep won't nag twice for the same lift, and it clears once you raise a CAPA on that task (the CAPA then carries the fix to closure).
• The dashboard shows Ergonomic high-risk tasks and the total Ergonomic lifting assessments as counts.

Export

Export register (CSV) downloads every assessment with its RWL, Lifting Index, risk band, and whether a CAPA or a 300-log case is linked — api/ergonomics/register.csv.

Tip: distances are entered in inches and the asymmetry angle in degrees, matching how the NIOSH equation defines them. The Freq. mult. field takes the frequency multiplier itself (0–1, where 1 = infrequent lifting) — look up the value for your lifts-per-minute and duration in the NIOSH frequency table and enter it directly.

Related

• Safe patient handling — Lift equipment and mobility for care areas
• Job hazard analysis — Identify hazards and controls per job step
• Risk assessments — Rate task hazards and residual risk
• CAPA (corrective & preventive actions) — Correct high-risk lifting tasks to closure