Continued from pg 19


manipulators, or ergonomic adjustable height carts for product conveyance. Even the seating and workbench structure should be taken into consideration When considering ergonomic and lift assist equipment, many foundries consider the cost of implementation to be excessive. Admittedly, for many operations it is. That is why I strongly suggest that a phased plan be developed, considering higher risk areas with greater potential for serious injury first, and other areas in order of declining severity and incidence.


serious injury, the cost of prevention is far less than the cost of lost work, or worse, lawsuits.


I had mentioned that the rate of


reportable strains and sprains occurring with employees working from home is on the rise. The employer bears responsibility for accidents in the home occurring on the clock,


that we ensure that proper training and


ergonomic equipment


necessitating is


not


limited to those reporting to the plant. Consideration of the office work environment is critical. At the ICI, we avail adjustable height computer stands to our team. It is commonplace to find Nora standing at her desk answering emails. We also ensure that chairs are replaced when worn, making sure the employee has input in choosing a chair ergonomically suited to their personal needs. Other factors are taken into consideration as well, including office layout, supply storage, policies, procedures and training.


Regardless of what we put in place for our employees, it all comes back to repeated training and ensuring compliance with workplace approved practices.


Access to materials to


facilitate evaluation of the workplace, training, stretching/exercise regiments and equipment are readily available from a number of sources. OSHA has publications to support


your establishment as a safe workplace, and there is a diverse offering of articles and services publicly available on the


20 ❘ November 2023 ®


internet. I feel that one of the best places to learn about safety in the workplace is from each other. This is an area of collaboration in which we should all take a part.


I encourage our readers to


write to us, to share their experiences in INCAST Magazine. We can all learn from each


other’s failings, corrective actions and successes. So whether you have interest in submitting an article for the magazine,


presenting a paper at our annual technical conference or participating in a virtual safety roundtable discussion, we want to hear from you.


Ensuring the safety of the industry’s greatest assets, our employees, starts with you, and is a continuous process. If you have a program in place, review it and make sure it’s up to date. If you don’t have a formal program in place, it’s time to start.


In cases of


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