The following three scenarios show the ACC WorkSafe Injury Model being used to analyse the true causes of workplace injuries.
Scenario one: Strained shoulder muscle (meat process plant worker)
A meat process plant worker strains a shoulder muscle while scooping meat pieces off a conveyor and placing them in boxes. He has worked for the company for a number of years and finds this particular packing station requires him to lean a long way forward to reach the product. Taller workers on the line do not have this problem.
What was the event?
Strained shoulder muscle.
What task factors contributed to the injury?
Awkward trunk and upper arm posture contributed to this injury.
What system factors contributed to the injury?
The design of the packing workstation requires excessive forward reaches, particularly for short people.
What culture factors contributed to the injury?
The ergonomic design of the equipment and the process were not considered important; safety was given a lesser priority than production.
Scenario two: Occupational overuse syndrome condition (legal firm office manager)
An office manager in a legal firm develops severe and persistent aches and pains in the forearm and elbow. She works for several different lawyers and there is often a rush to meet deadlines for all of them at once. Because she does some handwritten work and some computer work, the partners decided to give her a large wooden desk that has space to do handwriting and has room for her computer. Like everyone at the firm she works long hours to get the job done.
What was the event?
A medical practitioner has diagnosed epicondylitis (an occupational overuse syndrome condition).
What task factors contributed to the injury?
Excessive repetitive movement, awkward posture, and prolonged posture has contributed to an injury for this worker.
What system factors contributed to the injury?
- inappropriate workstation design
- positioning of computer equipment
- long hours of work
- pressure to meet deadlines
- no early reporting system for pain and discomfort.
What culture factors contributed to the injury?
Working long hours is acceptable practice and health and safety is not a priority.
Scenario three: Amputated finger (wood processing company worker)
A wood processing company worker loses a finger while manually clearing woodchips from around the rotating cutter-head of a notching machine. The company had imported the notching machine a few weeks prior to this event, and the worker had been quickly shown how to use the machine that morning.
The machine’s extraction system, designed to remove woodchips automatically, was not yet working. The guard on the machine that would have blocked access to the cutter-head had a hole cut in it. There were no warning signs on the machine about the dangers of the cutter-head.
What was the event?
Amputated finger.
What task factors contributed to the injury?
Clearing woodchips from the cutter-head while it was still rotating contributed to this injury.
What system factors contributed to the injury?
- appropriate guards not in place on this machine
- no hazard management of new machines and processes
- poor training was given to the worker
- poor supervision
- no warning signs on the machine.
What culture factors contributed to the injury?
- injury prevention not a priority
- injury prevention not integrated into the business.
Last updated: 20 April 2009