Back School of Atlanta

The Back School of Atlanta
Spring Ergonomics Newsletter

Greetings,

In 2005, as we continue our efforts in cost reduction for health care, most experts agree on the need to increase our focus on prevention controls. And those prevention controls include ergonomics. In this newsletter, you will find some interesting industry statistics, a list of companies at risk, and prevention ideas on fitness and employee training.

I hope you have a safe and healthy Spring.

Ron Porter
Director, Back School of Atlanta
rporter@backschoolofatlanta.com
800-783-7536 or 404-355-7756

In This Issue

Patient Safety Errors on the Rise
Study Links Physical Fitness to Work Performance
Workers Average Three Productive Days Each Week
14,000 Workplaces with High Injury & Illness Rates Notified by OSHA
Name Your Chair Contest

Patient Safety Errors on the Rise
Due to our clients increased interest in this important topic, The Back School of Atlanta is sponsoring a one-day workshop on patient safety entitled "Taking Patient Safety Personally." The workshop, presented by HealthCare Safety Solutions, is planned for the late summer 2005. It will focus on individual worker ability to impact quality and safety of patient care. The following quiz might help you understand the EXTENT of the problem in the US healthcare system.

If you would like to be notified when the workshop becomes available, please contact me, Ron Porter at rporter@healthcaresafetysolutions.com.

Patient Safety Quiz
  1. According to the Institute of Medicine, each year between 44,000 - 98,000 Americans die in hospitals as a result of medical errors.
    1. True
    2. False
  2. Medical errors are seldom due to the actions of one person; more often they are the result of a complex series of system-related problems.
    1. True
    2. False
  3. Out of the $37.6 billion in national costs of patient injuries from adverse events, $17 billion of that is preventable.
    1. True
    2. False
  4. More people die in a given year as a result of medical errors than from any of the following: motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer or AIDS.
    1. True
    2. False
  5. Each year more than one million people in the United States suffer from preventable medical injuries.
    1. True
    2. False
Click here or scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answers.

Study Links Physical Fitness to Work Performance
Lifestyle related health risks significantly impact on the job performance, according to a recently released study conducted by the Health Partners Research Foundation.

The study, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, shows that workers who engage in moderate exercise have higher work quality and better job performance than those who lead sedentary lifestyles. According to the study, physically fit employees get along better with co-workers and take fewer sick days than out of shape employees. Subjects with high levels of cardiovascular fitness perform more work, using less effort.

The study's findings support why many organizations/businesses are starting to sponsor fitness programs. "Employers are just starting to realize the financial benefits of encouraging physical fitness among workers," explains Dr. Brian Martinson of the Health Partners Research Foundation, one of the study's lead investigators. "Our team published a study in October showing that increasing physical activity to even moderate levels was associated with declines in annual health care charges of $2,000 on average. Combined with this study, we are showing that health care costs can be lowered and work productivity increased just by making adjustments and increasing physical activity."

More information can be found at: www.hprf.org.

Workers Average Three Productive Days Each Week
While the average worker spends 45 hours each week on the job, workers admit that 17 of those hours are unproductive. The reasons? Meetings, problems with software, lack of communication and just plain procrastination top the list that workers offered for their compromised productivity in the recent Microsoft Office Personal Productivity Challenge.

Over 38,000 people in 200 countries were surveyed on their individual productivity via responses to 18 statements about their own work practices. The results were tallied both internationally and for U.S. respondents, only. The results found that workers in general feel that they are not being as productive as they could be and in some instances they are blaming a lack of proper tools for their lack of productivity.

Dr. Larry Baker, developer of the survey's questions noted that the results "confirm that workers must get better training and tips on how to get the most out of software tools they use."

Ergonomics concepts and tools can be implemented in the workplace to help improve worker productivity, as well. Solutions as simple as changing the size of a font on a computer screen for a worker with failing eyesight, modifications on hand tools for your left handed workers and work shift accommodation can all provide more productive workers...and a happier work place.

More information can be found at: www.microsoft.com.

14,000 Workplaces with High Injury & Illness Rates Notified by OSHA
Approximately 14,000 employers received a letter this month from Acting OSHA Administrator Jonathan Snare alerting them that their injury and illness rates are above average. The notifications were based on data reported by approximately 80,000 employers surveyed by OSHA last year (the survey collected injury and illness data from CY2003). Snare said the notification process is meant to raise awareness among employers and aid them in their efforts to "address the hazards and reduce occupational injuries and illnesses."

View this list at www.osha.gov.

Name Your Chair Contest
Back School of Atlanta is introducing a new Custom Fit Ergonomic Chair this Fall.

This unique chair has been designed using the latest in orthopedic research. Each chair is custom built based on key measurements of its new owner.

We need your help in choosing a name for this remarkable new chair! Click here to select your favorite name from our list or to suggest a name of your own.



The answer to ALL of the quiz questions is TRUE.



Back School of Atlanta | 1962 Northside Dr. | Atlanta, GA 30318
(800) 783-7536 | Fax (404) 355-3907
Web: www.backschoolofatlanta.com Email: info@backschoolofatlanta.com