Ergonomics for managers and supervisors

Ergonomics is the science of adapting work processes, equipment and tools so they fit you. Proper ergonomics can reduce risk factors associated with musculoskeletal injuries (MSI).

Employees who work comfortably with a knowledge of ergonomic risk factors are more productive, attend work more regularly and are less likely  to experience risk factors associated with musculoskeletal injuries.

Help reduce the likelihood of workers developing MSI with an effective ergonomics program:

• Identify ergonomics risk factors associated with work tasks
• Assess the risk once the factors are identified
• Train employees at risk of developing MSI
• Conduct ergonomic assessments for all employees
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the assessments
• Consult with the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee on all aspects of the program

WorkSafeBC's occupational health and safety regulation and the BCGEU Master Agreement set out the workplace ergonomics requirements for the BC Public Service.

Ergonomic assessment

Every employee should complete the Computer Ergonomics E-Tool as part of their orientation. If there are concerns that are not addressed by the E-Tool, supervisors should reach out to a ministry trained ergonomic assessor. Every workplace should have a ministry trained ergonomic assessor to help with workstation setups and evaluations. Contact your ministry trained ergonomic assessor to help you evaluate and set up workstations for your employees. You can also contact your JOHS committee for help.

In some cases, specialized training may be needed to complete assessments due to the nature of the work process, equipment, type of workplace or a medical condition. Contact AskMyHR (IDIR restricted) if you need help. Submit a service request with the category Myself (or) My Team/Organization > Workplace Safety > Ergonomic Assessments.

If you're interested in becoming a ministry trained ergonomics assessor, register for the (OSH) Office Ergonomics Risk Assessment course.

Ergonomics and shared workstations

If your worksite has shared workstations, please review our Ergonomics Resource page for Shared Workstations Information Posters. These posters have easy guidelines for employees to review when setting up at a shared workstation.