Quick Fact: Awkward postures like bending and reaching increase effort, cause fatigue, and can result in injury. In many cases they’re wasted motions that increase the time to perform a task and reduce the quality of work.

Examples of Awkward Postures:

• Working with the arms raised.
• Bending at the back.
• Bending at the neck.
• Twisting.
• Reaching.
• Bending the wrists.
• Kneeling or squatting.

Evaluation Tools	Training Materials	Solutions
Simple tools: L&I’s Caution Zone and Hazard Zone Checklists. L&I’s Ergonomics Checklist (320KB PDF) Quick Exposure Check (QEC) HSE UK. Advanced tools: Rapid Upper Limb Analysis (RULA) on-line. RULA downloadable tools. Rapid Entire Body Analysis (REBA) downloadable tools. REBA downloadable software.	Handouts: Ergonomics Principles for Reducing Awkward Postures (624 KB PDF) Safety in Manufacturing: Awkward Postures WorkSafe BC Awkward Postures – NIOSH Slideshows: Ergonomics Awareness Education for Employees and Supervisors More Slideshows Interactive Training Computer Workstation Adjustment and Mobile Computing Habit At Work - Office and Industrial Training ACC New Zealand On-line Videos Dr. Ergo on Awkward Postures Links to more materials: Ergonomics – General Information CROET	Find more solution ideas like this one in the Ergonomics Ideas Bank. Other sources of solutions: Easy Ergonomics (1.7 MB / 5 min. PDF) CalOSHA Stooped and Squatting Postures in the Workplace (2.6 MB / 7 min. PDF) UC Berkeley Recommended Workstation Measurements NIOSH

 

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Our ergonomics consultants have experience helping employers in all industries address awkward postures. Find out how to request a no-cost consultation here.