NIOSH Recommendations for the E-MAT Approach to Musculoskeletal Problems in Heal
March 1, 1998
NIOSH Recommendations for the E-MAT Approach to Musculoskeletal Problems in Health Care Settings1
• The employee health service should develop a means of tracking and evaluating rates of musculoskeletal disorders by department and job category and determine costs associated with those cases.
• Initiate employee-based intervention programs by establishing employee-management advisory teams (E-MATs) for ergonomics with the intent of changing the work culture and emphasizing the workers’ role in problem-solving.
• Establish teams of at least four people within each distinct work group, including equal representation of employees and management.
• Allocate adequate time for meeting and training.
• Give teams responsibility for evaluating potential interventions, including potential costs.
• All safety and health issues raised by a majority of the team must be acted upon by the supervisor.
• Establish a means to follow up and evaluate any interventions.
• Proposed E-MAT activities include:
identifying needs and arranging ergono mics training for the team;
assessing co-workers’ knowledge of and interest in ergonomics (for example, risk factor identification, awareness of the need to report injuries, and potential solutions);
investigating potential interventions such as lifting devices or changes in work practices and proposing appropriate interventions to co-workers and management;
participating in co-workers’ training and education regarding interventions;
monitoring device implementation and work practice changes, as well as reporting, follow-up, and evaluation.
• A multidisciplinary team of employee health and safety professionals, case managers, human resources personnel, and risk managers should collaborate with E-MATs regarding all policy and procedure changes or developments relating to musculoskeletal disorders among workers.
• Hospital administrators, engineers, and architects should incorporate input of the ergonomics E-MATs into long-range renovation and architectural plans to help avoid inherent design problems that contribute to injury and illness.