What do employee advisory teams do?

Employee Management Advisory Teams (EMATs), created by Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospitals in St. Louis, have flexibility to determine how they want to identify and solve workplace hazards. But here are some basic activities conducted by the teams:

• Workplace inspections: Team members complete a formal assessment of the workplace using a safety checklist and interviewing other employees.

• Incident investigations: At least one team member investigates accidents or "near-miss" accidents to identify possible interventions to prevent a recurrence.

• Evaluation of purchasing practices: E-MATs may provide input into purchasing of new equipment.

• Records review: E-MATs review injury and illness data, makes recommendations on changes in record keeping, and determines if interventions are successful.

• Rules and procedures review: E-MATs may review existing rules and procedures that relate to a problem being investigated. Procedures related to specific problems may be reviewed annually to determine their effectiveness.

• Training: E-MATs recommend training and education related to musculoskeletal disorders or risks and coordinates those programs. That may include a safety awareness campaign.

• Gathering information: E-MATs help develop resource material related to specific problems.