I provide ergonomic assessments for workers in a variety of situations.  These include:

Employers

There are several circumstances where an ergonomic assessment for an employee is appropriate:

  • At the time of hire to ensure proper work station setup
  • When a change of work station is anticipated or has recently occurred
  • When an employee first reports discomfort and attributes it to the job tasks or work station setup
  • After an employee has begun to receive medical care for work-related discomfort but is still able to perform all of the essential functions of his or her job
  • When an employee has discomfort at work due to a recent surgery or illness, chronic injury, or disability that is not work-related

Workers Compensation Claims

I am an approved provider for the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) and frequently provide ergonomic assessments for injured workers.  I also work with self-insured (private) workers compensation companies. 

In Washington, ergonomic assessments performed for injured workers are referred to as:

  • Job Modifications (if an employee/employer relationship is present) or
  • Pre-Job Accommodations (if an employee/employer relationship is no longer present)

In either case, I have extensive experience in providing ergonomic assessments and making appropriate ergonomic modification recommendations for injured workers.  Referrals for this service are usually made by the worker’s attending physician, vocational counselor, or claims manager.

Generally, in order for an injured worker to qualify for ergonomic services through a workers compensation claim, he or she must have been given activity restrictions by the attending physician (for certain job tasks or for total hours worked per day or week). 

Private

I frequently work with clients who are self-employed and/or who work from home and do not qualify for their employer’s ergonomics program.  I find that the work station setups in home offices present unique challenges and can help my clients make cost-effective modifications to improve their comfort.