SAN FRANCISCO -- State Compensation Insurance Fund policyholders can learn how to use ergonomics to reduce workplace injuries in a multi-faceted seminar at State Fund’s San Francisco District Office on November 8th. The seminar is designed to show employers, supervisors, safety directors and human resource personnel how to minimize risks to employees’ physical health and how to make necessary workplace modifications before injuries occur.

Attendees will also learn how to identify problems leading to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), gain ideas on making improvements and applying them, and receive information and resources that can be used to train employees.

Featured speakers at the seminar will be Helen Chandler and Kristy Schultz, who are both Certified Industrial Ergonomists (CIE) and State Fund Ergonomics Consultants.

“The workshop examines how ergonomics minimizes the risk of office work injuries and musculoskeletal disorders,” said Chandler. “Used correctly, ergonomic intervention allows employers to create a safer workplace.”

The seminar will be conducted in two segments. The first segment – ‘Core Program’ - runs from 9:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. and explores principles of ergonomics. Some of the topics include:

• Understanding the basic principles of ergonomics
• Identifying the risk factors that lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
• Discovering simple solutions to ergonomics problems
• Developing ergonomics programs for individual companies

The second segment runs from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., and covers ergonomic challenges relating to specific industries. A separate workshop on office ergonomics and childcare ergonomics will run concurrently.

Topics covered at the office ergonomic workshop include:

• Reducing ergonomic risk factors in the office
• Implementing effective changes
• Increasing employee satisfaction and productivity

Topics covered at the childcare ergonomic workshop include:

• Reducing bending and stooping
• Applying better lifting techniques
• Applying practical ways of improving the childcare environment

The workshop is from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at State Fund’s San Francisco District Office, 303 Second Street, 7th Floor, South Tower. Registration and a complimentary continental breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m. Validated parking will be available at the 303 Second St. public parking garage. To register for the event, please call Gina Fullon at (415) 974-8166, or send a fax to (415) 344-5646. To register via email, please email gffullon@scif.com.

The San Francisco seminar is part of a series of educational programs State Compensation Insurance Fund is holding throughout the state in order to help employers create safe workplaces. State Fund has the largest safety and health services program among California workers’ compensation insurance carriers.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Established by the California Legislature in 1914, San Francisco-based State Compensation Insurance Fund is a self-supporting, nonprofit, fairly competitive public enterprise that provides workers’ compensation insurance coverage to California employers.