General MSD Hazard Identification Tool
Job Title or Task:
Date:
Completed by:
MSD Hazards - Gripping | Check if required |
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Pinch Gripping
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- difficult/tiring holding or manipulating
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- difficult/tiring squeezing to open/close
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Power Gripping
| - unsupported heavy object(s)
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- difficult/tiring holding and manipulating
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- difficult/tiring squeezing to open/close
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MSD Hazards - Force | Check if required |
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Lifting/Lowering
Consider both one and two-handed lifting/lowering. | - object is heavy/difficult to lift/lower
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- object is lifted/lowered repeatedly
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- object is above the shoulders
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- object is below the knees
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- Object is far away from the bellybutton
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- loads are unstable, unbalanced, uncooperative, or unpredictable
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- lifting/lowering postures are awkward (bend, twist, kneel, reach, sit)
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Pushing/Pulling Consider one and two-handed pushing/pulling. Also, consider whole body & arms/upper body only pushing/pulling. | - object is hard/difficult to push/pull
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- object is pushed/pulled repeatedly
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- object is pushed with hands above the shoulders
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- object is pushed with hands below the waist
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- pushing/pulling postures are awkward (bend, twist, kneel, reach, sit)
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MSD Hazards – Awkward/Fixed Posture Do workers frequently assume these postures and/or hold them for a long time? | Check if required |
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Awkward Posture - Neck
| - neck visibly bent forward (chin close to chest)
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- neck visibly bent to one side(ear close to shoulder)
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- neck twisted to either side/chin close to the shoulder
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- neck noticeably bent back
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- neck bent forward and chin out (head forward)
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| Awkward Shoulder Postures | - hand(s) at or above the head
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- elbow(s) at/or above the shoulder
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- elbows/hands behind the body
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| Awkward Back/Lower Body Postures | - sitting or standing with the back noticeably bent forward, sideways,
or twisted | |
- back noticeably bent backward with no support for the back
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- squatting/kneeling while working
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Awkward Wrist Postures | - wrist noticeably bent down or up
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- wrist noticeably bent to the side(toward thumb/little finger)
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- hand turned so palm faces fully up or down
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| Fixed Posture | - sitting for long periods without standing (office work, driving, etc.)
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- standing still on a hard surface for a long period of time
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MSD Hazards – Repetition Do workers repetitively move the same body part – with little opportunity for recovery? | Check if required |
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| Repetition | - performing the same neck motions repeatedly
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- performing the same shoulder motions repeatedly
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- performing the same elbow motions repeatedly
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- performing the same wrist motions repeatedly
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- performing the same hand/finger motions repeatedly
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- performing intensive keyboarding
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- performing intensive mousing
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MSD Hazards - Other | Check if required |
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| Repeated Impacts | - using the hand or knee as a hammer
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| Contact Stress | - tool handles dig into hand/palm
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- workstation/equipment edges/products dig into body(hands, forearms, trunk, thighs)
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| Hand-Arm Vibration | - using vibrating tools (impact wrenches, carpet strippers, chainsaws, jackhammers, scalers, riveting hammers, grinders, sanders, jig saws, jack-leg drills)
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Whole-Body
Vibration | - operating mobile equipment/vehicles on rough, uneven surfaces
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| Cold/Hot | - work environment is cold, hand/arms are exposed to cold air
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Modified from Part3A: MSD Prevention Toolbox – Getting Started Developed by Occupation Health and Safety Council of Ontario (OHSCO)
