I’m a data geek, and if there’s one thing I love, it’s a big stack of accident/injury reports to sort through. Really! I have always thought that the only true way to get to trends at a company is to sit down and read each narrative- that way, I can be the one who sorts things into buckets based on my knowledge set. Yes, that is labor intensive, and yes, it is hard when you have a lot of injuries and you want to make changes.
When I worked for the Bureau of Mines, my colleague Debi Griffith and I were working with several mines and getting to know their accident history so that we could help them. I will never forget sitting at a small table at a “local social gathering place” in this small town trying to read narratives while the locals played cards… Our hotel rooms were so small that we had to go to the lobby to make phone calls.
But the information we got out of those narratives was not the stuff that could easily automated, but it really gave us insight into the cultures at these sites and allowed us a window we would never have had with an automated system.
Every single data system I have used, has had errors due to those who input the data, due to those who use sloppy writing to fill out a form, and due to those who think epicondylitis is the same as epididymis. By the way, the last two terms are WAY different… I have seen cases of carpal tunnel syndrome reported as death. People are put into different locations because someone did not know how to classify the location.
The point here is that any recordkeeping tool is only as good as those who enter data into it- and the real stories are always in the narratives. Use the tools for general sorting, but to get the most effective fix- Get To Know Your Data.
About practicalergonomics
I work to empower companies as they design leading edge interactions, processes, and products for the people they serve. My background combines the analytic nature of Industrial Engineering with the insight of psychology for a unique perspective on people at work. My strengths lie in being able to listen to my clients’ needs, bring together the skills needed to address those needs, and focus efforts to satisfy those needs.
Practical Ergonomics 
OSHA’s new recordkeeping tool and the lack of MSD classification
I’m a data geek, and if there’s one thing I love, it’s a big stack of accident/injury reports to sort through. Really! I have always thought that the only true way to get to trends at a company is to sit down and read each narrative- that way, I can be the one who sorts things into buckets based on my knowledge set. Yes, that is labor intensive, and yes, it is hard when you have a lot of injuries and you want to make changes.
When I worked for the Bureau of Mines, my colleague Debi Griffith and I were working with several mines and getting to know their accident history so that we could help them. I will never forget sitting at a small table at a “local social gathering place” in this small town trying to read narratives while the locals played cards… Our hotel rooms were so small that we had to go to the lobby to make phone calls.
But the information we got out of those narratives was not the stuff that could easily automated, but it really gave us insight into the cultures at these sites and allowed us a window we would never have had with an automated system.
Every single data system I have used, has had errors due to those who input the data, due to those who use sloppy writing to fill out a form, and due to those who think epicondylitis is the same as epididymis. By the way, the last two terms are WAY different… I have seen cases of carpal tunnel syndrome reported as death. People are put into different locations because someone did not know how to classify the location.
The point here is that any recordkeeping tool is only as good as those who enter data into it- and the real stories are always in the narratives. Use the tools for general sorting, but to get the most effective fix- Get To Know Your Data.
Share this:
Related
About practicalergonomics
I work to empower companies as they design leading edge interactions, processes, and products for the people they serve. My background combines the analytic nature of Industrial Engineering with the insight of psychology for a unique perspective on people at work. My strengths lie in being able to listen to my clients’ needs, bring together the skills needed to address those needs, and focus efforts to satisfy those needs.