John Schaefer

 

Session Description:

In today's work environment the need for the worker to interact with the equipment required to form a task in critical. The pace and tools play a significant role in work related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Ergonomics in can play a role in reducing the incidence of MSD by modifying the work place and the tools to the worker. Thus reducing the stress on the worker.

This session will relate some of the historical aspects of the OSHA ergonomics initiatives. This session will detail the making of a successful ergonomic program. The principles behind a sound ergonomic evaluation and the corrective actions that have been successful. Case studies to help attendees identify some of the common ergonomic stressors found the the office setting will be presented.

Returning the injured worker to the work force may be fraught with anxiety for all who are involved. The supervisor - what if the worker gets hurt again? The worker - Can I really do the work without getting hurt again? The co-worker Is the supervisor playing favorites? or Why can't he just work like the rest of us? A facilitated return to work program that is built around answering these question while accommodating the returning worker will be presented.

 

Speaker Bio:

John Schaefer has a Masters of Forensic Science from George Washington University. He has thirty- five years experience in research, analytical laboratories and industrial hygiene. He is a certified Industrial Hygienist, A certified Healthcare Environmental Manager and a Certified Professional Environmental Auditor in Health and Safety. He has been with Johns Hopkins University for the past twenty years first as an Industrial Hygienist then as the Environmental Health Officer. Currently he is the Associate Director of Health Safety and Environment for the Johns Hopkins University , Hospital and Health System. He Serves as a member of the Part-time faculty as an Assistant Professor for Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Environmental Health Sciences and teaches in the Johns Hopkins G W Whiting School of Engineering and the School of Arts and Sciences.

He has over fifteen publications dealing with worker protection in the health care setting. He is a Certified Industrial Hygienist, a Certified Professional Environmental Auditor and a Certified Healthcare Environmental Manager. He has been instrumental in the development of numerous programs at Hopkins including Ergonomics, Facilitated Return to Work, Hazardous Drugs, Chemical Hygiene, Chemical Emergency Response, and Respiratory Protection of Health Care workers against TB. Other projects he is involved in include Anesthetics gas exposure in the recovery room, noise induced hearing loss, mouse urine protein as exposure in research animal workers, and industrial hygiene education for occupational medicine residents. He is a member of ACOEM and ACGIH. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Chesapeake Region Safety Council.