HARM: a new method for determining risk of arm, neck or shoulder problems 13.08.2009
HARM is a new online instrument that can be used to determine the health risk of arm, neck or shoulder problems. HARM stands for Hand Arm Risk-assessment Method and is intended to ascertain what health risks, if any, are posed by certain tasks performed using the hands and arms. The assessment applies to tasks in which primarily the hands and arms are actively used, but the legs and torso little if at all. These include assembly, sorting, packaging, woodwork sanding or working in a hair salon. Computer monitor work is not included in this category. HARM can be used to determine the most significant risk factors in the aforementioned hand and arm tasks. Moreover you can investigate what measures can be taken to reduce these risks.
The interesting aspect of HARM is that the risk is assessed per task and not per employee, per position or per day. The outcomes therefore apply for all employees who perform a certain specific task. HARM can be used by anyone who is responsible for working conditions in a company; health and safety officers, occupational health and safety coordinators, personnel officers, Human Resource employees or – in small businesses – the director him/herself. But HARM is also suitable for health and safety experts at occupational health and safety services. No specific background knowledge is required and the method can be applied in all branches of industry and sectors.
HARM was developed at the request of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment and is based on knowledge on risk factors from the literature supplemented with expert opinions. It produces a reliable assessment in a short amount of time and is simple to use.
The Hand Arm Risk-assessment Method can be conducted digitally or on paper.
More information? www.arboportaal.nl/
Download HARM? http://harm.proteon.nl
