Ergonomics for Employees - Grocery 🌎

As a cashier at a grocery store, it's important that your workstation is set up properly so you can work comfortably and ergonomically. In this topic, you'll learn about the most effective way to set up your workstation so that you still have enough room to move around but can reduce strain, easily access any items you need, and make sure that you're able to help customers while keeping your body safe.

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1. Decrease the strain on your hands and arms by making sure your workstation equipment is clean, so it can read the barcode labels easily. This reduces how many times you have to scan an item.

2. If your cash register has a conveyor belt, use it and wait for items to get within arms reach before scanning them. Do not stretch to reach items, because over-stretching increases strain on your arms and back.

3. Make sure your cash register monitor or display is at or slightly below your eye level. If necessary, you should adjust its level at the beginning of your shift. If the screen isn't adjustable, talk to your manager about using one that is at your eye level.

4. Round-off or pad any sharp or hard edges that you come into contact with often by taping or putting paper over them, or telling your manager if they're dangerous. Doing this helps ease the physical strain on your hands and wrists.

5. Turn, slide, and use handheld scan cards or scan guns for large or heavy items instead of picking them up to scan them. This helps eliminate the strain on your arms caused by unnecessarily picking up items.

6. When you're setting up your workstation for your shift, make sure commonly used items such as the cash drawer, pens and paper, and receipt printer are within easy horizontal reach for you.

7. Use your keyboard to enter the quantity of identical products rather than scanning each individual item and causing more repetitive motion and stress to your hands.

8. Adjust the bagging area height to match your waist height, or use a platform to raise the bags, so they reach your waist. This way, you don’t have to bend over as far.

Working at a grocery store, you likely have to be on your feet for long periods of time while you're working. This can cause leg and foot pain, which can make it difficult to focus on your work. In this topic, you'll learn various techniques you can use to help make sure that you avoid pain throughout your shift, and instead focus on helping customers.

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1. Do not wear tight-fitting socks during your shift that cut off circulation at your knee, calf, or ankle. Instead, wear socks that promote blood flow throughout your whole legs so you can avoid knee, calf, or foot pain.

2. Keep the floor of your workstation clear of waste so that there aren't any hazards you might trip on and injure yourself. If you spill liquid on the floor of your workstation, clean it up immediately.

3. Make sure the shoes that you wear during your shift have laces so that if your feet swell from standing too long, you can adjust the tightness of the shoes to promote blood flow to your feet, reducing foot cramping and pain.

4. Stand on a clean, anti-fatigue mat at your workstation if possible. It helps take pressure off your feet and makes standing for long periods of time more comfortable.

5. Throughout your shift, change your weight from one foot to the other, or place one of your feet on a footrest for a break. This helps promote comfort in your feet and helps you avoid foot pain and cramping.

6. Wear shoes that support your feet properly. This means they allow you to wiggle your toes and they keep your heel firmly in place.

Stocking grocery shelves involves a lot of bending and lifting which can cause significant injuries if you’re not careful. This topic teaches how to keep your back, arms, and knees safe when you’re handling products and restocking shelves.

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1. Use thermal gloves while stocking frozen foods, as cold temperatures can reduce circulation and cause stress on your hands.

2. Use knee pads when stocking low shelves for a long period of time. This helps protect your knees while kneeling.

3. Use a stool or make sure you have something to sit on when working on low shelves for a long period of time. This reduces stress on your knees instead of having to squat.

4. Make sure the wheels on the carts are working properly because if they are too sticky or tight, they can be difficult to push. This puts unnecessary stress on your arms and back.

5. Make sure the floors are clear of debris and spills, so there is no chance of you slipping and pulling a muscle. If there is a spill, report it or clean it immediately.

6. Use carts that have raised bottom shelves, so you don’t have to bend too far down or reach too far in front of you. It will also be easier on your back when lifting or placing cases if you maintain a neutral body position.

7. When opening boxes or cases, use sharp safety cutters that match the job you’re doing to avoid causing too much stress on your arms.

8. Regularly rotate between stocking tasks so that you are not kneeling, squatting, and reaching overhead too often. Too much of the same task can cause stress on your legs and arms.

9. Carts with bad wheels should be removed from service until they can be repaired, so you don’t use them and put unnecessary strain on your back.

If you work in a grocery store bakery, you are often bending over to pick up trays, using tools that you have to squeeze, and lifting heavy containers of flour and sugar. This topic will discuss ways to do all those tasks safely and how to protect your back, arms, and hands from injury.

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1. If you use a cake-decorating table, make sure it’s set at about elbow height, so you can work comfortably and not hurt your back having to lean over.

2. Use smaller-sized decorating bags when you’re icing food to reduce the stress on your hands. The bigger the bag is, the more force is required to squeeze it.

3. Use smaller containers to store flour, sugar, salt, and other supplies so that you don’t put stress on your back and arms having to handle containers that are too heavy.

4. Use carts or rolling stands to move heavy items like tubs of dough or bags of flour, so you avoid putting too much stress on your back.

5. Make sure the wheels on the bakery carts are well maintained because if the wheels are sticky or tight you’ll have to push it harder and put more stress on your body.

6. Use short-handled scoops to put icing into decorating bags because the short handle reduces the stress on your wrist.

7. When using a baking pan, stand at the long horizontal side of it while working. This reduces stress on your back because you don’t have to reach as far across it.

8. Make sure the icing you use is the right consistency because if it’s too thick, it will be difficult to squeeze through icing bags, which could cause hand or wrist pain.

The deli requires you to use a lot of different tools, and without proper technique, you could cause stress in your shoulders, hands, and arms. This topic will teach best practices for keeping your back and arms safe while working in the deli. This includes making sure your equipment is sharp, using proper gloves, and storing things correctly.

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Translated content is typically AI-generated, and in some instances, it's been human-reviewed. Review the list below for translation details within this topic.

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1. Make sure all grinders, cutters, knives, and other cutting equipment are sharp and in good condition. If they’re dull, you’ll have to use more force when cutting and could hurt your arms.

2. Use thermal gloves when handling frozen items because cold temperatures can lead to poor circulation and make injury more likely.

3. Use a food processor if available to prepare ingredients that need to be finely chopped. If you take time to chop each item individually, you could use excessive force and cause repetitive strain injuries in your arms and hands.

4. To avoid putting unnecessary strain on your muscles, only store light items like foam trays in tall or overhead cabinets.

5. Use a small stool or chair to sit on when grinding and catching meat. Squatting or bending for too long can lead to leg and back discomfort.

6. Use tongs with long handles to reach items in the front of display cases so you don’t strain your arms having to reach as far.

7. When possible, work from the long side of trays to reduce reaching, and save your back from high stress.

8. If you use carts, make sure the wheels move smoothly. If they are sticky and tight, you will have to use more force which puts strain on your arms.