How Often Might Ergonomics Training Be Offered in the Workplace

Ergonomic training is more than a one-time checklist item. It helps employees avoid pain, fatigue, and injuries tied to poor posture and repetitive tasks. Whether it’s a desk job or a physically demanding role, regular training is key. 

Understanding Ergonomics Training in the Workplace

Ergonomic training teaches employees and managers how to design safe, efficient workspaces by aligning tools, tasks, and environments with human needs. It targets risks like poor posture, repetitive movements, and overexertion, which can lead to MSDs such as carpal tunnel or back pain. OSHA underscores training as a cornerstone of ergonomic efforts, ensuring workers recognize hazards and know how to address them .

It’s often woven into broader safety initiatives, aligning with OSHA’s General Duty Clause and NIOSH guidelines for injury prevention. This is especially vital in high-risk fields like healthcare, manufacturing, and office jobs, where physical demands or prolonged screen time are common.

When Should Ergonomics Training be Offered?

The timing and frequency of ergonomics training depend on an organization’s needs, industry norms, and workplace shifts. Here’s when it typically happens:

• During Onboarding: Many companies introduce ergonomics training during onboarding, particularly for roles with physical risks. This sets new hires up with safe habits from day one. For example, the University of North Carolina requires all staff to complete it via online orientation.
• Annually: Studies suggest annual training is standard to refresh knowledge and tackle new hazards. On average, it’s a yearly event to reinforce best practices. This keeps safety top of mind and meets compliance needs.
• When Changes Occur: Training frequency often spikes with big changes such as new equipment, revised tasks, or remote work shifts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many firms added sessions for home office setups. This helps workers adjust safely to new setups.
• On-Demand or As Requested: Some workplaces offer training when employees raise specific concerns. Washington State’s Department of Labor and Industries, for instance, provides flexible in-person or remote sessions. This ensures training addresses immediate needs.

There’s no one-size-fits-all schedule as OSHA’s standard (29 CFR 1910.900) leaves it flexible, suggesting periodic sessions based on workplace demands. This adaptability lets companies customize, though it leads to varied approaches.

Industry and Job Role Specifics Requirements

Different industries require varying approaches. In some settings, the body is placed under stress from intense physical duties. In others, prolonged sitting or repetitive keyboard work cause trouble. Factors that shape schedules include the intensity of tasks, tools involved, and overall posture demands.

• Manufacturing, Construction, Warehousing, Meat/Poultry Processing: These fields frequently involve heavy material handling, repetitive work, vibrating equipment, and strange twisting or bending. Employees might be required to move loads quickly or work on assembly lines that push them to keep pace with production targets. Frequent training reminders make sense, since each shift can be demanding. A single misstep or overlooked body mechanic might cause an injury that prevents an individual from working for weeks.
• Healthcare (Nursing Homes, Assisted Living, Hospitals): Tasks like lifting, transferring, and repositioning patients carry a risk for back strain or other musculoskeletal problems. Patient handling often places caregivers in tight spaces or requires them to support an awkward load. Guidance and refresher sessions help workers protect themselves and the people under their care. It’s easy to slip into shortcuts when staff levels are low, or when a room is cramped and time is short.
• Office Environments: Offices may appear low-risk, yet prolonged sitting, repetitive typing, and poor workstation setups create issues such as lower back tension, neck stiffness, and wrist strain. Many offices rely on an initial onboarding video, then assume that employees will magically recall all details on posture and equipment. Ongoing touchpoints help people remember to adjust their chair, place their monitor at eye level, and keep wrists neutral when typing. Even minor improvements can address the aches employees gradually develop at a desk.

Each industry has distinct hazards. More frequent training makes sense if employees handle physically demanding tasks daily or if job tasks keep changing. A one-time annual session may not be sufficient for a fast-paced warehouse, but it might work fine for a small office with stable staffing. 

Decision-makers sometimes choose a more conservative approach and provide reminders frequently, hoping that the cost and time spent will prevent an even larger cost related to injuries.

How Ergonomics Training Should be Conducted

Training comes in different formats, each with unique strengths:

The content typically covers:

• Spotting ergonomic risks like poor posture or repetitive tasks.
• Setting up workstations with adjustable chairs and desks.
• Safe lifting and handling techniques to avoid strain.
• Reporting early MSD signs to catch issues early.
• Understanding the company’s ergonomic policies and roles.

Sessions should use clear language, per OSHA’s advice. A 30-minute online course, for instance, should be enough to cover office and remote ergonomics and to meet OSHA’s General Duty Clause.

Should Ergonomics Training Be Mandatory?

For many workplaces, it absolutely should be. While OSHA doesn’t issue a blanket rule saying “you must provide ergonomics training,” the General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards. If the job includes known ergonomic risks, such as heavy lifting or repetitive motion, ignoring them can open the door to injuries, citations, and compensation claims.

In high-risk industries like manufacturing, warehousing, healthcare, and construction, ergonomics training is a no-brainer. These environments are full of physical strain and fast-paced demands. Training helps workers avoid preventable injuries that often lead to long-term pain or disability.

Even in offices, ergonomics training has its place. It might not seem urgent until employees start racking up neck pain, wrist issues, or lower back problems from hours of desk work. Training that teaches basic adjustments can reduce discomfort, improve focus, and cut down on time away from work.

​Looking to enhance your team’s well-being and productivity? Ergo Global offers customized ergonomics training programs tailored to your workplace needs. Whether it’s in-person workshops or virtual sessions, our expert-led training helps reduce injuries and boost performance. 

Explore our training options.​