What is the "Action Trigger"?

What is the “Action Trigger”?
To determine whether or not an MSD incident can serve as an “Action Trigger”, the employer has to evaluate the worker’s job to determine whether or not any of 5 ergonomic risks factors have played a role in the injury or signs or symptoms. The standard provides employers with a “Basic Screening Tool” that consists of a two-page checklist of the ergonomic risks as follows:

1. Repetition – high repletion rate for the same movements for at least 2 hours at a time; or, using a high repetition device (e.g. keyboard, mouse) fore more than 4 hours a day.

2. Force –any lift of more than 34 Kilograms (75 pounds); any pushing/pulling of more than 9 kilograms (20 pounds) of initial force for more than 2 hours per day.

3. Posture – repeated working in a deviated body posture (e.g. bent neck, back, wrists, arms above the head etc.) for more than 2 hours per day.

4. Contact stress – applying contact force with a body part more than 10 times per hour for more than 2 hours per day (e.g. using the hand or knee as a hammer).

5. Vibration – using hand tools with high vibration levels for more than 30 minutes per day; using hand tools with moderate vibration levels for more than 2 hours per day;

If a job doesn’t meet the requirements of the Action Trigger no further employer intervention is required.