Everything you wanted to know about WMSD's (work-related musculoskeletal disorders) from NIOSH

What Are Musculoskeletal Disorders?
Musculoskeletal disorders include a group of conditions that involve the nerves, tendons, muscles, and supporting structures such as intervertebral discs. They represent a wide range of disorders, which can differ in severity from mild periodic symptoms to severe chronic and debilitating conditions. Examples
include carpal tunnel syndrome, tenosynovitis, tension neck syndrome, and low back pain.
What Are Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs)?
Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders are musculoskeletal disorders caused or made worse by the work environment.
WMSDs can cause severe and debilitating symptoms such as pain, numbness, and tingling; reduced worker productivity; lost time from work; temporary or permanent disability; inability to preform job tasks; and an increase in workers compensation costs.
Musculoskeletal disorders are often confused with ergonomics. Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of workers. In other words, musculoskeletal disorders are the problem and ergonomics is a solution.
What Are the Risk Factors for WMSDs?
Repetitive, forceful, or prolonged exertions of the hands; frequent or heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying of heavy objects; prolonged awkward postures; and vibration contribute to WMSDs. Jobs or working conditions that combine risk factors will increase the risk for musculoskeletal problems.
The level of risk depends on how long a worker is exposed to these conditions, how often they are exposed, and the level of exposure.
How Common Are MSDs?
Musculoskeletal disorders of any cause are among the most prevalent medical problems, affecting 7% of the population and accounting for 14% of physician visits and 19% of hospital stays.
When looking specifically at work-related musculoskeletal disorders, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that in 1995, 62% (308,000) of all illness cases were due to disorders associated with repeated trauma. This figure does not include back injuries. BLS also reports that the number of cases of repeated trauma has increased significantly, rising from 23,800 cases in 1972 to 332,000 cases in 1994—a fourteen-fold increase. In 1995 the number of cases decreased by 7% to 308,000 reported cases, but this number still exceeds the number of cases in any year prior to 1994.
When looking specifically at cases involving days away from work, for which more detailed information is available, BLS reports that in 1994, approximately 32% or 705,800 cases were the result of overexertion or repetitive motion. This figure includes back injuries.
What Can Be Done to Prevent WMSDs?
Much can be done to prevent WMSDs. Ergonomics programs to prevent WMSDs can be tailored to a particular workplace. NIOSH has developed Elements of Ergonomics Programs, a Primer based on workplace evaluations of musculoskeletal disorders which is useful in developing an ergonomics program (see below).
NIOSH Research and Prevention
NIOSH conducts and funds a substantial amount of research on musculoskeletal disorders, currently a total of 80 projects on WMSD-related topics. A directory of all these projects has been published by NIOSH (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 97-109). The following are some examples of current WMSD activities at NIOSH.
Elements of Ergonomic ProgramsA Primer Based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders This document (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 97-117) provides basic information useful for employers and workers in designing effective programs to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The document provides actual examples from two decades of NIOSH research and assistance. It contains seven steps to evaluate and address musculoskeletal concerns in the workplace.
Review of the Epidemiologic Literature
NIOSH scientists have completed the most comprehensive review to date of the epidemiologic literature on the relation between selected MSDs and exposure to physical factors at work. The resulting document, entitled Musculoskeletal Disorders and Workplace Factors: A Critical Review of Epidemiologic Evidence for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Neck, Upper Extremity, and Low Back (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 97-141) examined more than 2,000 scientific studies. Based on this review, NIOSH concludes that a large body of credible epidemiologic research exists that shows a consistent relationship between MSDs and certain physical factors, especially at higher exposure levels.
Ergonomics: Effective Workplace Practices and Programs
The ergonomics conference, cosponsored by NIOSH and OSHA, provided a forum for sharing effective programs for preventing musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace. Over 1,000 participants—from labor, industry, business, universities, health care, professional societies—attended the January 1997 conference.
National Occupational Research Agenda
The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) is a framework to guide occupational safety and health research into the next decade. The Agenda consists of 21 priorities most likely to improve safety and health of our nation’s workforce. Two MSD-related priority areas, low back disorders and musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities, are included in the agenda based on unanimous support from a diverse group of stakeholders.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Back Belts in Material Handling Workers
This study will assess the effect of back belts and other factors such as fitness, strength, and work exposure variables on back injury in 8000 material handling workers employed in a retail merchandise store chain.
Household Appliance & Intervention Study
This study will assess ergonomic factors in an appliance manufacturing facility. The objectives of this research are to evaluate the process of implementing engineering-based controls, and to assess the effect of “front-end” engineering on workers exposed to ergonomic stressors and on the incidence of work-related injury and illness.
Printing Operation Study
NIOSH is working with representatives of the printing industry to reduce musculoskeletal disorders of the lower back and upper extremities. The objective of this study is to develop low cost solutions, such as lift tables to reduce manual material handling tasks. These solutions will be videotaped and disseminated to the printing industry.
Nursing Home Back Intervention Study
This research evaluates lifting equipment and medical management programs for their effectiveness in reducing the incidence, cost, and disability associated with work-related injuries and complaints of pain.
Work Organization Interventions and Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders
NIOSH is examining the efficacy of various work organization interventions such as alternative work-rest schedules and task rotation in preventing stress and musculoskeletal disorders in repetitive computer work.
Additional Information
Copies of the NIOSH publications discussed in this document are available free-of-charge from the NIOSH Publications Office while supplies last (telephone 1-800-356-4674; fax 513-533-8573; e-mail pubstaft@cdc.gov). NIOSH has also prepared a bibliography on cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) in the workplace (DHHS [NIOSH] Publication No. 95-119).
Additional information about several of the topics discussed in the preceding pages are available from the toll-free CDC Fax Information Service (1-888-232-3299). For information about carpal tunnel syndrome, request fax document # 705001; for information about the revised NIOSH lifting recommendation, request document # 705110; for information about back belts, request document
# 705004; for information about NORA, request document # 705011.

Product Spotlight--Portable Ergonomic Lifters

Do you have the need for a lift assist in numerous locations? Portable ergonomic lifters can help improve your workers productivity, safety and morale. These ergonomic lifts are not cheap but compared to the associated insurance and Workman's compensation claims they are usually easily justified. Additionally you can eliminate the high costs of automated or fixed lifting equipment as these lifters are easily rolled into the work cell.

Custom tooling can be added to match the appropriate lift assist to your application as well as roll manipulators, roller tables, ball roller tables, forks, and assembly platforms. These lifts are made out of light weight aluminum construction to make them even more ergonomic. They are battery powered for even more portability.

Typical weight capacities up to 500# and 89" stroke.

52 Tips for the Upcoming Year! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

Use these “52 Ergonomics Tips of the Week” to educate and inspire your coworkers
throughout the year.

1. Use eye drops to prevent your eyes from drying out when using
the computer.
2. To check if your body is properly aligned when typing, align the
“B” key on the keyboard with your belly button (only works for
standard keyboard designs).
3. The computer monitor should be placed between 20 and 30
inches away from your eyes. If you need it closer, you should get your
eyes checked.
4. Use the 20-20-20 Rule. When typing, take a break every 20
minutes and look at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20
seconds.
5. Ensure you have a lumbar support when sitting. A lumbar support
can reduce the amount of stress on your back by 40 percent.
6. Support your arms when typing. Use of armrests or a keyboard tray can reduce back stress by 15 percent or more.
7. Keep your shoulders relaxed when typing. Typing with the keyboard too high causes the shoulder and arms to overcompensate and will eventually lead to shoulder pain.
8. The top of the computer monitor should be at eye level. Monitors positioned an inch or more higher than eye level are associated with neck pain.
9. Prevent extended reaches of your arm. Items that you use more frequently should be placed close to you.
10. Performing prolonged computer work? Force yourself to yawn. This moistens your eyes and reduces tension by relaxing your facial muscles.
11. Reduce stress to your body. Position work so your elbows are down by your sides and your arms are bent at right angles.
12. Sit directly in front of your monitor. Twisting your neck to view the monitor will result in neck pain.
13. A footrest will not only support your feet; it also helps support your
back.
14. A split-key keyboard will improve your wrist posture but it is not a
guarantee that it will prevent a work-related musculoskeletal disorder
such as carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis.
15. Bifocal users must extend their neck to view the computer monitor. Investigate using glasses designed specifically for computer use to improve neck posture.
16. Do not tilt your monitor upwards; it makes it more susceptible for the overhead lights to form glare spots on the monitor.
17. A joystick designed mouse puts less stress on the wrists than a traditionally styled mouse.
18. Do not extend your arm to use a mouse. The mouse should be located next to your keyboard within forearm reach.
19. Do not place a computer monitor directly in front of a window. Sunlight entering the window coupled with looking at the monitor places a lot of strain on the eyes.
20. Take microbreaks! A short 30- to 60-second stoppage in work while performing stretching exercises will help relieve stress until you can take a break.
21. Avoid bending your trunk; when lifting whenever possible raise items to waist height to reduce back stress.
22. Avoid twisting your trunk when lifting; keep your work in front of you to reduce the risk of a back injury.
23. What difference do a couple of inches make? Lifting a 25-pound item 4 inches away from your body versus close to your body will result in your back working at least 30 percent harder.
24. If you can see the imprint of your watch on your wrist, the band is too tight and you may be
causing damage to your wrist. Loosen the band.
25. What does smoking have to do with ergonomics? Smokers have higher back injury and carpal tunnel syndrome rates.
26. Back belts will not help you lift more weight and there is no evidence that they prevent back injuries.
27. Avoid daily activities that place the arm above shoulder level. This will significantly decrease the risk of a shoulder injury.
28. Bending the back while lifting can be stressful; this condition can also add more forces being placed on your back.
29. The weight of a backpack should not exceed 15 percent of your weight. Exceeding this increases your risk of back injury.
30. When placing items on shelves, store the heaviest items on the middle shelves and the lightest objects on the top and bottom shelves.
31. Be cautious; the word ergonomics is not regulated by the government. Just because something is labeled ergonomically designed does not necessarily make it so.
32. Design or modify your workstation so all lifts are in the lifting strike zone (i.e., the beginning and end of your lift are between mid thigh and chest level and close to your body at all times).
33. Lift with your legs—they are designed to provide a mechanical advantage to the body. The back places the body at a mechanical disadvantage.
34. Have a lot of stuff on your desk? Place the items you use most frequently closest to you to avoid repeated extended reaches.
35. People have preconceived notions how systems work based on past experiences. To avoid confusion do not use the color red to indicate “on” or an upward motion to turn off a system.
36. On the telephone a lot? Use a headset; avoid telephone cradles since they still force the neck to bend to the side and the shoulder to be raised.
37. Try to use hand tools that are as light as functionally possible. It will
reduce the amount of force needed to operate the tool.
38. For heavier hand tools, ensure two hand use.
39. Glove selection is important; wear work gloves that fit, are flexible, and come with grips. Otherwise extra effort is needed to perform tasks.
40. Bent angled tools are not necessarily ergonomically designed. Match the task being performed with the right tool so the wrist is not bent.
41. Hand tool handles should be compressible and stay captive in the hand. Otherwise the hands and fingers are subject to pain due to soft tissue damage and reduced blood circulation.
42. Why is it hard to open jars? The muscles used to tighten (clockwise) can exert more force than the muscles used to loosen (counterclockwise).
43. Take a short break if you feel tired. Breaks are associated with reduced injury rates and do not lower productivity rates.
44. Pushing is the easiest form of manual material handling. Try to convert lifting and lowering activities to pushes.
45. On average, workers experience their first back injury at age 35.
46. People with a previous back injury are more susceptible to re-injury.
47. When lifting, break larger loads into smaller, lighter loads.
Repetition is better than heavier weights.
48. Use manual movement devices such as carts, dollies, or
forklifts to move items, even if it takes longer to perform the
task.
49. Plan the lift ahead of time especially if there is more than
one lifter.
50. Always position yourself in front of an object being lifted to
reduce reaching or twisting.
51. Did you know the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health states that under ideal conditions you should lift no more than 51 pounds?
52. The most stressful lifts are those that begin and end at or below knee height and those that begin and end at or above shoulder height.

How do you figure out if your workers are in danger?

Lifting Job Analysis Worksheet
If you think you have a lifting application that is putting your workers at risk, take a look at our NIOSH lifting calculator. It is a quick easy way to check to see if your operator is lifting within his/her ergonomic range.

Many engineers and plant safety professionals struggle with quantifying risk. Read the directions, fill in the sheet, and see quickly if your operators are at risk.

The US Department of Labor reported 867,766 cases of work related sprains in 2003. Although the number of injuries has declined over the past 10 years, the cost associated with these injuries has continued to escalate. Depending on the severity of a particular injury, it is not uncommon for those who require corrective surgery to incur workers compensation cost, medical, lost time benefits and disability ratings that easily total $100,000 or more per injury.

Use the drawing to calculate the simple dimensions and enter them into the appropriate section in STEP 1. By entering this information you have all but two of the multipliers in STEP 2 calculated for you.

Use the simple attached tables to calculate the Frequency Multiplier (FM) and the Coupling Multiplier (CM).

Step 3 is completed for you automatically. If your lifting index is between 0 and 1 than you are in a safe lifting zone, is greater than 1 you are in a dangerous lifting zone.

Step 3 is completed for you automatically. If your lifting index is between 0 and 1 than you are in a safe lifting zone, is greater than 1 you are in a dangerous lifting zone.

You can download a ZIP file including the Excel workbook and instructions here. Save it, unzip it and you are ready to start analyzing.

Jobs meeting the "Action Trigger" requirements

If the employer determines that the job meets the requirements of the Action Trigger then the standard allows for a “Quick Fix” intervention. The employer has 90 days to improve the ergonomic design of the workplace for a job where only 1 MSD is being reported, and where there have only been 2 or less MSDs during the previous 18 months.
For jobs where the MSD problem cannot be remedied within 90 days, where more than 1 MSD is currently being reported or where there is a history of more than 2 MSDs during the past 18 months, the employer is required to implement a full Ergonomics Program for that job and other similar jobs.

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.

What constitutes an MSD incident?

If a worker reports an MSD or persistent MSD signs and symptoms for a period of 7 consecutive days then the employer is required to consult a health care professional to make a determination of whether the incident constitutes a work-related MSD and whether it meets the requirements of the standard’s “Action Trigger”.
According to the standard, an employee experiencing signs and symptoms of an MSD can obtain a second opinion from a health care professional. If s/he does not agree with this, a third opinion from another health care professional must be obtained to decide the dispute.

What is an MSD?

MSDs are injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, nerves, blood vessels and intervetebral discs of the spine. They vary in severity from annoyingly painful to crippling, disabling injuries. MSDs affect many parts of the body: especially the back, neck, shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, fingers etc. MSDs are cumulative injuries that result from prolonged work exposure to one or more of five ergonomic risk factors:

High rate of movement repetition
High forces
Poor, deviated work postures
High contact stress
High vibration of part of the body, especially in cold conditions

Work-related MSDs can be prevented by ergonomic intervention.

Should Back Belts be used?

Sould back belts be used? Are they a substitute for an ergonomics program?

In the Autumn of 1992, the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) formed a Working Group to review the scientific literature related to back belts. The Group's objective was to evaluate the adequacy of the data supporting the use of back belts to reduce work-related back injuries in healthy, previously uninjured workers.

Back belts are also known as weight lifting devices, supports, or aids, and abdominal belts, which are primarily designed for use in the general population. The term "back belt" is also applied to therapeutic devices such as spinal braces, supports, corsets, and orthoses.

The term back injury is used throughout the text to refer to all back disorders, injuries, or pain. These disorders can be precipitated by a single traumatic event such as twisting, slipping, or lifting, or by the cumulative effect of repetitive trauma.
Overall Conclusions and Recommendations
On the basis of the review of pertinent literature, the Working Group has formulated the following conclusions and recommendations.
Conclusions
The Working Group concludes that the effectiveness of using back belts to lessen the risk of back injury among uninjured workers remains unproven.


The Working Group does not recommend the use of back belts to prevent injuries among uninjured workers, and does not consider back belts to be personal protective equipment.

The Working Group further emphasizes that back belts do not mitigate the hazards to workers posed by repeated lifting, pushing, pulling, twisting, or bending.

The Working Group also concludes that:
There are insufficient data indicating that typical industrial back belts significantly reduce the biomechanical loading of the trunk during manual lifting.
There is insufficient scientific evidence to conclude that wearing back belts reduces risk of injury to the back based on changes in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and trunk muscle electromyography (EMG).
The use of back belts may produce temporary strain on the cardiovascular system.
There are insufficient data to demonstrate a relationship between the prevalence of back injury in healthy workers and the discontinuation of back belt use.
Recommendations
The Working Group recommends that the most effective means of minimizing the likelihood of back injury is to develop and implement a comprehensive ergonomics program. The program should include ergonomic assessments of jobs and workstations to ensure that work activity can be accomplished without exceeding the physical capabilities and capacities of the workers (Waters et al., 1993); on-going, comprehensive training for all workers on lifting mechanics and techniques; a surveillance program to identify potential work-related musculoskeletal problems; and a medical management program.

When OSHA gets involved

What happens when OSHA gets involved! We are sometimes asked about the process and thought you might find the below interesting and helpful.

Classifications of CitationsThere are several levels of OSHA citations from de minimis, which carries no monetary fine, to egregious which can carry staggering penalties. But since ergonomic hazards are cited under the General Duty Clause which states that "each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees", ergonomic disorders are cited with at least a "serious citation.
For purposes of citations, serious physical harm is defined as impairment of the body in which part of the body is made functionally useless or is substantially reduced in efficiency on or off the job. Grounds for a serious citation might exist, for example, where an employee must exert high repetitive hand forces throughout the shift and, as a result, suffers carpal tunnel syndrome. The employer should have been aware of this condition and made some effort to modify the job to minimize the ergonomic stressors. A citation for a serious hazard carries a maximum penalty of $7,000 per citation.
In some cases a "willful" citation might be issued with a maximum citation amount of $70,000 per violation. A willful violation exists when evidence indicates that the employer committed an intentional and knowing violation of the OSHA Act. An example of a willful violation would be if an employer had previously contracted for an ergonomic consultant who had performed an ergonomic survey detailing the hazards and engineering controls required to minimize the ergonomic hazards. If the employer failed to act on these recommendations, therefore allowing employees to continue to be injured, the employer could be cited for a willful violation.
In order to provide an incentive to correct specific hazards, not just the cited employer, but for all employers with similar hazards, OSHA has adopted the concept of "egregious" or instance-by-instance penalties. A violation is deemed egregious if it is "...flagrant, displaying contempt for, negligence toward, or plain indifference to the health and safety of employees and/or the laws intended to protect employees and their rights." In these cases, penalties of up to $70,000 per instance can be imposed. An example of this would be where an employer has 30 individual work stations in a work area, each of which has ergonomic stressors which meet the above criteria. Instead of assessing one $50,000 penalty for the violation of the General Duty Clause of the OSHA Act, the 30 instances may each be assessed a $50,000 penalty bringing the total penalty to $1,500,000.
Case Examples
Two brief case studies will be used to illustrate major issues discussed above.
Upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders and the General Duty ClauseIn 1990, the author spent considerable time assisting OSHA with the inspection of a facility involving hazards associated with upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders. Ergonomic hazards had been observed by the compliance officer and the ergonomic disorder incidence rate was relatively high. In response to interrogatories by the respondent, it was necessary to document the following:
1. Description of each operation.
2. Facts supporting the allegation of hazard.
3. Facts which support the allegation that any such hazard is a recognized hazard.
4. Facts which support the allegation that any such hazard is likely to cause serious physical harm.
5. Specific measures which are proposed to abate the alleged hazard in each operation.
6. Facts demonstrating technological and economic feasibility and likely utility of the proposed method of abatement.
In this case, the primary focus was on the documentation of the existence of the hazard.
Manual material handling hazards and the General Duty ClauseIn 1990, the author also spent considerable time assisting OSHA with the inspection of a facility involving ergonomic hazards associated with manual material handling. In this case, the musculoskeletal injury rate was approximately 50 injuries per 100 workers per year. In response to interrogatories by the respondent and requests by OSHA, it was necessary to document the following:
1. Description of each operation.
2. Abatement recommendations which require primarily changes in work methods or storage procedure.
3. Abatement recommendations which require some capital expenditure for lift tables, hoists, facility modification.
4. Abatement recommendations which may require significant changes in storage facility layout and design.
5. Examples of the general economic feasibility of musculoskeletal ergonomic abatement programs.
6. Discussion of abatements involving administrative controls.
In this case, the existence of the hazard was not a significant issue. Primary focus was on the documentation of economically and technically feasible and potentially useful abatement methodology.
Appeals by EmployersWhen issued a citation or notice of a proposed penalty, an employer may request an informal meeting with OSHA'S area director to discuss the case. Employee representatives may be invited to attend the meeting. The area director is authorized to enter into settlement agreements that revise citations and penalties to avoid prolonged legal disputes.
Petition for Modification of Abatement (PMA)Upon receiving a citation, the employer must correct the cited hazard by the prescribed date unless he or she contests the citation or abatement date. Factors beyond the employer's reasonable control may prevent the completion of corrections by that date. In such a situation, the employer who has made a good faith effort to comply may file a PMA for an extended date.
The written petition should specify all steps taken to achieve compliance, the additional time needed to achieve complete compliance, the reasons such as additional time is needed, all temporary steps being taken to safeguard employees against the cited hazard during the intervening period, that a copy of the PMA was posted in a conspicuous place at or near each place where a violation occurred, and that the employee representative (if there is one) received a copy of the petition.
Notice of ContestIf the employer decides to contest either the citation, the time set for abatement, or the proposed penalty, he or she has 15 working days from the time the citation and proposed penalty are received in which to notify the OSHA area director in writing. An orally expressed disagreement will not suffice. This written notification is called a "Notice of Contest".
There is no specific format for the Notice of Contest: however, it must clearly identify the employer's basis for filing the citation, notice of proposed penalty, abatement period, or notification of failure to correct violations.
A copy of the Notice of Contest must be given to the employee's authorized representative. If any affected employees are not represented by a recognized bargaining agent, a copy of the notice must be posted in a prominent location in the workplace, or else served personally upon each unrepresented employee.
Review ProcedureIf the written Notice of Contest has been filed within the require 15 working days, the OSHA area director forwards the case to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC). The Commission is an independent agency not associated with OSHA or the Department of Labor. The Commission assigns the case to an administrative law judge.
The judge may disallow the contest if it is found to be legally invalid, or a hearing may be scheduled for a public place near the employer's workplace. The employer and the employees have the right to participate in the hearing; the OSHRC does not require that they be represented by attorneys.
Once the administrative law judge has ruled, any party to the case may request a further review by OSHRC. Any of the three OSHRC commissioners also may, at his or her motion, bring a case before the Commission for review. Commission rulings may be appealed to the appropriate U.S. Court of Appeals.
Appeals in State Plan StatesStates with their own occupational safety and health programs have a state system for review and appeal of citations, penalties, and abatement periods. The procedures are generally similar to federal OSHA's, but cases are heard by a state review board or equivalent authority.
Source: Bloswick, Donald S. Ergonomic Analysis of the Workplace Course Notes. Managed Health Resource Inc. and Industrial Ergonomics Inc., 1994, 14-18.

Why Anti-Fatigue Matting is important for your workers

We are often in plants and see workers standing on hard surfaces with no mats. We always point out the advantages of using an anti-fatigue mat. The Canadian Center for Occupational Health ansd Safety has presented the below information about Anti-fatigue matting.


What are anti-fatigue mats?
The mats are designed to reduce fatigue that is caused by standing for long periods on hard surface (e.g.,. cement floors). Fatigue-reducing mats can be made of various materials including rubber, carpeting materials, vinyl, and wood.
Why use anti-fatigue mats?
Anti-fatigue mats are often used to decrease foot weariness for workers who stand in one position for long periods. However, providing a mat may not solve the entire problem. Discomfort, tiredness, and sore feet after long hours of standing are the combined effect of several factors, namely the design of the work, the workers' footwear, and the flooring material. According to scientific data, standing for long periods of time is particularly stressful and fatiguing. Regardless of the quality of shoes and quality of the floor covering, standing itself can cause tiredness after an entire working day.
What should be considered first when a person stands all day at work?
When considering the use of anti-fatigue mats, there are other factors that should be considered at the same time, such as allowing changes in working/standing position, footwear, and flooring.
• Changes in working/standing position: Work should be organized so that the worker has some choice about his/her working position and an opportunity to change position frequently. A workplace that includes an optional seat (chair, sit/stand stool) and some kind of footrest increases the variety of body positions and encourages frequent changes between them.
• Footwear: Footwear is a factor which, if properly chosen, may further reduce the harmful effects of prolonged standing. There is no doubt that the choice of footwear is an important consideration for people who work on their feet. Shoes should ensure adequate arch and heel support and cushioning while providing comfort to the wearer.
• Flooring: The type of flooring used in the workplace has an equally important influence on comfort, especially on tender feet. Hard, unyielding floors, like concrete, are the least comfortable surface to work on. Walking on a hard floor is similar to the impact of a hammer pounding the heel at every step. Wood, cork, carpeting, or rubber - anything that provides some elasticity - is gentler on workers' feet. More than that, softer floor coverings reduce fatigue and improve safety by reducing slips and falls on slippery floors.
When should anti-fatigue mats be used?
There are two options to alleviate foot discomfort where resilient floors are not practical. One is footwear with thick insulating soles and shock-absorbing insoles.
Anti-fatigue matting is the other option. Anti-fatigue mats absorb the shock due to walking and this cushioning effect reduces foot fatigue. However, the use of matting requires caution because mats can lead to tripping and falling accidents when installed improperly.
Another type of floor covering, namely, anti-slip matting, is useful in increasing foot comfort and safety. However, workers may find that their feet burn and feel sore, because the non-slip properties of anti-slip matting cause their shoes to grab suddenly on the flooring, making their feet slide forward inside the shoes. Friction inside the shoes produces heat which creates soreness. Non-slip resilient insoles can reduce this discomfort.

In summary, the use of anti-fatigue mats or placing carpeting on the floor does not eliminate sore feet by itself, but, when combined with proper work design and quality footwear, it should improve working conditions.

Are there any Ergonomics standards?

Yes! Several organizations at the national and international level write ergonomics-related standards and guidelines. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) are the main groups who create the standards/guidelines in the U.S.
Guidelines have also come from trade organizations or standardized industry practices.
At the U.S. federal level, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has several times attempted to promulgate an "Ergonomics Program Rule," but has failed to reach a stage at which regulation is formerly pending. On November 14th, 2000, OSHA published an ergonomics program standard in the Federal Register under the Clinton administration. On January 16, 2001 the program took effect. The Bush Administration repealed it 63 days later on March 20, 2001. (There are also many standards in places outside of the United States. )
• ANSI B11 Technical Report: Ergonomic guidelines for the Design, Installation, and Use of Machine Tools.
• ANSI Z-365: Control of Work-Related Cumulative Trauma
• ISO 9241
• State of California Ergonomics Rule
• State of Washington Ergonomics Rule

Free eTool for Workstation design

Need some help with workstation principles to create a safe and comfortable workstation? Check out this OSHA eTool.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/index.html


Work your way thru "Good Working Postions, Workstation Components,Checklist,Work Process, and Workstation environment"

"Consider your workstation as you read through each section and see if you can identify areas for improvement in posture, component placement, or work environment. This eTool provides suggestions to minimize or eliminate identified problems, and allows you to create your own "custom-fit" computer workstation."

Ergonomics Food for Thought

ERGONOMICS FOOD FOR THOUGHT:Businesses that have implemented ergonomics programs report significant decreases in accidents, injuries, illnesses and health-care costs over time, along with increases in productivity, product quality and worker morale. In Professional Safety magazine, Jerome Foods Inc., a turkey hatching, growing and processing company, reports saving $3 for every $1 spent since instituting its ergonomics program. Similar savings have been reported by the Grumman Corp., Ford Motor Co., and several large food retailers. A large Northwest aerospace company has reported successful projects in their ergonomics program. In a shop where aircraft interiors are installed, engineering controls and work practice changes increased productivity 10-15 percent, which translated into a benefit of more than $200,000. Changes made to a work process at a wire installation shop reduced stressful body posture and lowered the assembly time from eight to six and a half hours.In both instances, employee morale also appears to have improved. The above shows how a little prevention can go a long way and as we like to say "Good Ergonomics is Good Business!