OSHA - Is Your Firm Ergonomically Ready?

OSHA's new rules, which go into effect January 16, 2001, cover all U.S. workers not employed in the agriculture, construction, railroad or maritime industries — in other words, 102 million workers in virtually every other line of business, big or small. Full enforcement of these regulations, following a nine-month grace period, begins October 15, 2001.

The estimated total cost to businesses has ranged from OSHA's projection of $4.5 billion a year to industry figures of $125 billion a year. The new standards occupy nearly 1,700 pages; they include recommendations ranging from how much an employee should be required to type or use a mouse each day, to how many pounds the employee should lift. The ergonomics standards represent the first time OSHA has defined repetitive stress as a health hazard and ordered employers to take corrective measures.

Get started making your workplace ergonomically sound·

Download the Regulations [1] from the OSHA site and study them. Pay close attention to Appendix A [2], which outlines the causes and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), or repetitive-stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff syndrome, sciatica and herniated spinal disc. Each year, OSHA says, 1.8 million U.S. workers report work-related MSDs; 600,000 received time off.

Take a hard look at your job sites and workstations and at your employees' duties — and consider ways you can make them safer.

Establish a written plan and procedure by which your workers can report symptoms of MSDs.

Educate your employees and managers on how to recognize MSDs and their symptoms.

Designate a manager to oversee your program and be the contact person for employees to report MSD symptoms or get additional information.

More Details! [3]