Ergonomics: The Study of Work

U.S. Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA 3125

2000 (Revised)
Contents

What is ergonomics? ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

Who needs to read this booklet? --------------------------------------------------------- 1

Why is ergonomics important? ----------------------------------------------------------- 1

What are MSDs?---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2

What causes work-related MSDs?-------------------------------------------------------- 2

Can non-work-related factors cause MSDs? -------------------------------------------- 3

What types of work are most likely to pose ergonomic hazards? -------------------- 3

How do I know if I have an MSD? ------------------------------------------------------- 3

What parts of the body are most affected by MSDs? ---------------------------------- 3

How much does it cost to prevent MSDs? ---------------------------------------------- 4

How can ergonomics help my workplace? ---------------------------------------------- 5

What can I do to detect and prevent ergonomic hazards at my workplace? ------- 5

What is job hazard analysis? -------------------------------------------------------------- 7

How do I control ergonomic risk factors? ----------------------------------------------- 7

What comprises MSD management? ---------------------------------------------------- 8

What type of training and education program do I need? ---------------------------- 9

How do I begin an ergonomics program at my workplace? --------------------------- 9

How can I find out more about ergonomics? ----------------------------------------- 10

Glossary ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11

Ergonomics: The Study of Work iii


What is ergonomics?

Ergonomics can be defined simply as the

study of work. More specifically, ergonomics

is the science of designing the job to fit the

worker, rather than physically forcing the

worker’s body to fit the job.

Adapting tasks, work stations, tools, and

equipment to fit the worker can help reduce

physical stress on a worker’s body and eliminate many potentially serious, disabling workrelated musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Ergonomics draws on a number of

scientific disciplines, including physiology,

biomechanics, psychology, anthropometry,

industrial hygiene, and kinesiology.

Who needs to read this booklet?

You need to know about ergonomics if you

are an employer or an employee in the manufacturing, construction, maritime, and agricultural industries and you or your employees’

work activities and job conditions include:

• Repeating the same motion throughout your

workday,

• Working in awkward or stationary positions,

• Lifting heavy or awkward items,

• Using excessive force to perform tasks, and

• Being exposed to excessive vibration or

• Extreme temperatures.

Why is ergonomics important?

Industries increasingly require higher production rates and advances in technology to

remain competitive and stay in business. As a

result, jobs today can involve:

• Frequent lifting, carrying, and pushing or

pulling loads without help from other workers or devices;

• Increasing specialization that requires the

worker to perform only one function or

movement for a long period of time or day

after day;

• Working more than 8 hours a day;

• Working at a quicker pace of work, such as

faster assembly line speeds; and

• Having tighter grips when using tools.

These factors—especially if coupled with

poor machine design, tool, and workplace

design or the use of improper tools—create

physical stress on workers’ bodies, which can

lead to injury.

A dramatic increase in MSDs began in the

1970s when these disorders increasingly appeared on companies’ injury and illness logs.

OSHA cited companies for hazardous workplace conditions that caused problems such

as tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and

back injuries.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, an agency

of the U.S. Department of Labor, recognizes

MSDs as a serious workplace health hazard.

These injuries now account for more than onethird of all lost—workday case.1

Use tools that are right for

the job.

Get a Grip!

Problem: Pharmaceutical technicians

hand-tighten dozens of vaccine jug lids

daily. If not adequately tightened, the

jugs could leak and spoil products worth

thousands of dollars. Testing revealed,

however, that most operators are poor

judges of cap torque—resulting in significant unwarranted hand and wrist stress.

Operators also were marginally capable

of using the proper torque required to

tighten caps adequately.

Solution: The company purchased a dial

torque wrench, made a special cap torque

attachment, and trained the technicians

to use the new equipment.

Cost: About $8 per worker.

1

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, News Release,

“Lost-worktime Injuries and Illnesses; Characteristics and Resulting Time Away from Work, 1998,” April 20, 2000. Online at

www.bls.gov.
 Ergonomics: The Study of Work

If work tasks and equipment do not include ergonomic principles in their design,

workers may have exposure to undue physical stress, strain, and overexertion, including

vibration, awkward postures, forceful exertions, repetitive motion, and heavy lifting.

Recognizing ergonomic risk factors in the

workplace is an essential first step in correcting hazards and improving worker protection.

Ergonomists, industrial engineers, occupational safety and health professionals, and

other trained individuals believe that reducing physical stress in the workplace could

eliminate up to half of the serious injuries each

year. Employers can learn to anticipate what

might go wrong and alter tools and the work

environment to make tasks safer for their

workers.

What are MSDs?

MSDs, or musculoskeletal disorders, are

injuries and disorders of the soft tissues

(muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and cartilage) and nervous system. They can affect

nearly all tissues, including the nerves and

tendon sheaths, and most frequently involve

the arms and back.

Occupational safety and health professionals have called these disorders a variety of

names, including cumulative trauma disorders, repeated trauma, repetitive stress injuries, and occupational overexertion syndrome.

These painful and often disabling injuries

generally develop gradually over weeks,

months, and years. MSDs usually result from

exposure to multiple risk factors that can cause

or exacerbate the disorders, not from a single

event or trauma such as a fall, collision, or entanglement.

MSDs can cause a number of conditions,

including pain, numbness, tingling, stiff joints,

difficulty moving, muscle loss, and sometimes

paralysis. Frequently, workers must lose time

from work to recover; some never regain full

health.

These disorders include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, sciatica, herniated discs,

and low back pain. MSDs do not include injuries resulting from slips, trips, falls, or similar accidents.

What causes work-related MSDs?

Work-related MSDs occur when the physical capabilities of the worker do not match the

physical requirements of the job. Prolonged

exposure to ergonomic risk factors can cause

damage a worker’s body and lead to MSDs.

Conditions that are likely to cause MSD problems include the following:

• Exerting excessive force;

• Excessive repetition of movements that can

irritate tendons and increase pressure on

nerves;

• Awkward postures, or unsupported positions that stretch physical limits, can compress nerves and irritate tendons;

• Static postures, or positions that a worker

must hold for long periods of time, can restrict blood flow and damage muscles;

•Motion, such as increased speed or acceleration when bending and twisting, can increase the amount of force exerted on the

body;

• Compression, from grasping sharp edges

like tool handles, can concentrate force on

small areas of the body, reduce blood flow

and nerve transmission, and damage tendons and tendon sheaths;

• Inadequate recovery time due to overtime,

lack of breaks, and failure to vary tasks

can leave insufficient time for tissue repair;

Parts of the Body Affected by MSDs

• Arms • Back

• Hands • Wrists

• Fingers • Legs

• Neck • Shoulders


• Excessive vibration, usually from vibrating

tools, can decrease blood flow, damage

nerves, and contribute to muscle fatigue.

• Whole-body vibration, from driving trucks

or operating subways, can affect skeletal

muscles and cause low-back pain; and

• Working in cold temperatures can adversely

affect a worker’s coordination and manual

dexterity and cause a worker to use more

force than necessary to perform a task.

These risk factors, either alone or in combination, can subject workers’ shoulders,

arms, hands, wrists, backs, and legs to thousands of repetitive twisting, forceful, or flexing motions during a typical workday. To

contribute to MSDs, however, these risk factors must be present for a sufficient duration,

frequency, or magnitude.

Can non-work-related factors cause

MSDs?

Yes. Risk factors not related to your job can

cause or contribute to MSDs. These factors

include:

• Physical conditioning;

• Medical conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and arthritis;

• Pregnancy;

• Hobbies that are hand intensive or require

manual handling. In these instances, however, because one can control the duration

and exposures, hobbies usually are not primary risk factors; and

• Psychological or social workplace stress.

What types of work are most likely

to pose ergonomic hazards?

MSDs affect workers in almost every occupation and industry in the nation and in

workplaces of all sizes. The disorders occur

most frequently in jobs that involve:

• Manual handling,

• Manufacturing and production,

• Heavy lifting,

• Twisting movements, and

• Long hours of working in awkward

 positions.

How do I know if I have an MSD?

You could have a work-related MSD if you

experience any of the following:

• Numbness in your fingers,

• Numbness in your thighs,

• Difficulty moving your finger,

• Stiff joints, or

• Back pain.

What parts of the body are most

affected by MSDs?

MSDs can affect nearly all tissues in the

human body: the nerves, tendons, tendon

sheaths, and muscles. The most frequently

affected areas of the body are the arms and

the back.

MSD Risk Factors

• Force

• Repetition

• Awkward postures

• Static postures

• Quick motions

• Compression or contact stress

• Vibration

• Cold temperatures

When lifting, maintain

an upright position and

avoid bending and

twisting. Avoid lifting

while sitting.
 Ergonomics: The Study of Work

Tendon disorders such as tendinitis, tenosynovitis, De Quervain’s disease, trigger finger, and carpal tunnel syndrome are the most

common occupational MSDs associated with

the arm.

Tendon disorders are very common and

often occur at or near the joints where the tendons rub against other tendons, ligaments, or

bones. The most frequently noted symptoms

of tendon disorders are a dull aching sensation over the tendon, discomfort with specific

movements, and tenderness to touch. Recovery is usually slow, and the condition may easily become chronic if the physical stresses

causing the problem are not eliminated or reduced.

Another MSD that has received increased

attention in recent years is carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS, which affects the hands and

wrists. CTS is the compression and entrapment of the median nerve where it passes

through the wrist into the hand—in the carpal tunnel. The median nerve is the main

nerve that extends down the arm to the hand

and provides the sense of touch in the thumb,

index finger, middle finger, and half of the

fourth, or ring, finger.

When irritated, tendons housed inside the

narrow carpal tunnel swell and press against

the nearby median nerve. The pressure causes

tingling, numbness, or severe pain in the wrist

and hand—often felt while sleeping. The pressure also results in a lack of strength in the

hand and an inability to make a fist, hold

objects, or perform other manual tasks. If the

pressure continues, it can damage the nerve,

causing permanent loss of sensation and even

partial paralysis.

CTS develops in the hands and wrists from

repetitive and forceful manual tasks performed without time to recover. Any worker

whose job demands a lot of repetitive wrist,

hand, and arm motion—not necessarily forceful—could develop CTS.

Another MSD that accounts for a significant loss of productivity and large compensation costs to industry is back injury. Workers cite back disorders most often, after the

common cold and flu, as reasons for missing

work.

The most common back problems are

pulled or strained muscles, ligaments, and

tendons. More serious disorders involve spinal discs. More than half the work force experience back pain at least once during a lifetime.

When repetitive pulling and straining injures back muscles or ligaments, the back

muscles, discs, and ligaments can become

scarred and weakened and lose their ability

to support the back. This makes additional injuries more likely.

How much does it cost to prevent

MSDs?

Many solutions to ergonomic problems in

the workplace are simple and inexpensive. For

The High Cost of MSDs

• MSDs account for 34 percent of all lost-workday injuries and illnesses.

•Employers report nearly 600,000 MSDs requiring time away from work every year.

• MSDs account for $1 of every $3 spent for workers’ compensation.

• MSDs each year account for more than $15 billion to $20 billion in workers’ compensation costs. Total direct costs add up to as much as $50 billion annually.

• On average, it takes workers 28 days recover from carpal tunnel syndrome, longer

than the time needed to recover from amputation or fractures.

• Workers with severe injuries can face permanent disability that prevents them

from returning to their jobs or handling simple, everyday tasks.


example, awkward and uncomfortable positions can be eliminated by:

• Adjusting the height of working surfaces,

• Providing telephone headsets,

• Supplying anti-fatigue mats,

• Varying tasks,

• Providing short breaks,

• Reducing the weight and size of items workers must lift,

• Putting supplies and equipment within easy

reach of the worker,

• Providing ergonomic chairs or stools, and

• Supplying the right tool for the job and the

right handle for the worker.

Good ergonomics is good economics.

How can ergonomics help my

workplace?

Providing a workplace free of ergonomic

hazards can do the following:

• Lower injury rates as MSD incidences go

down;

• Increase productivity by making jobs easier

and more comfortable for workers;

• Improve product quality because fewer errors will be made when using automated

processes that demand less physical effort;

• Reduce absences because workers will be

less likely to take time off to recover from

muscle soreness, fatigue, and MSD-related

problems;

•Reduce turnover as new hires are more likely

to find an ergonomically designed job within

their physical capacity;

• Lower costs as workers’ compensation and

other payments for illness and replacement

workers go down;

• Improve worker safety;

• Increase worker comfort;

• Reduce worker fatigue; and

• Improve worker morale.

What can I do to detect and prevent

ergonomic hazards at my workplace?

MSDs are often easy to prevent. If you are

an employer whose workplace poses ergonomic risk factors or whose workers report

MSDs, you can address this problem by:

• Establishing an ergonomics program, and

• Providing and encouraging employees to

participatein the ergonomics program and

in decisions affecting their safety and

health.

If you are an employee who is exposed

to ergonomic risk factors, you should:

• Participate in your employer’s ergonomics

program; and

• Provide feedback to supervisors and employers through available channels, such as

an established employee safety and health

committee.

Effective ergonomic programs should include the following elements:

• Management commitment and employee

participation,

• Job hazard analysis,

• Controlling ergonomic risk,

• MSD management, and

• Training and education.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor

Statistics, News Release, “Lost-worktime Injuries and

Illnesses; Characteristics and Resulting Time Away from

Work, 1998,” April 20, 2000. Online at www.bls.gov.

Top Ten Occupations for MSDs

• Nurses aides, orderlies, and attendants

• Truck drivers

• Laborers not involved in construction

work

• Assemblers

• Janitors and cleaners

• Registered nurses

• Stock handlers and baggers

• Construction laborers

• Cashiers

• Carpenters
 Ergonomics: The Study of Work

Examples of Musculoskeletal Disorders

Body Parts

Affected

Symptoms Possible Causes Workers

Affected

Disease Name

thumbs pain at the base

of the thumbs

twisting and

gripping

butchers, housekeepers,

packers, seamstresses, cutters

fingers

De Quervain’s

disease

difficulty moving

finger; snapping

and jerking

movements

repeatedly using

the index fingers

meatpackers,

poultry workers,

carpenters,

electronic

assemblers

trigger finger

shoulders pain, stiffness working with the

hands above the

head

power press

operators,

welders, painters,

assembly line

workers

rotator cuff

tendinitis

hands, wrists pain, swelling repetitive or

forceful hand and

wrist motions

core making,

poultry processing, meatpacking

tenosynovitis

fingers, hands numbness,

tingling; ashen

skin; loss of

feeling and

control

exposure to

vibration

chain saw, pneumatic hammer,

and gasolinepowered tool

operators

Raynaud’s

syndrome

(white finger)

fingers, wrists tingling, numbness, severe pain;

loss of strength,

sensation in the

thumbs, index, or

middle or half of

the ring fingers

repetitive and

forceful manual

tasks without

time to recover

meat and poultry

and garment

workers, upholsterers, assemblers, VDT

operators,

cashiers

carpal tunnel

syndrome

back low back pain,

shooting pain or

numbness in the

upper legs

whole body

vibration

truck and bus

drivers, tractor

and subway

operators; warehouse workers;

nurses aides;

grocery cashiers;

baggage handlers

back disability


How do I control ergonomic risk

factors?

Employers can prevent MSD hazards by

properly designing the job or work station and

selecting the appropriate tools or equipment

for that job. Based on information from the

job analysis, an employer can establish procedures to correct or control risk factors by

using:

• Appropriate engineering controls, such as

work station, tool, and equipment design or

redesign;

• Work practices, such as proper lifting techniques and keeping work areas clean;

• Administrative controls, such as worker

rotation, more task variety, and increased

rest breaks, and if necessary;

• Personal protective equipment, such as knee

pads, vibration gloves, and similar devices.

What is job hazard analysis?

Job hazard analysis identifies problem

jobs and risk factors associated with them.

This step helps employers determine what

jobs and work stations are the source of the

greatest problems. The most effective

worksite analyses include all jobs, operations,

and work activities where there are ergonomic risk factors, regardless of whether the

employer’s medical records indicate that

workers have developed MSDs.

A thorough job analysis is important to

successfully prevent or reduce the various

MSD hazards at a work site. Workers exposed

to ergonomic risk factors may develop a variety of symptoms. Moreover, a combination

of factors in a single job or work station may

cause MSDs. For example, research has

shown that various symptoms among VDT

operators result from problems in equipment, work stations, the office environment,

and job design, or a combination of these. In

addition, VDT operators experience not just

one simple MSD, but often eyestrain, headaches, and excessive fatigue as well as neck,

back and muscle pain, and stress. A comprehensive analysis of the worksite will identify the interplay of how various ergonomic

risk factors affect workers.

CTS and Repetitive Motion

The meatpacking industry is one of the

most hazardous industries in the United

States because workers can make as many

as several thousand repetitive motions per

day in assembly line processes, such as

deboning meats, with no variation in motion. The motions place physical stress and

strain on the wrists and hands, resulting

in CTS.

In manufacturing, garment makers,

who often perform fast-paced piecework

operations involving excessive repetitive

tasks, increase their risk of developing CTS.

Garment industry jobs often require workers to push large amounts of materials

through machinery while sitting on

unadjustable metal stools. Workers doing

these jobs can sustain disabling wrist, back,

and leg injuries.

Video display terminals

(VDTS) should be equipped

with adjustable and

detachable keyboards,

display screens that tilt up

and down, brightness and

contrast controls, and flexible

copy holders that reduce the

distance between the screen

and the source material.
 Ergonomics: The Study of Work

The National Institute for Occupational

Safety and Health recommends using the following guidelines in jobs requiring manual

handling:

• Minimize the distance between the load and

the body.

• Lift loads from knuckle height.

• Keep the travel distance for the lift to less

than 10 feet.

• Minimize twisting.

• Provide good handles for grasping loads.

It is also important that work tools and

equipment be ergonomically designed. Most

hand tools are designed for only occasional

use, not for repetitive use over prolonged periods. When acquiring tools for regular use in

an industrial setting, an employer should consider the following ergonomic features:

• Tools should be light-weight and handles

designed to allow a relaxed grip so the wrists

can remain straight.

• Tools should be designed for use with either

hand and be of various sizes so they are appropriate for all workers.

• Tool handles should be shaped so that they

contact the largest possible surface of the

inner hand and fingers. Avoid tool handles

with sharp edges and corners.

• Use power tools to reduce the amount of

human force and repetition required.

• Purchase low-vibration tools to reduce tool

vibration, and, if necessary, fit absorbent rubber sleeves over the tool handle.

Maintenance of tools and equipment also

is essential in preventing or reducing ergonomic hazards. Keep tools sharp and maintain them according to the manufacturer’s

specifications. Proper maintenance also can

help reduce vibration resulting from prolonged equipment operation.

What comprises MSD management?

MSD management is another important

element of an effective ergonomics program.

Proper MSD management focuses on early

identification and evaluation of signs and

symptoms of MSDs and helps eliminate or reduce the risk of developing MSDs.

Employers should include the following

elements in any MSD management program:

• Injury and illness recordkeeping;

• Early recognition and reporting of MSD

symptoms;

• Systematic evaluation and referral to a qualified health care provider;

• Conservative treatment, such as restricted

duty jobs, when necessary;

• Conservative return to work;

• Systematic monitoring, including periodic

workplace walkthroughs;

• Adequate staffing and facilities where employers provide on-site evaluation;

• Employee training and education;-

• Access to health care providers for each

work shift; and

• No barriers to early reporting.

An Uplifting Solution

Problem: At a glass ceramic cooktop

plant, workers manually lift uncut plates

of glass onto a waist-high conveyor belt,

where it is then stacked vertically on a

nearby L-shaped holder. A forklift

handles the strapped holder carrying the

glass. The holder, however, presents the

glass at knee-height, making workers

bend each time to pick up the glass.

Solution: The workers devised a stand

made from a wooden shipping crate and

placed it beneath the L-holder to raise

the glass to waist height.

Cost: A little labor.


What type of training and education

program do I need?

Training programs will go a long way toward increasing safety awareness among

managers and supervisors, designers, buyers,

mechanics, and workers who perform the

jobs. Training and education ensure that employers sufficiently inform workers about ergonomic risk factors at their worksites so they

are better able to participate actively in their

own protection. Suggestions and input from

workers aware of ergonomic risk factors can

be very helpful in designing improved workplaces to reduce MSD hazards.

A good ergonomics training program will

teach employees how to properly use equipment, tools, and machine controls as well as

the correct way to perform job tasks.

For example, employers should encourage

work methods that allow workers to keep

their joints in a neutral position (wrists straight

and elbows bent at a right angle) while using

tools requiring manual force to prevent excessive force on joints and tendons. Employers

also should tell workers to avoid all side-toside twisting and quick motions of their wrists

and to keep their hands in line with their forearms while using tools or operating equipment. Employers should provide the appropriate controls or tools, as necessary, to reduce

or eliminate awkward positions.

To minimize or prevent back disorders,

employers should teach workers to avoid long

reaches, maintain neutral postures, and use

proper lifting techniques. Using correct

posture is important whether an employee is

sitting, standing, pulling, pushing, lifting, or

using tools or equipment. Training workers

in general lifting techniques also can help reduce the strain leading to back disorders. For

example, employees should use their leg

muscles and bend their knees to pick up and

lower heavy loads. Providing appropriate

equipment, such as conveyors or carts, lift

tables and list assists, can also reduce load

weight, minimizing incorrect lifting and potential injury.

How do I begin an ergonomics

program at my workplace?

If you are an employer who has identified

the need for an ergonomics program at your

worksite, start by planning the program and

the goals, and then put it into action.

 Arm Them with Knowledge!

Problem: Employees in many different offices experience pain from their daily tasks.

Solution: Train workers to properly use the adjustments already provided in their

chairs, computer monitors, and furniture systems. Changes in the placement of

telephones, printers, and in-boxes can lead to better working posture. In addition,

training and encouraging employees to take micro-breaks help overused parts of

the body rest and recuperate.

Cost: Nothing.

A Perfect Fit

Problem: Employees in a poultry processing plant complained that ill-fitting

protective gloves did not provide adequate protection.

Solution: The poultry processing company bought workers protective gloves

from several manufacturers to provide

a wide range of sizes for better fit.

Cost: Negligible.
 Ergonomics: The Study of Work

You also may want to contact the ergonomics coordinator at the nearest OSHA Regional

Office listed elsewhere in this brochure for further information and assistance. You can also

find out about programs such as OSHA’s a

free consultation program, which can help you

find out about potential hazards at your

worksite, improve your occupational safety

and health management systems, or qualify

for a 1-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections. If you are in a state that operates

its own OSHA-approved safety and health

plan, please contact your state plan office.

State plans and consultation programs are

listed on OSHA’s website under Outreach.

How can I find out more about

ergonomics?

For more information about ergonomics,

contact the ergonomics coordinator at your

OSHA Regional Office, visit the Ergonomics

Page on OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov, or

call 1 (800) 321-OSHA.

OSHA publishes booklets and fact sheets

detailing agency policy and regulations. Publications are listed on OSHA’s website, or you

also may contact the OSHA Publications Office, P.O. Box 37535, Washington, DC 20012-

7535, (202) 693-1888.

A wide range of publications on ergonomics are available from the National Institute

for Occupational Safety and Health by calling 1-800-35-NIOSH, or through the link on

OSHA’s website.

Some OSHA-approved state plans also

have materials available on ergonomics, such

as CAL-OSHA’s, Easy Ergonomics: A Practical

Approach for Improving the Workplace, at

www.dir.ca. gov/tite8/5110.html.

Really Turning It Around...

Problem: Workers pack items into

rectangular boxes, positioned so they

must reach repeatedly across the long

axis of the boxes, exposing their backs,

shoulders, and arms to physical stress.

Solution: Rotating the boxes allows

workers to reach across the shorter

axis of the box, reducing the length of

reach and the risk of injury.

Cost: Nothing.

Move work surfaces closer

to the body and to a

comfortable height.


anthropometry - The study of human body

measurements. Used in developing design

standards and requirements for manufactured

products to ensure they are suitable for the

intended audience.

biomechanics - A scientific and engineering

field that explains the charateristics of biological system–the human body–in mechanical

terms.

carpal tunnel syndrome - The compression

and entrapment of the median nerve where it

passes through the wrist into the hand—in the

carpal tunnel. The median nerve is the main

nerve that extends down the arm to the hand

and provides the sense of touch in the thumb,

index finger, middle finger, and half of the

fourth, or ring, finger.

De Quervain’s disease - Inflammation of the

tendon sheath of the thumb attributed to excessive friction between two thumb tendons

and their common sheath. Usually caused by

twisting and forceful gripping motions with

the hands.

industrial hygiene - The science of anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, and controlling

workplace conditions that may cause worker

injuries and illnesses.

kinesiology - Study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to human

movement.

musculoskeletal disorders - Injuries and disorders of the soft tissues (muscles, tendons,

ligaments, joints, and cartilage) and nervous

system.

Raynaud’s syndrome, or white finger - Blood

vessels of the hand are damaged from repeated exposure to vibration long period of

time. The skin and muscles do not get the necessary oxygen from the blood and eventually

die. Symptoms include intermittent numbness and tingling in the fingers; pale, ashen,

and cold skin; eventual loss of sensation and

control in the hands and fingers.

tendinitis - Tendon inflammation occurring

when a muscle or tendon is repeatedly tensed

from overuse or unaccustomed use of the

wrist and shoulder.

tenosynovitis - Inflammation or injury to the

synovial sheath surrounding the tendon. Usually results from repetition excessive repetitive motion.

trigger finger - A tendon disorder that occurs

when there is a groove in the flexing tendon

of the finger. If the tendon becomes locked in

the sheath, attempts to move the finger cause

snapping an jerking movements. Usually associated with using tools that have handles

with hard or sharp edges.

Glossary
 Ergonomics: The Study of Work

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(303) 844-1600

Region IX

(American Samoa, AZ,* CA,* Guam,

HI,* NV,* Trust Territories of the Pacific)

71 Stevenson Street, Room 420

San Francisco, CA 94105

(415) 975-4310

Region X

(AK,* ID, OR,* WA*)

1111 Third Avenue, Suite 715

Seattle, WA 98101-3212

(206) 553-5930

OSHA Regional Offices

*These states and territories operate their own OSHA-approved job safety and health programs. Connecticut and New York

plans cover public employees only. States with approved programs must have a standard identical to, or at least as effective

as, OSHA federal standards. For more information on state plans, visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.