The requirements of OSHA s Ergonomics rule apply to all general industry employers in the U.S., which includes some 102 million workers at 6.1 million worksites, and it brings Workplace Ergonomics issues to the forefront for many companies. Over 600,000 of these MSDs of are serious enough to warrant absence from work.
Back injuries account for around half of all compensable MSDs.
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. A summary of what the OSHA Ergonomics standard covers This information should be distributed not later than October 14, 2001. No further action is required until a worker reports an MSD or persistent MSD signs and symptoms for a period of 7 consecutive days. 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 .