California saw a steep increase in repetitive strain injuries reported in the workplace in 1996, while national tallies continued to decline for the second year in a row. Those figures represent a reversal for California, taking state officials by surprise. Between 1994 and '95, occupational injuries reported to the state declined by 7 percent. Last July, California became the first state to implement tough workplace ergonomics regulations. Repetitive strain injuries tend to afflict nerves, muscles, and tendons in a worker's hands, wrists, arms, or neck.
People now know what their injury is.
They now have a name to associate it with, and that leads to more claims. Nurses, along with assemblyline workers and computer users, are among employees most at risk for developing carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and other RSI conditions.