Tag: MSD

NSC: Large Companies Better at Managing MSD Risks

Larger organizations—ones that have more than 1,000 employees—are generally more effective at mitigating musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk, according to a new report compiled by the National Safety Council (NSC). On January 10, the NSC announced the release of its first “MSD Solutions Index Pledge Community Report,” surveying 52 organizations that joined the NSC’s MSD Pledge. The […]

100 Employers Join Safety Council’s Ergonomics Pledge

The National Safety Council (NSC) announced that 100 organizations have made commitments to address workplace musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Employers agreed to an MSD Pledge, launched in June by the NSC and Amazon.com Inc. The council’s MSD Solutions Lab developed the MSD Pledge to address what the NSC characterized as the most common workplace injury. Employers […]

Carpal tunnel

Without an OSHA Ergonomics Standard, How Should You Address the Issue?

An employee of a California school district recently wrote to experts at Safety.BLR.com®, asking how ergonomic issues in the workplace can be addressed when no ergonomics standard from OSHA exists. It’s a good question—and while there is no standard, there are resources available. See what the experts had to say on the matter.

First responders

NIOSH: Firefighters, EMTs Face Major Ergonomics Concerns

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and firefighters experience musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) at five times the rate of most workers, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) said in a summary of research priorities for the public safety sector.

Using Early Symptom Intervention to Reduce MSD Injuries

At a recent CONN-OSHA Breakfast Roundtable Discussion Group, David Hoyle, PT, MA, OCS, MTC, CEAS, the national director of Select Medical’s WorkStrategies Program, discussed early symptom intervention as a method of preventing injuries and reducing OSHA recording and reporting of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) injuries and illnesses in the workplace.

Are Your Workers Stretching to Prevent Ergonomic Injuries?

Overexertion, slips, trips, and falls cause 60 percent of lost-time occupational injuries in the United States and cost employers over $30 billion in direct workers’ compensation costs in 2013. One strategy you can use to control these costly injuries is an effective worksite stretching program. The aging workforce is one factor that increases the likelihood […]

Lean Manufacturing: When More Efficiency Leads to Aching Backs

“Don’t let your lean manufacturing become anorexic,” says Certified Professional Ergonomist Chris Shulenberger, M.S. Engr., and Technical Director for Ergonomics with Bureau Veritas North America. If you do, you’ll pay the price. Over the last decade, many manufacturers have embraced “lean manufacturing,” a strategy to eliminate wasted time, motion, and storage by streamlining production, altering […]

I2P2: It’s on OSHA’s Mind, Is It on Yours?

Injury and illness prevention is always a big issue for safety professionals especially when incidents result in days away from work. Many companies are responding with injury and illness prevention plans. According to BLS, the total number of injury and illness cases requiring days away from work to recuperate was in 2011(the most recent year […]