Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: ERGONOMIC

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were required to perform lifting tasks resulting in stresses that had caused, were causing, or were likely to cause musculoskeletal injuries: a.) Benco Dental Supply; Installers loading dental chair (stripped) at the main warehouse loading dock and unloading at the showhouse - the evaluation of this manual lifting task indicates that employees are exposed to a hazard which is causing or likely to cause musculoskeletal injury. The employer did not implement an effective control strategy to reduce or eliminate such injury. The injury and illness records for 1991 and 1992 documented a pattern of musculoskeletal injuries, February 9, 1993. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is the implementation of an ergonomics management program consisting of the following four elements. (1) Worksite analysis to recognize and identify existing manual lifting hazards in the workplace. This analysis should include development and use of an ergonomic checklist and employee questionnaire. Periodic surveys of the worksite shall be conducted at least annually to evaluate work practices and engineering controls. Employee participation in the ergonomic program should be encouraged through a mechanism such as a safety committee. (2) Medical management which includes accurate recordkeeping of manual lifting injuries. The program should address recognition, evaluation, treatment and referral of lifting cases. Systematic worksite review by the medical team should also be included in the program. (3) Training and education for exposed employees, including methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. Re-training should be done annually, or as operations change. Training should address hazards associated with the job, the risks of manual material handling, and how to prevent lifting injuries. A supervisor's training program should also be implemented to allow recognition of manual lifting hazards, and to reinforce the employer's ergonomic program. (4) Hazard prevention and control which includes engineering, work practices and administrative controls: (a) Administrative controls are implemented which reduce the duration, frequency, and severity of exposure to manual lifting hazards. These controls may include job rotation, reduction of repetitions, multiple person lifts, and preventative maintenance of related equipment. (b) Work practice controls are implemented which include proper work techniques, new employee conditioning, proper placement of loads, and reduction of weight lifted. Examples of work practice controls applicable to this workplace include: Install mobile or fixed lifting devices at the warehouse. Install mobile/fixed lifting equipment in the employee's work vans. vans. (c) Engineering controls are designed by a qualified ergonomist and may include work station redesign, tool and handle redesign, and use of mechanical lifting aids. The goal of this program should be to make the job fit the person. Examples of engineering controls applicable in this workplace include: Fixed or mobile hoist/crane selection of personell of same (near) height and others. ABATEMENT SCHEDULE Step 1 - Implementation of an ergonomics program for worksite analysis, medical management, and training and education, as detailed in items 1-3, above. Step 2 - Submit to the Area Director a written, detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of the administrative, work practice and engineering controls as detailed in items 4(a) - 4(c). ALL PROPOSED CONTROL MEASURES SHALL BE APPROVED FOR EACH PARTICULAR USE BY A PERSON TRAINED IN THE EVALUATION OF WORKPLACE CONDITIONS WHICH CAUSE MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS. SIXTY (60) DAY PROGRESS REPORTS ARE REQUIRED DURING THE ABATEMENT PERIOD. Step 3 - Implementation of administrative, work practice and engineering controls as described in items 4(a) - 4(c), above.