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 exposed to: CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS a)Key Data Systems, Beaver, WV - Employees were engaged in repetitive motion operations, were subjected to excessive muscular stress to the shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands, and which resulted in an Occupational Disease, Repetitive Motion Trauma manifesting itself in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and related abnormalities. A program addressing bio engineering and ergonomic aspects of this operation imposing undue muscular stress on employees had not been implemented in order to limit employee exposure to this hazard. Factors contributing to this situation included but were not limited to: work method, design layout and machine specifications which did not incorporate ergonomic considerations, on or about 4/26/94. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS: A)Provide keyboards with adjustable heights. B) Provide video screens and document holders with adjustable heights. C)Provide rounded cornered tables. D)Provide arm rests, wrist rests, and foot rests as needed. E)Provide seats with seat pans that are adjustable for height and angle. F)Enforce a more frequent stretch break schedule. Step1.Submit to OSHA Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposure to hazardous conditions as referred in this Citation. This plan shall include, at a minimum target dates for the following actions which should be consistent with the dates required by this citation. a)Evaluation of the extent and location of the hazard source. b)Evaluation of control measure options. c)Selection of optimum control measures. d)Determination of control measure design. e)Ordering and delivery of equipment and materials. f)Installation of control measures. g)Training of employees in the proper operation and maintenance of the newly implemented control measures. h)Assurances of effective performance of control measures. All purposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist, engineer or other technically qualified person or the company may follow the guide lines issued by another credible source such as American National Standards Institute # 100 - 1988, section 8.7. Ninety (90) day progress reports are required during the abatement period. Correction shall be completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls and their effectiveness at achieving compliance verified.