Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 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 increased risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries from lifting tasks that they were performing and administrative or engineering controls were not provided: a) Department 076, Frit Seal and Final Inspection, employees pinning shields and loading Frit Seal Lehr. The evaluation of this manual lifting task indicates that employees were exposed to an increased risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. The injury and illness records for 1988 and 1989 documented a pattern of musculoskeletal injuries, January 23, 1990. b) Department 076, Frit Seal and Final Inspection, line monitor. The of this manual lifting task indicates that employees were exposed to an increased risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. The injury and illness records for 1988 and 1989 documented a pattern of musculoskeletal injuries, January 23, 1990. c) Department 091, Yamming, employees loading and unloading Yoke Assembly Machine. The evaluation of this manual lifting task indicates that employees were exposed to an increased risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. The injury and illness records for 1988 and 1989 documented a pattern of musculoskeletal injuries, January 23, 1990. d) Department 091, Yamming, employees transferring tubes from KMC Conveyor to Line #20 monorail conveyer. The evaluation of this manual lifting task indicates that employees were exposed to an increased risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. The injury and illness records for 1988 and 1989 documented a pattern of musculoskeletal injuries, January 23, 1990. e) Department 063, Mask Panel Assembly and Stabilizing, employees assembling, loading and unloading welder. The evaluation of this manual lifting task indicates that employees were exposed to an increased risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. The injury and illness records for 1988 and 1989 documented a pattern of musculoskeletal injuries, January 23, 1990. f) Department 073, Aluminizing and Screen Bake, employees loading and unloading aluminizer. The evaluation of this manual lifting task indicates that employees were exposed to an increased risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. The injury and illness records for 1988 and 1989 documented a pattern of musculoskeletal injuries, January 23, 1990. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO IMPLEMENT ENGINEERING AND/OR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS WHICH INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: 1) Identification of all current employees who experience symptoms generally associated with back injuries. 2) Perform an ergonomic assessment of each operation to identify mechanical stressors which may be produced by the environment, tools or work methods. 3) Implementation of control measures to increase adjustability of position into the job and reduce awkward postures. (Example: adjust the horizontal and vertical load distances from the body.) 4) Workplace design parameters such as load location, start/end relationship, floor condition, body posture, keeping heavy object off the floor, storing heavy objects at waist height, minimize the distance from the body, use a 2 person lift for heavy objects, use of lighter weight objects (total weight reduction of the object). 5) Conduct training sessions to familiarize workers with an appreciation of the types of movements and postures which precipitate back injuries. 6) Implementation of a workplace education and awareness program aimed at the maintenance of musculoskeletal health and prevention of injuries. Specific efforts should be expended in identifying and reducing obstacles that prevent or deter a worker with symptoms from reporting them. 7) Implementation of a medical surveillance and treatment program for employees exposed to lifting hazards. This program should contain the following elements and be readily accessible to all employees working at high risk jobs: a) Pre-employment examinations with special attention to strength and aerobic capacity. (Note: to minimize abuse of such placement procedures it is necessary to identify the high risk jobs and quantify the required job demands. Workers should be matched to jobs as a function of the specific job demands and worker capacities.) b) Provide medical examinations and counseling of employees as soon as symptoms generally associated with back injuries are reported. c) Employees should be prohibited from returning to their former jobs following surgery until the work environment has been modified to the extent that the risk of recurrent injury has been minimized. d) Follow-up of cases to ensure that medical treatment and/or job changes have been effective. Abatement Schedule Step 1- Effective administrative protection such as employee trianing, physical assessment, job rotation, etc., shall be provided as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering or permanent administrative controls can be implemented which will reduce employee exposure to nominal risk. Step 2- Submit to the Area Director a written, detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering or administrative measures to control employee injury due to manual lifting tasks. Engineering controls to reduce musculoskeletal stresses include, but are not limited to job redesign, reduction of the horizontal and vertical load distance from the body, reduction of the lifting frequency, or weight, and use of mechanical lifting aids. This plan shall include at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the dates required by this citation. 1) Evaluation of the conditions, locations and manual lifting activities that the employees are performing at the onset of musculoskeletal injuries. 2) Evaluation of applicable control measure(s). 3) Procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures. 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. THIRTY (30) DAY PROGRESS REPORTS ARE REQUIRED DURING THE ABATEMENT PERIOD. Step 3- Develop a rehabilitation program for injured workers. The program is expected to include exercise, building stamina, training in safe lifting techniques, work conditioning and demonstration that the worker is able to resume work. Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls. Where the lifting task analyses in NIOSH's Work Practices Guide for Manual Lifting has been utilized, compliance will be achieved when the calculated action level is met.