There are no specific ergonomics regulations, although OSHA will continue to cite ergonomic injuries under the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Section 5. All employees are covered by OSHA under this section.
Causes of MSDs
Prolonged exposure to ergonomic risk factors can cause MSDs. Conditions likely to cause MSD problems include:
- Exerting excessive force.
- Excessive repetition of movements that can irritate tendons and increase pressure on nerves.
- Awkward postures, or unsupported positions that stretch physical limits, can compress nerves and irritate tendons.
- Static postures, or positions that a worker must hold for long periods of time, can restrict blood flow and damage muscles.
- Motion, such as increased speed or acceleration when bending and twisting, can increase the amount of force exerted on the body.
- Compression, from grasping sharp edges like tool handles, can concentrate force on small areas of the body, reduce blood flow, nerve transmission and damage tendon sheaths.
- Inadequate recovery time due to overtime, lack of breaks and failure to vary tasks, leave inadequate time for tissue healing.
MSDs can affect nearly all tissue in the body: nerves, tendons, tendon sheaths and muscles. The most frequently affected areas of the body are arms and the back.
Employee Training
There are no specific training requirements for ergonomics. However, employees who have been trained to
identify and avoid ergonomic hazards are better able to avoid those hazards, leading to a safer workplace. To
get the most out of an ergonomics program, an employer can train workers on:
- Common MSDs and their signs and symptoms.
- The importance of reporting MSDs, and signs and symptoms, as soon as possible.
- How to report MSDs in the workplace.
- Risk factors and work activities associated with MSDs hazards.
* How severe are the health effects and how common are they?
MSDs range from temporary minor sprains and strains to permanent injuries that impair the worker’s movement or activity, shorten construction careers, and lead to chronic lifetime pain and related problems. The parts of the body most commonly affected include the back, shoulder, knee, hand and arm. These disorders affect construction workers of all ages. Young workers may unknowingly take on higher risks when they shoulder the burden from older injured workers or because they feel pressure to prove themselves as good and strong workers.
The serious nature and impact of MSDs cannot be underestimated:
- There are no straightforward medical remedies for MSDs.
- MSDs can be very painful, and doctors often prescribe pain medication to help workers deal with the pain. Employees can become addicted to painkillers, even at prescribed doses, leading to dependency problems that can spiral into many other problems.
MSDs are a major problem — accounting for about a third of work-related injuries in construction and about half of all workers’ compensation costs. Each year, more than 20,000 construction workers suffer from lost workday injuries due to sprains and strains. Back injuries are the most common injury in construction.
In summary, not every construction worksite MSD is caused by manual material handling, but it is the main cause and an important target of the Focus Four effort.
* Excerpt from AIHA “Focus Four for Health, An Initiative to Address Four Major Construction Health Hazards” (full document linked below)