OSHA Recommendations for Employers Concerning Cumulative Trauma Disorders

One of the more common ergonomic hazards is the development of cumulative trauma disorders. OSHA recommends that you do the following:

• Educate supervisors and employees on causes and prevention
• Maintain a sound medical program, including encouraging early treatment and second opinions prior to surgery;
• Conduct a workplace analysis, including review of: engineering controls (proper work stations, work methods, tool designs), work practice controls (training, annual retraining, education programs, monitoring adjustments and modifications, using proper techniques), administrative controls (reducing the duration, frequency and severity of motions; slowing production rates; reducing overtime; providing adequate test periods; rotating workers among jobs with different levels of stress and possible injury), and medical management (periodic workplace walk-throughs, symptoms surveys, encouragement of early reporting and maintaining light-duty jobs for recovering employees and employee job change).