HR Management & Compliance

Ergonomic Update—Enforcement, but No New Legislation

Guest Post by:
Elaine Quayle
Editor
Business & Legal Resources, Inc.

Ergonomics issues may have been on back burner, but there is new interest in reducing injuries caused by inferior ergonomic practices.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health finds that health problems associated with poor ergonomics compose the most prevalent lost-time injuries and illnesses in almost every industry. The National Safety Council estimates that these problems cost employers billions in medical bills and workers’ compensation claims.

The Obama Administration has indicated that while it will not request new ergonomics-specific legislation, it will use OSHA’s General Duty Clause to insure that workers are not exposed to ergonomic hazards by conducting workplace inspections, citing employers under this clause, and seeking monetary penalties.

OSHA has been studying ergonomic issues closely for years and has issued guidelines for several industries, including meatpacking, poultry processing, retail grocery stores, and nursing homes. Much of the information in these guidelines can be useful for other industries as well.

There is more information on this subject on HR.BLR.com under the following topics:

Ergonomics

Workers’ Compensation

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