OSHA has prescribed safe working standards for employees so that no injuries are caused to them including back-related problems.

Hazardous jobs for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD)

But employers in certain industries as specified by OSHA have to maintain these working conditions.

These industries include the manufacturing industries where employees are involved in production jobs and their tasks involve a lot of bending.

Such jobs include assembly line production of finished goods which can include picking up raw materials etc.

OSHA has also suggested that a company must conduct an MSD hazard analysis to find out employees facing such hazards.

The employees whose line of work, involves the same kind of activities must also be covered under such analysis. But the other departments of such industries like sales and repair which don’t involve such physical activity are exempt from such safety standard maintenance.

For example, the manufacturing industries are required to maintain such standards because MSDs are commonplace in these production jobs. Apart from that, the businesses have to check whether the MSD of an employee, is actually caused due to his working conditions.

The companies have to evaluate whether the activities that can cause an MSD to make a heavy percentage of an employee’s work. The employees should be provided employee e-learning so that they know what to do if they experience MSDs.

• Due to timely reporting, they can be treated on time.

Moreover….

• Employee’s advice can also be sought on how to improve job conditions.
• Conducting surveys to know how employees feel about the workplace environment.
• There should be a committee in the company that can recommend the actions for rectifying ergonomic-related problems.

Ergonomics team

There must be an Ergonomics team in the company. This team aims to develop objectives for improvements in his area.

This team consists of staff members from different departments and their contact numbers in the Ergonomics program report. This report must also include the contact details of health care providers who treat employees suffering from MSD injuries caused due to ergonomic problems at work.

Training of employees in such jobs

The employees should be shown such a report in their onboarding program which includes employee e-learning.

They should be given information about immediate supervisors who they can inform in case of such injuries. Hence, when the latter receives such information, he can ask the job to be evaluated by the Ergonomics Team as to whether it is an MSD hazard. In case it is identified as one, it needs to be subject to an ergonomic control which includes making changes to the workstation.

It is the job of the company to make employees acquainted with employee e-learning. Once employees know that they work at an MSD hazard workstation they have to be trained about the reporting procedure and how to work safely to prevent the occurrence of MSD.

They can also show other employees how to control the incidence of such disorders through exercise. The employees should also be trained about the reporting procedures and how a company can’t retaliate against an employee if such a complaint is made.

The members of the ergonomics team have to be trained in methods of hazard analysis so that the company can be notified. Such members should also know how to check whether the MSD hazard control measures are working perfectly or not.