OSHA finalizes ergonomic rules
By Kaukab Jhumra, BuyerZone.com Assistant Content Writer
November 23, 2000
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued the final standard of its ergonomics rules for workplaces this month. All general industry employers are covered in the final standard. With an estimated annual cost of $4.5 billion, the final rules become effective January 16, 2001.
OSHA estimates the annual average cost of fixing each problem job at $250. A special provision for small businesses, however, means that employers will have four years after the January 16 deadline to implement permanent ergonomic programs that ensure your workers' safety.
If you have already started implementing programs based on the standards OSHA proposed last November 23, 1999, you may be eligible for a "grandfather clause" that lets you continue your program instead of complying completely with the new ruling. Check out the official OSHA site at www.osha.gov for complete details.
So what do I have to do?
As an employer, the only initial action you have to take under the new OSHA ruling is to provide basic information to your employees about musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and their symptoms. OSHA is providing information sheets that you can distribute to your employees and post in your workplace to comply with this requirement. You have until October 14, 2001 to distribute this information.
You don't have to take any other action until one of your employees reports an MSD incident.
If an employee does report an MSD injury, you need to see if his or her report meets two tests.
First, does the employee's injury meet the definition of a work-related MSD incident? That is, are his or her symptoms work-related, require days away from work, require restricted work, or require medical treatment beyond first aid? You can get a medical professional to help you make this judgment, although OSHA expects that most employers will probably rely on their own discretion.
Second, does the employee's job expose him or her to high MSD risks one or more days a week? OSHA's Basic Screening Tool - a simple checklist covering five risk factors, repetition, force, awkward postures, contact stress and vibration -- can help you identify jobs with high ergonomic risk levels. The checklist is available at http://www.osha-slc.gov/ergonomics-standard/regulatory/AppendixD-2.html.
If your employee's MSD injury report doesn't meet both of the above tests, you don't have to do anything.
But if the injury meets both tests, you've just set off OSHA's "Action Trigger." What next?
What to do if you've set off the Action Trigger
If your employee is suffering from a work-related musculoskeletal injury, you must provide MSD management for the employee, including any necessary work restrictions. You must also analyze the employee's job to see if other workers who have the same tasks and the same responsibilities are likely to be exposed to the same risks.
If other workers in the same job appear to face the same risk of injury, you must put into place an ergonomics program that includes management leadership, employee participation, job controls, training and program evaluation.
If the injured employee is an isolated incident (because of height or other individual factors, for example), you can use OSHA's "Quick Fix" option to manage the incident and not implement a full program for other workers.
Free OSHA consultation service
OSHA is offering a free and confidential consultation service to help you find out about potential safety and health hazards at your worksite and to improve your safety and health management systems.
Primarily aimed at smaller businesses, this consultation program is separate from the OSHA inspection effort. OSHA says you will not be issued citations or penalties for violations of standards, and your name, your business's name, and any findings will not be routinely shared with the OSHA inspection department.
Instead, these onsite consultants will help you recognize hazards in your workplace, suggest general approaches or options for solving a safety or health problem, and identify the kinds of help available. They'll also provide you with a written report summarizing their findings.
While using the OSHA consulting service doesn't guarantee that your workplace will pass an OSHA inspection in the future, working with such consultants can qualify you for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections. To find out more about how this free program can help you meet the new federal guidelines, see http://www.osha.gov/oshprogs/consult.html.
