• Ergonomic injuries are covered under the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act, which requires employers to provide a safe and healthful workplace from known or recognized hazards.

Currently, there is no Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulation on ergonomics, but the subject is always near the top of the list of concerns because each year in private industry, about 12 percent of all occupational injuries or illnesses with days away from work are from overexertion in lifting or lowering objects.

However, the agency does cite ergonomic injuries under the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act, Section 5(a)(1). To implement a plan in their workplace, employers can:

• Define clear goals and objectives for the ergonomic process, discuss them with their employees, assign responsibilities to designated staff members, and communicate clearly with the workforce.
• Encourage employees to report symptoms or injuries related to musculoskeletal disorders including, but not limited to, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, shoulder pain, epicondylitis, trigger finger, muscle strains, and back injuries.
• Establish administrative controls such as worker rotation, more task variety, and increased rest breaks.
• Implement evaluation and corrective action to periodically assess the effectiveness of the ergonomic process and to ensure its continuous improvement and long-term success.
• Involve employees in work-site assessments and solution development and implementation.
• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as knee pads, vibration-reducing gloves, and similar devices.
• Train employees to ensure they are aware of ergonomics and its benefits.