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Since the dawn of the industrial age, workers have been performing tasks that involve forceful exertions, repetitive manipulations, and awkward or weak postures. Over time, these tasks have been shown to cause injuries that are commonly known as cumulative trauma disorders (CTD).
The rate of industrial injuries has been decreasing at a steady pace, yet the impact of CTDs has greatly increased. In fact, OSHA states that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) total onethird of all lost workday injuries and illnesses, accounting for some 650,000 cases in the U.S. in 1997-and costing up to $20 billion annually, with indirect costs estimated at $60 billion (OSHA "Background on the Working Draft"). Upper extremity WMSDs, including carpal tunnel syndrome, account for only 4.4 percent of all compensable cases, yet have greater severity in terms of days off work than do other illnesses and injuries.
HAZARD CONTROL MEASURES FOR CTBs
Controlling the CTD problem is often as multifaceted as the causes of these injuries. Controls are typically divided into two categories: engineering and administrative.
Although both strategies have advantages and disadvantages, engineering controls are preferred because of their permanency and consistency In other words, if a workstation, tool, process or machine is ergonomically correct, the potential for CTDs is minimized or eliminated. In fact, in a perfect world, the ergonomic design of all human/machine interactions would prevent CTDs from ever occurring.
Unfortunately, this utopia does not exist due to the lack of ergonomic knowledge, financial resources and engineering staff, and time constraints. Although engineering controls are typically the most difficult to implement, OSHA recommends that they be considered as the final solution because they eliminate hazards completely.
Administrative controls are popular because they are typically low-cost and easily implemented. These controls reduce individual exposure to ergonomic stressors by distributing the exposure among other employees. By limiting exposure, they can help delay or prevent the onset of CTDs or reduce the magnitude of fatigue and discomfort experienced by one employee at the risk of exposing additional employees to these stressors (Goldstein).
The key disadvantage of these controls is their reliance on human behavior for success. Since administrative controls do not remove the hazard, they must be constantly monitored, enforced and evaluated. OSHA views them as an interim solution-in place until...