Transcript Project Status

OSHA Update
and Helpful Resources
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
“Our goal is to help workers by reducing
ergonomic injures in the shortest
possible time frame. This plan is a
major improvement over the rejected
rule because it will prevent ergonomics
injuries before they occur and reach a
much larger number of at-risk workers.”
Elaine L. Chao
Secretary of Labor
April 5, 2002
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Building on Proven Success
800,000
784,100
762,700
755,600
695,800
700,000
647,400
626,400
592,500
600,000
582,300
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Decline in Ergonomic-Related Injuries
Involving Days Away From Work, 1992-1999
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Comprehensive Plan
on Ergonomics
A 21st Century Response
• Industry and Task Specific Guidelines
• Enforcement
• Outreach and Assistance
• Advancing Research
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Principles Behind the Strategy
• Injury Prevention vs. Responding to injury
• Sound Science vs. Gaps in Research
• Incentive Driven vs. Inflexible Mandates
• Flexibility vs. One-size-fits-all
• Feasibility vs. Ineffective Burdens
• Clarity vs. Bureaucratic Complexity
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Guidelines Are Preferable to a Rule
• Rule took 10 years and $10 million dollars
to develop
• Rule immediately rejected by Democrats
and Republicans
• Guidelines will:
• Protect workers quickly
• Prevent injuries vs. punishing after-the-fact
• Reach more at-risk workers than the old rule
• Encourage creativity and innovation
• Customize to specific workplaces and tasks
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Industry and
Task-Specific Guidelines
• Work with stakeholders to develop
industry and task-specific guidelines
for industries and particular hazards
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
The Guidelines
• Nursing Homes – Final (2003)
• Retail Grocery – Final (2004)
• Poultry Processing – Draft
• Shipyards
• Meatpacking Plants – Final (1993)
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Enforcement
• Crack down on bad actors by coordinating
inspections with a legal strategy designed for
successful prosecution
• For the first time, OSHA will have an
enforcement plan designed to target
prosecutable ergonomic violations
• For the first time, OSHA will have special
ergonomics inspection teams that work closely
with DOL attorneys and experts to successfully
bring 5(a)(1) prosecutions
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Outreach and Assistance
• Provide tools to help workplaces reduce
and prevent ergonomic injuries:
• Provide expertise to assist businesses
and workers
• Support programs through training grants,
curriculum development and other means
• Design compliance assistance tools, new
partnerships and recognition programs
• Encourage others to develop best practices
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Research
• Establish a national advisory committee and work
with NIOSH to address research needs
• Identify gaps in research related to the application
of ergonomic principles in the workplace
• Work with NIOSH and through the NORA process
to encourage research in needed areas
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Strategy For Success
Goals:
• Decrease ergonomic hazards
• Reduce injuries and illnesses
• Ensure flexibility and encourage innovation
• Help employers prevent MSDs
This is the best approach to achieve results quickly.
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Resources
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
OSHA Website
http://www.osha.gov
Ergonomics page
– Guidelines
– E-Tools
– Success Stories
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Georgia Tech
http://www.oshainfo.gatech.edu
– Training Materials
– OTI Courses
– Safety Consultation
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Other Websites
NIOSH – research information and publications
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ergonomics/
State of Washington
http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/HazardInfo/
Ergonomics/default.asp
USF- Good for ergo tools (software and printed)
http://www.hsc.usf.edu/~tbernard/ergotools/
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
Other Websites
Cornell - Ergo tools
(software and printed) and references
http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/
Safety Frog – Good general safety site
with lots of good links
http://www.geocities.com/frogmanxyz/
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES
What does the worker need to
know from this presentation?
ERGONOMICS UPDATE :: TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAM :: UPDATE & RESOURCES