Masonry Magazine June 2002 Page. 15
OSHA Enforcement Efforts
OSHA will not focus its enforcement efforts on employers who have implemented effective ergonomic programs or who are making good-faith efforts to reduce ergonomic hazards.
OSHA will conduct inspections for ergonomic hazards and issue citations under the General Duty Clause and issue ergonomic hazard alert letters where appropriate. OSHA will conduct follow-up inspections or investigations within 12 months of certain employers who receive ergonomic hazard alert letters.
OSHA will conduct specialized training of appropriate staff on ergonomic hazards and abatement methods and designate 10 regional ergonomic coordinators and involve them in enforcement and outreach.
OSHA will address ergonomic hazards in its national emphasis program, notifications, and inspections of employers in the Site Specific Targeting program, and will offer assistance to those employers in this group who have a high percentage of MSDs.
Outreach and Assistance
OSHA will provide assistance to businesses, particularly small businesses, and help them proactively address ergonomic issues in the workplace. OSHA will also provide advice and training on the voluntary guidelines and implementation of a successful ergonomics program.
OSHA will target its Fiscal Year 2002 training grants to address ergonomics and other agency priorities, including support for the development of ergonomic training materials and the direct training of employers and employees to promote a better understanding of ergonomic risks and the prevention of MSDs.
OSHA will develop a complete and comprehensive set of compliance assistance tools, including Internet-based training and information, to support understanding of guidelines and how to proactively define and address ergonomic problems.
OSHA will provide courses at its 12 nonprofit educational partner organizations, known as Education Centers, for private sector and other federal agency personnel, and will develop and utilize distance learning to make training materials available to a wider audience.
OSHA will focus on developing new partnerships to implement and highlight the value and effectiveness of voluntary ergonomic guidelines and will use its existing partnership programs to facilitate the development of guidelines, Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) sites will be used to help model effective ergonomic solutions. VPP volunteers will mentor other worksites, and provide training assistance.
OSHA will also develop new recognition programs to highlight the achievements of worksites with exemplary or novel approaches to ergonomics.
As part of the Department of Labor's cross-agency commitment to protecting immigrant workers, especially those with limited English proficiency, the new ergonomics plan includes a specialized focus to help Hispanic and other immigrant workers, many of whom work in industries with high ergonomic hazard rates.
Research
While there is a large body of research available on ergonomics, there are many areas where additional research is necessary, including gaps identified by the National Academy of Science (NAS). OSHA will serve as a catalyst to encourage researchers to design studies in areas where additional information would be helpful.
OSHA will charter an advisory committee that will be authorized to, among other things, identify gaps in research related to the application of ergonomics and ergonomic principles to the workplace. This advisory committee will report its findings to the Assistant Secretary and to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
OSHA will work closely with NIOSH and through the National Occupational Research Agenda process to encourage research in needed areas.
What is an ergonomic injury?
Input from a recent ergonomics forums demonstrated to OSHA that there is a wide degree of opinion on how OSHA should define an ergonomic injury and the definition adopted by OSHA depends on the context. Ergonomic injuries are often described by the term "musculoskeletal disorder" or MSD. This is the term in scientific literature that refers collectively to a group of injuries and illnesses that affect the musculoskeletal system, there is no single diagnosis for MSD. As OSHA develops guidance material for specific industries, the agency may narrow the definition as appropriate to address the specific workplace hazards covered. OSHA will work closely with industry to develop definitions for MSD as part of its overall effort to develop guidance material.
The Mason Contractors Association of America is planning to establish a full time Government Affairs Office, based in Washington, D.C. The MCAA is a national trade association representing mason contractors in workforce development, codes & standards, safety, promotion and public affairs. For information about joining the MCAA, call 1-800-536-2225.
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June 2002
Masonry 13