The CEO of Machines Unlimited recently presented the annual safety report at each of the company’s locations. He noted that too many work-related MSDs are occurring throughout the company and that 98 employees were required to take time off last year due to MSD related issues (primarily back and shoulder injuries). This cost the company valuable time, put more strain on employees to keep up with production deadlines (increasing injury risks even further), and increased the company’s injury- and illness-related experience modifier rates, which will likely result in a significant increase in workers’ compensation insurance rates if the trend continues.

As safety manager for the plant you work at, you are responsible for preventing occupational injuries and illnesses in your facility. The CEO has requested that the safety manager at each facility implement an action plan to incorporate exposure assessment, utilize hierarchy of controls in addressing ergonomics related hazards, increase workplace monitoring, and increase medical surveillance (to catch potential MSDs early before they become something more serious). The completed action plans are to be emailed directly to her and the respective plant managers upon completion.

Please develop an action plan for your facility that reflects the CEO’s request. In considering shoulder and back injury prevention, discuss the value of training employees on the importance of lifting mechanics to include some discussion on “load moment” and how the distance that one’s arms extend beyond the body while holding a load can put excess strain on the shoulders and back when lifting. 

Also, as instructed by the CEO, make sure that you touch on the importance of hierarchy of controls and a need to consider engineering solutions to limit unnecessary lifting and twisting tasks. Do not forget to also include ways to monitor the workplace for ergonomics related hazards and how medical surveillance can help to keep MSD related symptoms from getting worse.