Introduction
There are many types of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, rotator cuff syndrome, sprains, and strains. They account for over 30 percent of all lost-workday injuries and illnesses.
These illnesses and injuries effect one or more parts of the musculoskeletal system. They include sprains, strains, inflammation, degeneration, tears, pinched nerves or blood vessels, bone splintering and stress fractures.
Symptoms include discomfort, pain, fatigue, swelling, stiffness, or numbness and tingling.
The High Cost of MSDs
- MSDs account for over 30% of all workers' compensation costs.
- MSDs each year account for more than $15 billion to $20 billion in workers' compensation costs. Total direct costs add up to as much as $50 billion annually.
- It takes an average of 28 days to recover from carpal tunnel syndrome.
In this course, we'll look at practical ideas to help reduce the risk of repetitive stress injury in common construction tasks. While some solutions may need the involvement of the building owner or general contractor, there are also many ideas individual workers and supervisors can adopt.
Course Objectives
| ID | Objective |
|---|---|
| TO 1.0 | Achieve a minimum score of 70% on the final course assessment. |
| LO 1.1.1 | Define "ergonomics" and discuss the primary goal of the science of ergonomics. |
| LO 1.1.2 | List and give examples of the three primary ergonomic risk factors. |
| LO 1.1.3 | Describe and give examples of the ergonomic risk factors inherent in the worker. |
| LO 1.1.4 | Describe and give examples of the ergonomic risk factors inherent in the task. |
| LO 1.1.5 | Describe and give examples of the ergonomic risk factors inherent in the environment. |
| LO 1.1.6 | Define "musculoskeletal disorders" (MSDs) and give examples of risk factors that increase their risk. |
| LO 1.2.1 | Describe the ergonomic "Hierarchy of Controls" model for managing hazards and exposure, and provide examples of the methods used. |
| LO 1.2.2 | Discuss important considerations in ergonomic tools and equipment selection. |
| LO 1.2.3 | Describe and give examples of ergonomic administrative controls. |
| LO 1.2.4 | Describe and give examples of ergonomic "safe lifting" procedures. |
| LO 1.2.5 | Describe and give examples of ergonomic personal protective equipment. |
| LO 1.2.6 | Discuss the use of the Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) in prioritizing jobs based on ergonomic considerations. |
Key: Terminal Objective (TO), Learning Objective (LO)