California adopts ergonomic standard
California adopts ergonomic standard
Federal government may follow suit
Workers’ comp case managers and occupational health nurses working with California businesses with 10 or more employees must gear up now to meet ergonomic standards recently adopted by California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board.
The landmark regulation makes California the first state with an ergonomic standard to protect workers from work-related repetitive motion injuries (RMI). The new regulation kicks into effect when two or more employees performing identical tasks have been diagnosed with RMI within 12 consecutive months. If that occurs, an employer must establish and implement a program designed to minimize the condition. Specifically, the employer must evaluate the affected worksite, control the conditions which cause RMI, and provide training to affected employees. At press time, the new regulation was expected to become effective later this month.
CMs can learn how to conduct assessments
The federal government recently renewed its own efforts to study possible regulations designed to reduce RMI. However, it is unclear at this time whether the federal government will adopt similar ergonomic regulation.
Case managers who help employers conduct ergonomic assessments and develop workplace programs to prevent RMI now can help them proactively comply with the new regulation. The California/OSHA Consultation Service has seven offices to provide case managers and occupational health nurses with free assistance in gearing up to meet requirements of the new regulation. Those offices include:
• Anaheim, (714) 935-2750;
• Fresno, (209) 454-1295;
• Sacramento, (916) 263-2855;
• San Diego, (619) 279-3771;
• San Fernando Valley, (213) 736-2187;
• Santa Fe Springs, (310) 944-9366;
• San Mateo, (415) 573-3864.
Case managers can also surf the net for more information at http://www.dir.ca.gov.
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