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Ergonomics

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Overview

Ergonomics is the science of matching a job to a worker and the product to a user. The goal of ergonomics is eliminate injuries associated with the overuse of muscles and tendons, generally known as musculoskeletal disorders or MSDs. You may have also heard MSDs called overexertion injuries, cumulative traumas, repetitive motion injuries, or repetitive strain injuries.

MSDs account for more than half of all accepted workers’ compensation claims – a statistic that has not changed in decades. MSDs are also expensive to treat, and treatment costs rarely include indirect costs from increased employee turnover, absenteeism, and retraining.

Good ergonomic work practices prevent MSDs. Getting started with good ergonomics can be as simple as looking around the workplace, talking to employees, and asking the right questions.

To learn more about MSDs, see OSHA’s Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Workplace.

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