earticle

영어

The Work-related musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) are a serious, pervasive problem throughout whole workplaces.
The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (1995) has reported that in one year there were 705,800 cases of days away from work that resulted from overexertion or pain from repetitive motion. Estimated costs associated with lost days and compensation claims related to musculoskeletal disorders range from $13 to $20 billion annually.
In Korea a total of 7,723 workers were suffering MSDs in 2007. The figure shows 73.9% of the total victims of indusrial accidents and diseases excluding deaths.
The injuries related to overexertion or repetitive motion are potentially disabling and can require long recovery periods. For example, workers need an average of 28 days to recuperate from carpal tunnel syndrome-more time than necessary for amputations or fractures.
The real solutions exist that can spare workers pain and pare expenses for their employers. It's time we began putting those solutions to work for everyone's benefit. No worker should take a job to earn a living only to return home disabled. And no employer should have to bear the expense associated with injuries that can be prevented.
The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) has found substantial evidence that ergonomics programs can cut workers' compensation costs, increase productivity and decrease employee turnover. In fact, ergonomics began as an effort to streamline work processes and improve efficiency to save money. In short, good ergonomics is good economics.
The WISHA expects a 40-percent reduction in work-related MSDs through its new standard. This is based on research indicating that the lower the intensity, duration and frequency of exposure to physical risk factors at work, the lower the risk a worker will develop an MSD. Therefore, reducing the weight of objects workers must lift, limiting the time workers must work in awkward postures or cutting the number of repetitive motions workers must perform should reduce injuries. Evidence presented in comments to us and at the OSHA hearing indicated this is a promising approach.
The OSHA's experience has shown that workers may be reluctant to report problems early if doing so will cause them to miss work and lose pay. We must find a way to reassure employees that they won't be penalized for reporting injuries. This is particularly a problem for workers at smaller businesses, which often do not provide sick time.
While ergonomics relies on a scientific approach to fit the job to the worker, it isn't necessarily exact. Sometimes it requires experimentation. But every safety and health professional can identify solutions that eliminate musculoskeletal disorders that result from a mismatch between the job and the worker.
However, it is regrettable, that the KOSHA CODE H-5-1998, which gave a guideline for the weight of objects workers must lift, was repealed in 2007. The Code suggested that the male workers should not be allowed to lift more than 40% and the female workers not more than 24% of his/her own weight.
The measure was taken in the process of deregulation of the business. We have to differentiate the fields where regulation should be eased and where regulation should be tightened. Concerned with the safety and health of the workers, the tightening of the regulation would be rather considerable.