August 10, 2001—At the second of three DOL public forums on ergonomics safety in the workplace, American Nurses Association (ANA) representatives called for immediate action by the Department of Labor (DOL) to issue a new ergonomics standard. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has estimated that nearly half of all workers in the health services industry, including RNs, will experience at least one work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) during their working lives. Studies of back-related worker’s compensation claims reveal that nursing personnel have one of the highest claim rates of any occupation or industry.
“The benefits of the ergonomic standard are logical, documented, and proven,” said ANA President Mary Foley, MS, RN. “With proper enforcement, ANA believes the ergonomic standard will not only prevent back injuries and musculoskeletal disorders, but will also improve patient care. Additionally, in the face of a nursing shortage that is fast reaching crisis proportions, injuries are a major contributing factor to nurses opting to leave the profession. An ergonomics standard is badly needed not only to reduce the high number of disabling back injuries and MSDs experienced by nurses, but also to stem a mass exodus of nurses from direct care roles, which has resulted in part from a lack of workplace safety protections.”
