July 30, 2003—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a new eTool on its Web site that describes common hazards that electrical contractors may encounter and possible solutions for these hazards. Ergonomics eTool: Solutions for Electrical Contractors was developed in cooperation with the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) as part of the OSHA-IEC Alliance.
Between 1999 and 2002, more than 30 percent of all workers’ compensation claims from the IEC were related to ergonomics. This amounted to more than $10 million in claims in just four years. For a general discussion of ergonomic solutions, visit the OSHA Ergonomics page.
According to OSHA, eTools are Web-based training tools on occupational safety and health topics. They use graphical menus as well as expert system modules. eTools create no new OSHA requirements. This eTool is a Public Test Version, with comments solicited through December 28, 2003.
