OSHA Inspection: U.S. DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER

Issued

Aug 24, 1994

Abate by

Feb 24, 1995

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of
1970:  The employer did not furnish employment and a place of
employment which were free from recognized hazards that were
causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that employees were required to perform repetitive
motions resulting in stressors likely to cause cumulative trauma
disorders.
(a)Medical Administrative Service:  Worksite
analysis was not done to identify those work
positions needing a quantitative analysis of
ergonomic hazards.  This also includes work
station design that exposes employees to
stressors likely  to cause cumulative trauma
disorders.
(b)Employees have not received training and
education to ensure that employees are
sufficiently informed about the ergonomics
hazards to which they may be exposed and thus
are able to participate actively in their own
protection.  Employees should be encouraged
by health care providers and supervisors to
report early signs and symptoms of cumulative
trauma disorders to the in-house health
facility. This allows for timely and
appropriate evaluation and treatment without
fear of discrimination or reprisal by
employees.
(c)Low risk factors for light duty or restricted
activities, nor work positions had not been
identified in the Medical Administration
Services Dept. An analysis of trends of
injury/illness, process units, job
operations, or work station design  had not
been  performed.
(d)Worksite analysis for employees who work on
video display terminals had not been
conducted in the Medical Administrative
Services Dept.
For recommended abatement methods you should adopt and follow the
guidelines title Ergonomics Program Management Guidelines for
Meatpacking Plants and 29 CFR 1910, Ergonomic Safety and Health
Management; Proposed Rule dated August 3, 1992 to implement a
Ergonomics program.
Multi-Step Abatement As Follows:
Step 1: Effectively implement the V.A's  written ergonomic
program.
While ultimate responsibility for correcting the hazards rests
with the employer given his superior knowledge of the operation,
feasible and acceptable methods of abatement include, but are not
limited to:
(a) Use of the OSHA publication 3123, "Ergonomics Program
Management Guidelines for Meat Packing Plants," and OSHA's
proposed Ergonomic Safety and Health Management Rule (published
in the Federal Register on August 3, 1992) to assist in the
effective implementation of the program.
(b) Utilize the services of a person trained to recognize and
evaluate ergonomic hazards to assist the V.A. in implementing the
ergonomic program.
(c) Conduct a worksite analysis to identify high risk work
positions that are causing or are likely to cause cumulative
trauma disorders.
(d) Conduct a worksite analysis to identify high risk work
positions that are causing or are likely to cause cumulative
trauma disorders.
ABATEMENT DATE IS 09/24/94
Step 2: Reduce/eliminate ergonomic stressors through engineering,
work practice, and administrative controls.
(a) To reduce ergonomic stressors, implement a rotation schedule
that provides as much variation as possible in the distribution
and frequency of musculoskeletal activity.
(b) Train employees to use the least stressful body positions
while performing job tasks.
(c) Alter employee work station design to reduce stressors to the
body.
(d) Set up conditioning and break-in periods for new employees
and persons returning to work after medical/annual leave.
(e) Conduct regular monitoring to ensure that employees are using
proper work practices.
(f) Evaluate and modify engineering controls as necessary to
ensure their effectiveness.
ABATEMENT DATE IS 03/24/95
Step 3: Develop and implement a medical management program.
(a) Utilize the service of a physician or occupational health
nurse with training in the prevention and treatment of cumulative
trauma disorders and/or other ergonomic stressors to implement
the program.
(b) Ensure that the program addresses at a minimum:
injury and illness reporting, early recognition and reporting of
CTDs, systematic evaluation and referral, conservative
treatment,   conservative return to work, and an adequate staff
and facilities.
(c) Institute a formal documented tracking and surveillance
program to monitor injury trends at the facility.
ABATEMENT DATE IS 12/24/94
Step 4: Develop and implement an effective ergonomic training
program.
(a) Effectively train employees and management concerning the
V.A.'s ergonomic program.
(b) Train employees about the specific ergonomic hazards
associated with their jobs and the equipment they use.
(c) Conduct employee and management training regarding the
varieties of CTDs, causal factors, recognition and reporting of
symptoms, and ways to prevent CTDs.
(d) Supervisors should be trained to recognize early signs and
symptoms of CTDs, how to recognize hazardous practices, and to
reinforce the employer's ergonomics program.
ABATEMENT DATE IS 09/24/94