Washington state regulators proposed an ergonomics rule that would give the state one of the toughest such laws in the nation, and one of the primary targets of the rule is trucking.
The regulation, drafted by the state’s Department of Labor and Industries, requires employers in what the state has identified as “caution zone jobs” — tasks the state says have especially high risk of repetitive stress injuries — to conduct employee education on ergonomic injuries. Employers also would be required to analyze the workplace for jobs with a substantial risk of causing musculoskeletal disorders — the strains, sprains and other joint problems that are the most common types of injuries that occur at work. If hazards are found, employers will be required to reduce them.
If the proposal becomes law, it is expected to cost businesses $77 million a year to comply, according to the Department of Labor and Industries. However, the department expects the rule to save $340 million a year in workers’ compensation costs.
It would force companies across the state, whether their employees have suffered ergonomics injuries or not, to change basic work procedures, especially “high-risk” tasks such as cargo handling, typing and mechanical maintenance.
For the full story, see the Nov. 22 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
OSHA Unveils Ergonomics Plan (Nov. 23)
