Successful Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders

A National Academy of Sciences study found that musculoskeletal disorders of the back and arm are an important national health problem with over 1,000,000 workers missing time from their job each year, at a cost of over $50 billion a year. When one takes indirect costs such as reduced productivity,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human and ecological risk assessment 2001-12, Vol.7 (7), p.1801-1810
Main Authors: Melhorn, J. Mark, Wilkinson, Larry K., Dean O'Malley, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
disabilities
illness
injury
musculoskeletal system
occupational
risk assessment
workplace
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Summary:A National Academy of Sciences study found that musculoskeletal disorders of the back and arm are an important national health problem with over 1,000,000 workers missing time from their job each year, at a cost of over $50 billion a year. When one takes indirect costs such as reduced productivity, loss of customers due to errors made by replacement workers and regulatory compliance into account, estimates place the total yearly cost of all workplace injuries at well over $1 trillion or 10% of United States Gross Domestic Product. Debates regarding causation and subsequent financial responsibility have delayed the opportunity to provide effective prevention in the workplace. Effective prevention of workplace illnesses (musculoskeletal disorders) through active intervention is not only possible, but results in significant costs savings for the employer while reducing the disability experienced by the individual employee.
ISSN:1080-7039
1549-7860
DOI:10.1080/20018091095401