The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) last month issued a statement that made it the only major medical association to withdraw its support of a federal ergonomics standard for US workplaces.
The final ergonomics regulation issued last month by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is intended to reduce musculoskeletal disorders among the nation's workforce. The ACOEM supports the development of such a standard, but said that the final regulation does not establish a firm medical basis for diagnosis and treatment.
As written, OSHA's final standard contains a basic screening tool that identifies such risk factors as repetitive motion, vibration, and awkward postures that are associated with musculoskeletal disorders. The standard's provisions would go into effect in a given workplace if an employee's symptoms have occurred while working at a job that involves routine exposure to at least one of those risks.
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