The Burden of Occupational Injury – and The Contribution of Ergonomics Interventions

Estimates of the financial and social burden of workplace injuries in the United States have only recently become available. The method of a major workers compensation company allows an estimate to be made of the scale of various injuries and the antecedent causes of those injuries. The significance of injuries v. occupational diseases is clearly identified within the period of employment and is contrasted with the attention and resources applied to disease issues. Despite the well publicized changes in the nature of work from manufacturing to services jobs it is found that “traditional” causes of injury in the work place continue to be the most significant and more surprising are becoming even more significant with the passage of time. Of particular interest to the ergonomics community is the nature of the antecedent events, (including materials handling, slips and falls and machinery accidents), all areas in which the application of ergonomics design and interventions would be considered to be the most likely source of improvement in safety. The potential contribution of ergonomics to phases involved in each of the major sources of injury will be illustrated. Based on experience in a significant number of countries throughout the world, this lack off concern and recognition of the burden which occupational injury places on the society equally obscures the role ergonomics could play in improving the national economy while reducing the pain and suffering on the nation’s workers.