Sources for Preventing Manual Material Handling Injuries

Ergonomic Intervention for the Soft Drink Beverage Delivery Industry

NIOSH conducted a study to investigate, identify, and reduce risk factors that may cause musculoskeletal disorders and injuries in the soft drink beverage delivery industry. The engineering/ergonomic controls, in combinations with improved work practices, reduced worker fatigue, reduced multiple handling of beverage cases, and decreased awkward postures.

National Occupational Research Agenda for Musculoskeletal Disorders

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), such as low back pain, tendinitis, hand-arm vibration syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome, account for a major component of the cost ($13 to $54 billion annually) of work-related illness in the U.S. The “Intervention Research Agenda” is found on pp. 10–11, and 22–23.

Ergonomic Guidelines for Manual Material Handling

Manual material handling tasks may expose workers to physical risk factors. If these tasks are performed repeatedly or over long periods of time, they can lead to fatigue and injury. The main risk factors, or conditions, associated with the development of injuries in manual material handling tasks are described on pp. 9–14.

Guidelines for Retail Grocery Stores: Ergonomics for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders

This document provides practical recommendations to help grocery store employers and employees reduce the number and severity of injuries in their workplaces. The document focuses on effective approaches for assessing the need for ergonomic solutions. Ergonomic solutions that deal with stocking activities are found on p. 19.

Elements Ergonomics Programs: A Primer based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders

This primer provides basic information that will be useful for employers, workers, and others in designing effective programs to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders. NIOSH introduced the seven step pathway for evaluating and addressing musculoskeletal concerns in an individual workplace. See section on warehousing material handling and supermarket checkout operations on pp. 7–8, 21.

Grocery Warehouse Ergonomics: OSHA ETool

This eTool describes example ergonomic hazards and solutions in grocery warehousing with an emphasis on traditional order picking, which accounts for a large number of musculoskeletal disorders. However, many of the examples are also applicable to the other types of Order Picking. Information is provided on hazards associated with pallets and the importance of maintenance of devices.