A proposal by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to regulate repetitive stress injuries in the workplace will be a major step forward for worker safety, and is widely supported by Houston work injury lawyers.   Not surprisingly, companies are already opposing any such regulations.

The proposal would require employers to monitor and report repetitive stress injuries, like muscle and nerve conditions, and disorders affecting the tendons, ligaments, cartilage and joints, which are caused by prolonged, excessive and repeated performing of the same activity. These injuries are currently placed in a category called “all other illnesses” when companies submit reports to OSHA. If the proposal is passed, these injuries would also have to be specifically reported to the agency.

Houston work injury attorneys haven’t been too surprised to see that the corporate whining has already begun.  The US Chamber of Commerce has already expressed its opposition to any proposal to regulate these injuries. Employers insist that there continues to be ambiguity over whether these injuries occurred as a result of workplace stress, or outside the workplace.

Repetitive strain injuries occur in just about every occupation. Most commonly, these take on the form of neck and back injuries, spine injuries, shoulder injuries, arm and joint injuries, and foot and leg injuries. Being involved in a particular function for a prolonged period of time can cause these injuries to develop.

It’s high time these injuries were given a name and an identity. For too long, they have been deemed inconsequential, and relegated to a general category of injuries. Repetitive stress injuries can be prevented simply by automation to reduce the strain on a worker, or by having more numbers of workers perform a particular task. Instead, workers often suffer these injuries because they are standing or walking constantly, or have jobs that involve repetitive lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, tilting the head at a particular angle and typing.

Vuk Vujasinovic is a Board Certified Houston personal injury attorney who practices Houston auto accident and other personal injury cases.

For more info on how Vuk can help you with your potential case please call him at (877) 724-7800 or fill out the contact form on the right.

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