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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: 202-219-6091
A national conference to discuss ways to combat one of the nation's
fastest growing threats to worker health will be convened in Chicago, Jan. 8
& 9, at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers.
"Ergonomics: Effective Workplace Practices and Programs," will provide a
forum for business, government, labor and others to share practical experience
and workplace programs designed to reduce and prevent repetitive stress
injuries. The conference is sponsored by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Key speakers at the conference will include: OSHA Deputy Assistant
Secretary Greg Watchman; Dr. Linda Rosenstock, Director of NIOSH; Peg
Seminario, AFL-CIO director of occupational health and safety; and Hank Lick,
manager/industrial hygiene of the Ford Motor Company.
Ergonomics, the science of adjusting the job to fit the body's needs,
can prevent repetitive stress injuries (RSIs), which comprise more than 100
different types of job-induced injuries and illnesses resulting from wear and
tear on the body. They can severely inhibit the ability to accomplish many
simple activities or destroy a worker's ability to continue to perform the job.
In recent years the rapid growth of computer-based jobs involving
intensive keying has increased the incidence of RSI problems, as have the
doubling of the poultry-processing workforce and the automation of that
industry. RSI problems also occur as a result of heavy lifting, awkward
posture, repetitive motion, or a combination of these factors.
Reporters wishing to attend the conference may preregister by calling
the OSHA Office of Public Affairs at 202-219-8151. (Conference preregistration
does not include hotel reservations.)
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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