Technology workers could have a new way to report workplace injuries if federal ergonomics regulations stay in effect through October.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules, which became law in January, require employers to monitor their workplaces for injuries caused by repetitive motions, including actions as simple as typing.
Under the new guidelines, workers will be able to begin reporting repetitive-motion injuries in October, though several lawsuits and a new presidential administration could change or delay the law’s implementation.
The new rules give employees the power to demand that their companies correct workplace conditions when there’s enough evidence to show they cause injuries over time.
The rules even protect employees who sit at a desk and type most of the day, said Greg Durham, safety and health manager at Texas Instruments Inc. in Dallas.
“OSHA traditionally dealt with the manufacturing side, so this is a little different,” Durham said.
The rules apply to workers who perform a repetitive action for at least four hours with no breaks, said Mark Lies, a partner in law firm Seyfarth Shaw.
Workers will be required to report their problem to a supervisor, then go to a company-chosen physician to get an opinion on whether the condition is caused by the workplace. If the employee isn’t satisfied with the doctor’s report, he or she can get a second opinion. If those opinions don’t agree, the company pays for a third doctor, selected by the first two, to settle the dispute.
If it’s agreed that the workplace is causing the injury, the employee must be put on restricted work for up to 90 days at 90 percent pay.