Industries, Employers and Jobs This Standard Covers

The problem of occupational musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is serious and widespread, and the scope of the proposed standard is also broad, so that it will capture a substantial portion of these MSDs. Lost workday MSDs constitute one-third of all job-related injuries and illnesses reported to BLS every year.

Covered jobs. Within general industry, OSHA is applying the proposed rule to the following three areas where the problem is especially likely to be severe:

• Manufacturing production jobs;
• Manual handling jobs requiring forceful exertions; and
• Jobs where “OSHA recordable” MSDs meeting the screening criteria are reported.