OSHA partnership USPS
U.S. Postal Service employees are experiencing fewer ergonomic injuries as a result of a 2003 partnership between the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
“By bringing management, unions and employees together to cooperatively identify potential hazards and ergonomic health risks, the Postal Service, through this partnership, is transforming its workplace safety and health ergonomic program into a model for both the public and private sector,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. “Through identification and resolution of ergonomic risks, the Postal Service has saved USD 1.8 million in workers’ compensation costs and has had a 38 percent reduction in the musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) recordable rate.”
The document illustrates several examples that could have resulted in an ergonomic-related injury and the proactive measures taken to correct the situation before a workplace injury occurred. Several of the protective measures cost less than USD 100 to implement.
