1DisclaimersCal/OSHAConsultationService,ResearchandEducationUnit,DivisionofOccupationalSafetyandHealth,CaliforniaDepartmentofIndustrialRelations.ErgonomicGuidelinesforManualMaterialHandlingwaspreparedforpublicationbytheCal/OSHAConsultationService,ResearchandEducationUnit,DivisionofOccupationalSafetyandHealth,CaliforniaDepartmentofIndustrialRelations.ItwasdistributedundertheprovisionsoftheLibraryDistributionActandGovernmentCodeSection11096.Published2007bytheCaliforniaDepartmentofIndustrialRelationsThisbookletisnotmeanttobeasubstitutefororalegalinterpretationoftheoccupationalsafetyandhealthstandards.PleaseseeCaliforniaCodeofRegulations,Title8,ortheLaborCodefordetailedandexactinformation,specifications,andexceptions.ThementionofanycompanynameordisplayoruseofparticularproductsinthisbookletisforillustrativepurposesonlyanddoesnotconstituteanendorsementbytheDepartmentofIndustrialRelations.CNAInsuranceCompaniesUseoftheterm“partnership”and/or“partner”shouldnotbeconstruedtorepresentalegallybindingpartnership.Theinformation,examplesandsuggestionspresentedinthismaterialhavebeendevelopedfromsourcesbelievedtobereliable,buttheyshouldnotbeconstruedaslegalorotherprofessionaladvice.CNAacceptsnoresponsibilityfortheaccuracyorcompletenessofthismaterialandrecommendstheconsultationwithcompetentlegalcounseland/orotherprofessionaladvisorsbeforeapplyingthismaterialinanyparticularfactualsituations.Thismaterialisforillustrativepurposesandisnotintendedtoconstituteacontract.Pleaserememberthatonlyarelevantinsurancepolicycanprovideactualterms,coverage’s,amounts,conditionsandexclusionsforaninsured.Allproductsandservicesmaynotbeavailableinallstates.CNAisaservicemarkregisteredwiththeUnitedStatesPatentandTrademarkOffice.Copyright©2006CNA.Allrightsreserved.MaterialHandlingIndustryofAmerica(MHIA)Theseergonomicguidelinesareadvisoryonly,havingbeenpromulgatedwiththesoleintentofofferinginformationforinterestedparties.Theyshouldberegardedonlyasaguidethattheusermayormaynotchoosetoadopt,tomodify,ortoreject.Theydonotconstituteacomprehensiveorcompleteanalysisandshouldnotberelieduponassuch.Therearenowarrantieswhatsoeverthatattachtotheseguidelinesortoanyproceduresthattheymayrecommend.MHIAspecificallyDISCLAIMSANDMAKESNOWARRANTIES(EXPRESSORIMPLIED)OFMERCHANTABILITYOROFFITNESSFORAPARTICULARPURPOSEandMAKESNOWARRANTIESREGARDINGTHECOMPLETENESS,ACCURACY,RELIABILITY,APPLICABILITY,ORAVAILABILITYOFINFORMATIONCONTAINEDINTHESEGUIDELINES.INNOEVENTSHALLMHIABELIABLEFORANYDAMAGES,INCLUDINGWITHOUTLIMITATION,DIRECT,INDIRECT,SPECIAL,EXEMPLARYORCONSEQUENTIALDAMAGES,INCLUDINGLOSTPROFITS,ARISINGUNDERTHEUSEOFORRELIANCEONTHESEERGONOMICGUIDELINESORTHEINFORMATIONCONTAINEDINTHEMBASEDINCONTRACT,NEGLIGENCE,STRICTLIABILITYOROTHERWISE,WHETHERORNOTTHEYORITHADANYKNOWLEDGE,ACTUALORCONSTRUCTIVE,THATSUCHDAMAGESMIGHTBEINCURRED.Further,MHIAshallnotbeliableintort,contract,orotherwise,whetherbasedinwarranty,negligence,strictliability,oranyothertheoryofliabilityforanyactionorfailuretoactinconnectionwiththeserecommendedguidelines,itbeingtheuser’sintentandunderstandingtoabsolveandtoprotectMHIA,itssuccessorsandassigns,principals,andemployeesfromanyandallliabilityintort,contract,orotherliability.Theseguidelinesmaycontaininformationprovidedbythird-partyparties,andMHIAisnotresponsibleorliableforthetruth,accuracy,applicability,orreliabilityofanysuchinformationprovidedbythirdparties.NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)CentersforDiseaseControlandPreventionMentionofanycompanynameorproductdoesnotconstituteendorsementbyNIOSH/CDC.Thisdocumentisinthepublicdomainandmaybefreelycopiedorreprinted.Forinformationaboutoccupationalsafetyandhealthtopics,contactNIOSHat:1-800-35-NIOSH(1-800-356-4674)Fax:513-533-8573E-mail:pubstaft@cdc.govNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealthPublicationsDissemination4676ColumbiaParkwayCincinnati,OH45226-1998DHHS(NIOSH)PublicationNo.2007-1313ForewordManualmaterialhandling(MMH)workcontributestoalargepercentageoftheoverhalfamillioncasesofmusculoskeletaldisordersreportedannuallyintheUnitedStates.Musculoskeletaldisordersofteninvolvestrainsandsprainstothelowerback,shoulders,andupperlimbs.Theycanresultinprotractedpain,disability,medicaltreatment,andfinancialstressforthoseafflictedwiththem,andemployersoftenfindthemselvespayingthebill,eitherdirectlyorthroughworkers’compensationinsurance,atthesametimetheymustcopewiththelossofthefullcapacityoftheirworkers.ScientificevidenceshowsthateffectiveergonomicinterventionscanlowerthephysicaldemandsofMMHworktasks,therebyloweringtheincidenceandseverityofthemusculoskeletalinjuriestheycancause.Theirpotentialforreducinginjury-relatedcostsalonemakeergonomicinterventionsausefultoolforimprovingacompany’sproductivity,productquality,andoverallbusinesscompetitiveness.Butveryoftenproductivitygetsanadditionalandsolidshotinthearmwhenmanagersandworkerstakeafreshlookathowbesttouseenergy,equipment,andexertiontogetthejobdoneinthemostefficient,effective,andeffortlesswaypossible.Planningthatappliestheseprinciplescanresultinbigwinsforallconcerned.This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