Have you or a member of your staff ever sustained an injury that is unequivocally related to the provision of dental care?
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued an ergonomics standard on Nov. 14 that is intended to reduce work-related injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome.
The standard, which affects most of the nation’s employers and more than 102 million employees, took effect Jan. 16. However, employers are not required to meet the first obligation under the standard—providing employees with basic information—until Oct. 14. Deadlines to comply with other obligations under the standard are phased in over a four-year period that began Jan. 16.
Initial reviews by the ADA indicate that the standard would require all affected employers, including dentists, to provide information to employees about risk factors for and signs and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, or MSD—defined by the regulations as injuries or disorders of the soft tissue or nervous system associated with exposure to repetitive stress, awkward posture and other occupational risk factors.
Additional compliance obligations will vary from dentist to dentist, depending on the size of the practice and whether an employee reports having an MSD. The standard exempts small employers from certain record-keeping requirements.
The regulatory language was published in the Federal Register (2000;65:68261-70) and can be found online at "www.osha-slc.gov/ergonomics-standard/regulatory/index.html".
In response to January JADA’s Question of the Month, 87 percent of the respondents said neither they or members of their staffs had sustained injuries unequivocally related to the provision of dental care.
"I cannot think of any function or duty in a dental office by any staff member or dentist that could cause or result in a work-related injury like carpal tunnel syndrome or any other repetitive-motion injury," said one respondent.
A few said they believe that some MSDs acquired through activities outside the dental office may be irritated while at work. "I believe that some MSDs may be aggravated while in the workplace but may have originated from a previous incident," said one. "It is difficult to establish if some MSDs are truly caused in the work-place."
Other respondents said they do not believe standard is necessary. "My back gets sore, my wrists get sore, my neck gets sore, my eyesight is changing," said one. "But I don’t see how ergonomic standards are going to change or prevent degeneration that occurs as part of the aging process."
About 10 percent of these readers said they do not believe OSHA involvement in this area is necessary. "OSHA should be looking into those industries with real problems and leave dentistry alone," said one.
"OSHA should be looking into sports-related injuries," said another.
Twelve percent of respondents said they or a staff member have experienced an injury related to the provision of dental care. Most cited carpal tunnel syndrome or spine and neck injuries.
The majority, however, noted that these types of injuries are related to the nature of the job. "This is not a posture-perfect profession, nor will it become one even with an ergonomics standard," said one reader.
Only 1 percent of the respondents said they did not know if injuries experienced by themselves and their staffs were work-related.
