The Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) announced yesterday that grocery stores and poultry processing will be the focus of the next two sets of industry-specific guidelines to reduce ergonomic-related injuries. Representatives from both industries are expected to work with OSHA to develop the guidelines.
According to John Henshaw, assistant secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, "The number of ergonomic-related injuries suffered by workers in the retail grocery store industry continues to rank near the top of the list. Several stakeholders within the retail grocery and poultry processing industries have committed to working with us in developing the guidelines."
Draft guidelines are expected to be ready for public comment later this year. The guidelines will be made available for review on the OSHA website and a Federal Register notice will announce when the guidelines will be posted.
Moderator Comment: Should the ergonomic guidelines developed by OSHA and the grocery industry be voluntary or mandated? [George Anderson - Moderator]