A safety/prevention program for VDT operators: One company’s approach

Abstract This paper presents an overview of the job risk factors for cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) and common ergonomic interventions specific to the industrial population of VDT operators. A retrospective case study of the application of these principles through the development of a safety and prevention program in a group of 500 operators is examined. The method of period prevalence was used to compare the incidence of confirmed CTD cases over a period of 1 year. The number of injuries for the 6 months prior to completion of the safety and prevention program (Group 1) was 49. This was reduced to 24 injuries for the 6 months following intervention. A cost/benefit analysis demonstrated a substantial savings to the company in human and financial terms through the implementation of a positive approach to prevention for this occupational group.

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