MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT - May 97
Greetings Fellow Members,
I would like to thank Jerman Elementary and Mrs. DeMoss for their involvement with our group. I was amazed by the technology used by the students in their projects. The school should be commended for supporting the students in the area of computers. In ten years or so, we will be competing with these students in the job market, and if we don't begin now to increase our skills and use of new technology, there will not be much of a competition.
This month's meeting topic is ergonomics, a hot topic right now with the increased occurrences of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).
CTS is a painful and often crippling disease caused by damage or irritation of the median nerve that runs through the wrist. It is often caused by repetitive motion while the wrist is in a stressful (unnatural) position. In our industry, you most often hear of CTS-related injuries caused by keyboard usage.
Here are some interesting facts on CTS taken from a study done by the National Council on Compensation Insurance.
- About half of the CTS cases were in non-manufacturing areas.
- CTS is the third most costly of all industry-related compensation cases.
- CTS costs employers 12% more in lost time claims than the combined average of all other lost time injuries.
- CTS patients take 144% longer to return to work than other injured workers.
- The average total claim cost for CTS injuries was $12,730.
Employers can save themselves a lot of money by starting an ergonomics program. First they need to identify the problem areas, next look for ways to prevent or control those areas, and finally, implement a training and education program for their employees. For more details, come on out to the May meeting.
See you at there.
Kevin