OSHA Finds DBCS Ergonomic Risk Hazards at Kalamazoo P&DC

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) uncovered risk factors for feeder and sweeper tasks associated with Delivery Bar Code Sorters during an inspection at the Kalamazoo, Michigan Processing and Distribution Center on Feb. 2, the union has learned.

The ergonomic risk factors were not violations of OSHA’s standards, according to a letter from OSHA’ Lansing Area Office, but they were “considered significant enough to be brought to the employer’s attention with the intent of encouraging efforts by the employer to reduce exposure or to eliminate them completely.”

Based on the review, OSHA has resent a copy of the Ergonomic Evaluation of the DBCS to the manager at the Kalamazoo P&DC. OSHA’s report identifies the ergonomic risk factors for Feeder and Sweeper tasks on DBCS operations. To prevent musculoskeletal disorders, OSHA strongly suggested that the Kalamazoo P&DC work with USPS to eliminate the ergonomic risk factors identified in the Feeder and Sweeper tasks.

The APWU has submitted OSHA’s findings to the National Joint Labor Management Safety and Health Committee and we will pursue ways to reduce employee exposure to unsafe ergonomic work tasks on the DBCS machines.