RE: Microtome - Motorized - Ergonomics

<< Previous Message | Next Message >>
From:"Greer, Bonnie" <Bonnie.Greer@stjude.org>
To:'John Spair' <John.Spair@multicare.org>, 'HistoNet Server' <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Reply-To:
Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Oh the breaks help  just change what you are donig every few minutes.

-----Original Message-----
From: John Spair [mailto:John.Spair@multicare.org]
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 11:51 AM
To: 'HistoNet Server'
Subject: Microtome - Motorized - Ergonomics


I don't there is an OSHA ruling that specifically details that a motorized
microtome must be in histology laboratories.  I don't think they would be
that specific - they usually aren't.  I do have a tech that has been
battling this repetative hand motion illness (i.e:  carpel tunnel) - and a
motorized microtome has only helped a little bit.  Other jobs such as hand
coverslipping, writing numbers on slides, etc are even an irritant.  There
is no solution, when you get that bad - you have to get real with yourself
and admit that you can't do this job any longer.  I have other techs who
have experienced random wrist and hand pain, but have changed the way in
which they do things - hence have no problem now.  If you sit and cut for
instance all day long - you may end up having a problem - variety is the
solution here and taking frequent short breaks if necessary.  

I'm sure we're going to be hearing a lot more in histology about people with
wrist, hand pain problems. It can get ugly and expensive for all of us.  



<< Previous Message | Next Message >>