ABSTRACT
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) accounted for one in three lost work time illnesses in
U.S. private industry in 2001 (BLS, 2003a). While the total number of these disorders represented a 10%
reduction compared to the number reported in the previous year (BLS, 2002), illnesses in the U.S. work-
place due to repeated trauma accounted for 62 to 67% of all reported illnesses in U.S. private industry
since 1992 (BLS, 1989-2001). Although occupational injury and illness data are available for 2002,
changes in the reporting requirements by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Adminis-
tration (OSHA) have made comparisons with more recent calendar years impossible. (BLS, 2003b).
Based upon such trends over the last decade, WMSDs continue to represent the majority of all occu-
pational illnesses, cause substantial worker discomfort and disability, and impose a heavy economic
burden.
