ABSTRACT
In 1994, Textron undertook an initiative to better understand the types and causes of injuries and illnesses. The basic assumption was that defining the problem is 80% of the effort of defining the solution. At that time, Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSIs), defined for tracking purposes as Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs), strains and sprains, were a major contributing factor to OSHA recordables (see Figure 2.2). To understand the problem better, the company began tracking a Musculoskeletal Injury Rate (MSIR). In 1994, the rate was calculated to be approximately ten (ten Musculoskeletal Injuries per one hundred full-time employees).
