ABSTRACT
An electrical component manufacturing facility located in the southern part of the midwestern United States, assembles and sells small electric motors for use in vacuum cleaners and other small electrical appliances. The company employed approximately 175 workers on a single shift. All 153 production workers were female and all earned minimum wage or slightly more. The first year of operations, the company had no discernible ergonomic problems. During the second year four cases of wrist pain were reported. In the third year the number of cases of reported wrist problems increased to 20, and to 53 by mid-May of the fourth year of operations. Two lawsuits were filed against the company, claiming that the employer was negligent in permitting working conditions that lead to abnormally high numbers of carpal tunnel syndrome.
