Basic requirement. If any of your employees experiences a recordable work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD), you must record it on the OSHA 300 Log by checking the "musculoskeletal disorder" column.

Implementation.

What is a "musculoskeletal disorder" or MSD? Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage and spinal discs. MSDs do not include disorders caused by slips, trips, falls, motor vehicle accidents, or other similar accidents. Examples of MSDs include: Carpal tunnel syndrome, Rotator cuff syndrome, De Quervain's disease, Trigger finger, Tarsal tunnel syndrome, Sciatica, Epicondylitis, Tendinitis, Raynaud's phenomenon, Carpet layers knee, Herniated spinal disc, and Low back pain.

How do I decide which musculoskeletal disorders to record? There are no special criteria for determining which musculoskeletal disorders to record. An MSD case is recorded using the same process you would use for any other injury or illness. If a musculoskeletal disorder is work-related, and is a new case, and meets one or more of the general recording criteria, you must record the musculoskeletal disorder. The following table will guide you to the appropriate section of the rule for guidance on recording MSD cases.

Determining if the MSD is work-related. See § 1904.5.

Determining if the MSD is a new case. See § 1904.6.

Determining if the MSD meets one or more of the general recording criteria:

Days away from work, see § 1904.7(b)(3).

Restricted work or transfer to another job, or see § 1904.7(b)(4).

Medical treatment beyond first aid. See § 1904.7(b)(5).

If a work-related MSD case involves only subjective symptoms like pain or tingling, do I have to record it as a musculoskeletal disorder? The symptoms of an MSD are treated the same as symptoms for any other injury or illness. If an employee has pain, tingling, burning, numbness or any other subjective symptom of an MSD, and the symptoms are work-related, and the case is a new case that meets the recording criteria, you must record the case on the OSHA 300 Log as a musculoskeletal disorder.

Note to §§ 1904.12: This section is effective January 1, 2004. From January 1, 2002 until December 31, 2003, you are required to record work-related injuries and illnesses involving muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage and spinal discs in accordance with the requirements applicable to any injury or illness under §§ 1904.5, §§ 1904.6, §§ 1904.7, and § § 1904.29. For entry (M) on the OSHA 300 Log, you must check either the entry for "injury" or "all other illnesses."

[36 FR 12612, July 2, 1971, as amended at 37 FR 20822, Oct. 4, 1972; 47 FR 57702, Dec. 28, 1982; 66 FR 6129, Jan. 19, 2001; 66 FR 52034, Oct. 12, 2001; 67 FR 77170, Dec. 17, 2002; 68 FR 38607, June 30, 2003]