Throughout its 50 years, NIOSH has been at the forefront of efforts to protect workers from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs were recognized as having occupational causes as early as the beginning of the 18th century. However, it was not until the 1970’s that occupational factors were examined using epidemiologic methods, and the work-relatedness of these conditions began appearing regularly in the international scientific literature. By the 1990s, the literature has increased dramatically with more than six thousand published scientific articles addressing ergonomics in the workplace. Yet, the relationship between MSDs and work-related factors remained the subject of considerable debate. From
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