Washington L&I Kicks Off Global Ergonomics Month
The monthlong campaign offers a practical, four-step approach to preventing sprains and strains by strengthening leadership, worker involvement and follow-through.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Oct 29, 2025
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has launched a monthlong safety campaign to help employers and workers reduce one of the most common and costly workplace injuries: sprains and strains.
Dubbed Global Ergonomics Month, the October initiative provides a four-week roadmap for building a sustainable ergonomics program—from management commitment to long-term injury prevention.
“Sprains and strains are among the most frequent injuries in Washington workplaces, but they’re also among the most preventable,” said an L&I spokesperson. “Our goal is to help employers start small and build a lasting ergonomics process that keeps workers healthy.”
According to L&I, sprains and strains account for roughly one-third of all workplace injuries in the state each year. Many of these incidents are linked to poor workstation design, repetitive tasks or heavy manual handling.
A Four-Week Framework for Prevention
The agency’s campaign breaks ergonomics into manageable weekly themes:
- Week 1: Management Commitment – Establish leadership buy-in and communicate a clear safety vision. Employers are encouraged to complete L&I’s 25-minute Ergonomics Essentials course.
- Week 2: Employee Involvement – Engage workers to identify hazards and develop practical solutions.
- Week 3: Fix Hazards – Implement at least three ergonomic improvements using L&I’s “Ideas Bank.”
- Week 4: Keep the Momentum Going – Develop an annual action plan to sustain progress and address remaining risks.
Each phase includes downloadable tools, templates, and videos designed to help companies tailor the process to their own operations.
A Broader Safety Conversation
Experts say campaigns like this can have national reach.
“Even outside Washington State, this is a solid model for companies that don’t yet have a formal ergonomics process,” said Dr. Stasia DeMarco, a professional ergonomist and host of the OH&S Safety Pod. “What’s impressive is that it ties leadership, employee engagement and hazard control together in one simple framework.”
L&I is encouraging organizations to share progress on social media using the hashtag #GlobalErgoMonth.
The agency also offers free consultation services through its Ergonomics and Safety & Health Consultation Program, which helps small businesses identify and fix risk factors before injuries occur.
How to Participate
Employers and safety professionals can access the full campaign and resources on the L&I website at
👉 lni.wa.gov/GlobalErgoMonth.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.