PM BRIEFING : High Injury Rate at U.S. Mazda Plant

Mazda Motor Corp.’s only U.S. assembly plant had a higher-than-normal injury rate in 1988, with many of the problems stemming from repetitive work routines, it was reported today.

The Mazda plant in Flat Rock, Mich., reported 97 repeat or cumulative trauma injuries in 1988 out of a work force of 2,770 workers, the trade publication Automotive News said. In contrast, Chrysler Corp.’s Sterling Heights, Mich., plant, which employs 3,500 workers, had 54 such injuries. The report said many of the injuries resulted from repetitive work such as tasks using air-powered tools. The complaints included carpal tunnel syndrome, an injury to the hand or wrist caused by repetitive motions that causes continual pain and numbness.