A costly and quite widespread problem
For over thirty years, it has become increasingly evident that the cost of what are classsified as work-related 'musculoskeletal' disorders (known as 'MSDs' is considerable. They include pains, often extremely intense and sometimes severely disabiling over time, in the upper and lower back, shoulders, arms, wrists and even fingers.
These problems affect people in a host of work environments. They are associated with tasks that involve one or more of these activities: repetiive arm movements, using force, misaligned posture. Postural difficulties are often due to stretching or crmaping because of a mismatch between the physical dimensions of furniture, vehicles, equipment and tools and of the individuals using them.
From a legal perspective, every employer has a responsibility under several regulations to manage the risks of injury asociated with these problems; the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended 2004), the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 (as amended 2002) and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
Risk management
As the sources of hazards that cause musculo-skeletal problems are often difficult to spot, we apply ergonomics to get to the root of the risks: taking physical measurements of people and the equipment and furniture available to them; observiing - or better, videoing - them at work; gathering data about the tasks they do through checklists and questionnaires.
Analyses we provide enable managers and workers to control hazards by adapting work processes, using alternative equipment, etc. or using what they already have in new configurations.
Notices and illustrated guides provide managers and workers with the information and knowledge they need to encourage safe behavour and to warn one another when they spot 'at risk' forms of behaviour.
Savings
In our experience as expert witnesses in claims for damages for personal injury, they can amount to six-figure sums of compensation. The add-on costs of lost time (of managers as well as the injured employee), temporary replacement staff, legal expenses and increased insurance premiums indicate that you may find overlooking this kind of claim a financial headache.
More positively, the real value of managing risks of MUSs well is in preventing them in the first place so that you retain the services and loyalty of your people.
