subject: Manual Handling Alert: Musculoskeletal Disorders [print this page] In all kinds of workplaces, many kinds of manual labor exist. The thing is, many people, including employers, think that manual labor involves heavy objects, straining muscles, bending, and carrying. Well, not really. Many accidents involving manual labor and any other kind of strenuous or repetitive physical activity, result to musculoskeletal disorders. Any of these injuries could occur at any time, it just depends on the circumstances. You could simply lifting a rubbish bin incorrectly into a skip and suffer serious damage to your back.
Musculoskeletal disorders commonly abbreviated as MSDs, these can affect the body's joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and nerves. They affect the back, neck, shoulders, and upper limbs. Sometimes, they even affect the lower limbs. MSDs are usually work-related, and usually develop over time. They are usually caused by the work itself or the employees' working environment. However, they may also be caused by fractures from accidents. The health problems that come with MSDs can range from mild discomfort then minor aches and pains, to serious long term medical conditions.
Do you know that UK's Health and Safety Executive, have identified MSDs as a health priority?
They are health priorities because:
1. Employers can do a lot to prevent or at least, minimise MSDs.
2. They can affect a lot of employes from different industries and occupations.
3. They have a serious threat and have the potential to ruin people's lives.
4. They can impose heavy costs on employers and on society as a whole.
Knowing that, we next have to know what HSE's key points are about MSDs:
1. Employers can do so much to prevent or minimise the occurence of MSDs in their workplace.
2. The prevention measures are not expensive at all. They are cost-effective and can save the company money in the long run, and also the health of the employees is equal to productivity.
3. While employers cannot really prevent all MSDs, early reporting and diagnosis, plus the proper treatment and approproate rehabilitation can do wonders.
Now, factors that cause MSDs are varied, and can be found in practically every workplace. Whether your work involves agriculture, construction, health services, etc, Musculoskeletal Disorders caused by manual handling tasks are a extremely common. In fact, an average of 11.6 million working days a year, are lost because of work-related MSDs. When faced with a manual handling task, you should stop and take time to think and assess what you are about to do.
