8 methods to prevent occupational musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)

Method # 1: Ergonomics

Determine risk factors and objective quantitative criteria of ergonomics, control operation and technique at workplace.

It is important to consider ergonomics as a continuous improvement process. Ensure safe and effective working environment for workers in the physical capacity of the worker. The purpose is to reduce accident hazard, raise productivity and the quality of the product.

Method # 2: Pre-work shift warming up exercise

Pre-work shift stretching and warming up exercises help reduce work-related injuries, fatigue, strengthen the balance and the combination of the muscles.

Method # 3: Job rotation

Job rotation is the structured interchange of workers between different jobs, requiring workers to rotate between different workstations or jobs at certain time intervals.

It’s important to remember that job rotation doesn’t eliminate ergonomic risk factors, it just distributes those factors more evenly. While for some individuals risks will reduce, but for others they will increase because of exposing to new risks or even more serious risks.

Method #4: Returning to work and working conditions

Workers return to work after an interruption usually have high-risk  of re-injury or suffer from MSDs. A return to work program is a proactive process executed by operators and managers. It is necessary to review and reassign schedule and tasks for workers to ensure the doctor’s requirements after treatment process or even when there is no requirements. The change is based on company’s principles, type of injury, current physical capacity of the worker and also shortcomings, skills and responsibilities for the jobs before being injured.

Method #5: Education

People are always at the centre of every initiative at workplace. Education is a process to ensure that workers have enough knowledge and skills to implement their tasks to prevent MSDs.

Engineers and all employees of a company need to understand ergonomic design principles. Employees should understand their body’s structures, how to warm up and recover after a working day. OSH staff and ergonomists should establish and improve working environment effectively and steadily for employees. Education for MSDs prevention and skill development pay an important role for long-term success.

Method #6: Early intervention

When an employee has prime symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, the early intervention is really necessary to adjust all risk factors before things getting worse. This proactive injury prevention strategy is called early intervention.

To have an effective strategy, employees should promptly inform early symptoms of fatigue,  discomforts and pain, and this action should be encouraged and shared by the employers and other employees in the company.

When the problem is reported, tools for injury prevention will be ready for employees under the direct instruction of the experts.

Method # 7: Establish prevention culture for MSDs

Managers should be the pioneers in speech and action, consistent with accident prevention to ensure safety and health at the workplace.

Successful safety and health programs must implement “human” strategy to prevent illness and injuries, establish prevention culture through the combination of supporting activities and programs for healthy lifestyle with rejecting risk factors at the workplace.

Method # 8: Evaluate MSDs prevention process

In order to have an effective and stable prevention process, monthly/annual progress reports should be made to totally control and meet all the targets. Keep trying to improve the process and reduce hazards and risks.

(Nguồn tin: Vnniosh.vn)