Research Project Summary

Year Funded: 2011 Budget: $172,056.00 Funding Agency: Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario
Title: Incorporating Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention into Health and Safety Management and Integrated Management Systems
Category: Occupational Disease, Injury and Health Services
Subcategory: Occupational Injury
Keywords: MSD, Hazards, Assessment, OHSMS, IMS
Link to research website:

Issue:

Company management systems use systematic models and techniques to prevent injuries, occupational disease and fatalities in the workplace. Strains and sprains, low back pain — known as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) — are major personal and financial concerns in Ontario. Unfortunately, ergonomic techniques to assess hazards for MSDs do not fit easily into the methods used for planning and decision making within a company’s management systems. Integrating MSD prevention tools into a company’s management system will help prevent MSDs by using companies’ everyday tools and getting MSD hazards “on the table” during decision making. The project will explore current approaches and techniques used by companies to address general health safety hazards compared to methods used for MSD hazards.

Objectives:

The main objective of this proposed research is to develop and test a systematic and harmonized approach to identify, assess and evaluate MSD hazards and to prioritize MSD hazard elimination or control actions within management systems.
The specific objectives are to:
(1) Document the techniques used by companies from different sectors to address MSD hazards;
(2) Explore workers’ involvement;
(3) Develop a systematic approach to identify, assess and evaluate MSD hazards and prioritize MSD control actions within management system;
(4) Test its feasibility and usefulness and
(5) Develop a Guide to allow companies to better conform to OHSMS Standards.

Anticipated Results:

The intended outcome is a feasible and useful approach to identify, assess and evaluate MSD hazards and prioritize control actions within a structured OHSMS leading to better prevention of these painful and disabling conditions. A Guide with sample procedures and new methods will allow companies to better conform to OHSMS Standards. The outcome is an approach for the prevention of MSDs than can be used in addition to a company’s current methods, such as participatory ergonomics.

Investigators:

Richard P. Wells (University of Waterloo)