MANAGING MSDs

With Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) being the most common kind of work-related illness in the UK (NI Direct, 2015), their appropriate treatment and management should be increasingly important to organisations. Dr Alan Black, Director of one of Northern Ireland’s longest established occupational health providers, Blackwell Associates Limited, outlines what employers need to know. 

The term ‘MSD’ refers to any injury of the joints, or other soft tissues in the limbs or the back.

Spinal and muscle/joint pain accounts for over half of all reported work related illnesses in Northern Ireland, with around 20% of all reported injuries related to sprains associated with manual handling. In addition, almost 33% of all absences from work in Northern Ireland councils are due to back and neck problems, with the average duration of such absences around 2 weeks (NI Direct 2015). 

What are the main causes?

While it’s easy to assume that these disorders only affect those engaged in labour intensive roles, MSD doesn’t discriminate. From the young to the elderly, sedentary to physically active - anyone can experience musculoskeletal pain and it is most often caused by an injury to the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or nerves. 

The disorder can be caused by a number of activities including repetitive and heavy lifting, bending and twisting, working in an uncomfortable position, repeating something too often, and using the wrong tools for a job. 

However, there are a number of other causes which are perhaps less obvious. Working long hours without breaks, or even working in environments that are consistently too hot or too cold, can contribute to employees falling victim to this illness. 

Even the way employees sit at their desks can trigger MSDs. For example, 63% of office workers complain of aches and pains at their work station which more often than not, can be alleviated by adopting an improved posture and utilising a range of ergonomic solutions such as providing chairs with lumbar support (CIPD, 2014).

How can companies identify employees with MSDs?

As with many workplace illnesses, MSD may not be immediately visible. However, due to the primarily physical nature of MSDs, there are some symptoms employers can look out for in their workers. 

For instance, has there been an increase in the number of injuries to backs or limbs in the last few months or years? Have managers reported that their teams have made such complaints?

If you are in manufacturing or production, ask yourself, has overall product quality, or productivity, reduced? 

If you take a walk around the premises, are you noticing employees resorting to DIY improvements to counteract uncomfortable working environments, such as padding on seats, wearing bandages or splints?

How can companies mitigate the risk?

The first step is to identify which tasks present a serious risk of chronic injury. For instance, do any of your employees have a role which requires frequent bending or lifting? This risk assessment should be carried out across the entire organisation, from the head office to the factory floor. 

Employers may wish to also engage safety representatives directly with employees or trade unions to understand first hand what workers experience on a day to day basis.

Where changes are possible and practical, these should be introduced and clearly communicated to your employees. However, where mechanisation is not possible, other reasonable measures should be taken. For example, in the case of a physical role, frequent job rotation to a different work station area will reduce the risk of a worker repeating an action (such as lifting) too often. 

Your occupational health provider can assist with any risk assessments to ensure that the correct questions are asked and that any issues can be correctly identified and addressed. They can also manage the recovery of employees by ensuring correct diagnosis and development of a return to work plan.

The team at Blackwell Associates Limited are strongly positioned to work with you to ensure that all workplace illnesses, including MDS’s, are appropriately identified and managed. Call 028 9065 6131 to speak to a member of the team or email enquiries@blackwellassociates.co.uk