Tips to reduce the risk of muscular skeletal disorders

By. Dr. Wajira M. Palipane

Prevention of muscular skeletal disorders (MSD) is a fundamental element of health and safety at work. In many Asian industrial enterprises there is a growing recognition for measures aimed at prevention of muscular skeletal disorders among workers. These measures have multiple impacts, both on health and safety promotions and on productivity enhancement. Experience shows that simple and low cost improvement measure in manual material handling and designing of work stations have a significant impact on eliminating risk of muscular skeletal disorders.

Workers with muscular skeletal disorders pay less attention and concentration on their tasks owing to their pain and discomfort and thus they tend to make errors. Workplaces with many workers having muscular skeletal disorders are at higher risk of serious occupational injuries. It is obvious that the muscular skeletal disorders have negative, impact on productivity. Eliminating the risk of muscular skeletal disorders not only will improve the health and safety of workers but also enhance the productivity. Improvements at workplace to reduce the risk of muscular skeletal disorders should have a multi-dimensional approach.

The active and equal participation of employees at all levels, managers, engineers, supervisors, occupational physicians and the employer will generate many innovative ideas for improvement. Simple and inexpensive solutions can have a significant impact on upgrading health and safety. It is interesting to note that improvements helping to eliminate the risk of muscular skeletal disorders can be carried out by mobilizing resources and ideas readily available within the work places. The significant results of improvement measures have increased the confidence of workers and have sustained their productivity.

Workloads involving the manually carrying of heavy and bulky materials can be eased by introducing push carts with adjustable heights. Layout changes can be undertaken to reduce the distance that heavy loads need to be carried. The installation of simple hoist devices provides the workers with safer means of moving loads at minimum muscular effort. These methods also will reduce the carrying time and minimize damages.

High worktables are associated with workers discomfort in low-back and lower limbs. Providing chairs with back support and foot rest will allow the workers to perform their work at the elbow height. This will enable the workers to adjust their correct work posture. Fixing or hanging of heavy hand tools like heavy scissors will relive workers muscular discomfort of upper limbs. In handicrafts industry where heavy scissors are used for cutting of materials causes muscle fatigue of hands and can be relieved by fixing the scissors to the edge of the work table. Improved lighting conditions on the work surface helps workers reduce the degree if bending and avoid strain of the neck, shoulders and back. The author's personal experience as an Occupational Physician reveals that in some industries including service sector such as banks there are many workers with MSD of the neck and lower back attributable to inadequate illumination.

Job rotation to eliminate repetitive tasks is useful in preventing overload of particular muscles and also helps the workers become multi skilled. Job rotation will also have a positive impact on productivity. Introduction of frequent short breaks and provisions of comfortable resting corners at the workplace facilitate recovery from muscle fatigue. Thereby minimize the risk of MSD.

To get the maximum benefit of such short breaks, workers should get out from their work stations and take the break. Mangers may consider giving frequent short breaks as "waste of time" but for the long run this is a very good "investment". Ideally workers should get a short break after about 3 hours of continuous work. If work is performed standing, a few stools could be made available near the work station so the workers could sit and take the short break and quickly get back to the work station. Obviously the whole workforce should not take a short break at the same time. Workers can take turns to take breaks.