What are Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders and how can they be prevented?
For over two decades, Reactec has helped teams monitor and manage risk in the workplace. Specifically, Reactec has pioneered the development of workplace wearables designed to prevent exposure to risk from vibration, which is known to increase a workers’ risk of developing a work-related musculoskeletal disorder. There are other activities - such as repetitive motion or force, or working in awkward positions - which can also cause or contribute to musculoskeletal issues. Reactec supports teams who are addressing these potentially dangerous sources of risk by providing them with the insight required to more effectively implement and improve their workplace control measures.
Musculoskeletal disorders, in general, encompass a wide range of conditions that can vary greatly in type, severity, and prognosis. Some common musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) include arthritis, osteoporosis, and inflammatory diseases. MSDs also commonly manifest as widespread pain conditions and connective tissue diseases and disorders. When work conditions contribute significantly to an MSD, when a condition is made worse by working conditions, or when an MSD persists longer than it otherwise would due to working conditions, this is classified as a Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorder (WMSD).
In this article, we briefly explore the key causes and contributing factors to WMSDs, including a review of the unique link between exposure to vibration and the occurrence of WMSDs. Next, we review the main symptoms of WMSDs, before explaining how purpose-built technology can help teams better monitor, manage, and ultimately prevent these debilitating conditions.
Musculoskeletal Disorders: Causes and Contributing Factors
WMSDs are caused or made worse by a number of factors or activities, including sudden or prolonged exposure to vibration, repetitive motion or force, and working in awkward positions. Specifically, the use of vibrating tools and equipment, or working in ways which make gripping or manoeuvring tools or equipment unnecessarily difficult and challenging, contribute to an increased likelihood of musculoskeletal disorders among workers. The relationship between exposure to vibration and WMSDs, in particular, is well-established.
The Relationship Between Exposure to Vibration and Musculoskeletal Disorders
Internationally, there is a recognised relationship between exposure to vibration and MSDs, supported by clear evidence that regular use of vibrating tools can increase a workers’ risk of developing a WMSD.
Exposure to vibration is widely understood to be a “causative factor” for MSDs such as Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). In an influential report on MSDs, Safe Work Australia categorizes exposure to vibration as a “hazardous manual task,” which “directly stress the body” and can lead to injury. Both The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) set forth examples of common working conditions - like daily exposure to vibration - that can lead to WMSDs.
And when it comes to the impact of WMSDs on workers, the effects of sudden or prolonged exposure to vibration, repetitive motion or force, and awkward positions can range from painful, to debilitating.
Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Key Signs and Symptoms
Musculoskeletal pain can include bone pain, joint pain, muscle pain, and tendon or ligament pain. In addition to limiting mobility and range of motion, this kind of pain can also contribute to fatigue, sleep disruption, and stiffness. Put simply: musculoskeletal pain can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, and make it difficult for them to engage in normal activities, including working. In some cases, people suffering from musculoskeletal pain can experience intense, chronic symptoms that may require significant or long-term intervention, such as medication or surgery.
While the symptoms of WMSDs can be serious, it is possible to create an environment where workers are better protected from conditions that may result in lifelong health problems.
Addressing WMSDs: Getting the Most From Your Workplace Control Measures
To address WMSDs, the CDC recommends an intervention strategy that follows a three-tier hierarchy of controls and suggests that employers 1) implement engineering controls and adopt a more ergonomic approach at worksites, 2) implement administrative controls that minimize and mitigate the impact of working conditions known to cause MSDs, and 3) ensure that personal protective equipment (PPE) is functioning properly and being used correctly.
Administrative and engineering controls and properly working PPE are the first step towards creating a safer work environment with regard to WMSDs. But teams must also have access to accurate, reliable information about whether and to what extent their controls have actually worked. Otherwise, you’re just guessing about the effectiveness of important health and safety efforts.
The only way to truly know whether your controls are working is through actual data. Specifically, insight into your workers’ individual exposure to the sources of risk that can cause or contribute to WMSDs. With accurate, reliable information about your workplace risk environment, you can make confident, informed decisions about how to best protect your workers.
Reactec’s ecosystem of technology makes it possible for teams to collect and analyse critical information about their risk environment. R-Link, Reactec’s third-generation workplace wearable, captures personalized, real-time data from workers as they carry out their tasks. While worn, R-Link alerts workers when they approach or exceed predetermined exposure thresholds. And safety managers and duty holders have access to automatically generated reports which pinpoint areas of concern. For example, a report may reveal that certain team members are being exposed to more risk from exposure to vibration than others, or it might show that workers experience higher exposure levels when using certain tools or equipment. With this information, it’s possible to ensure that worker behaviours are adjusted, and issues of tool condition are addressed. And once any administrative or engineering controls are implemented, the data quickly reveals whether they’ve been effective, and how they could be improved.
Importantly, this information is processed and presented in Reactec’s ultra-secure, cloud-powered Analytics platform. This ensures that information is accessible from anywhere, at any time, so long as the user has the correct permissions. Additionally, the analytics are displayed in an attractive dashboard-style format, so it’s easy and fast to make sense of the data that you’re seeing on the screen.
Battle-Tested Workplace Wearable Technology to Help Prevent WMSDs
WMSDs are potentially debilitating conditions which can be caused or worsened by the activities that your workers carry out on a daily basis. Such conditions are often chronic, meaning that symptoms develop over time following regular exposure to various sources of workplace risk, such as vibration, force, or repetitive movement. For this reason, it can be a challenge to adequately protect your workers, and prevent the occurrence of WMSDs.
Administrative and engineering controls, and a more ergonomic approach on worksites, can only go so far. Without insight into the effectiveness of such measures, it’s incredibly difficult to know whether you’re taking the right steps to fully protect your workforce from chronic, painful musculoskeletal disorders.
Reactec is battle-tested workplace wearable technology that teams all around the world rely upon to protect their workers from exposure to the sources of risk that cause and contribute to WMSDs. With detailed insight into your workplace risk environment, Reactec’s Cloud-powered technology is the most accurate and reliable way to ensure positive health and safety outcomes for your workforce
