Health and Safety

MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURY (MSI)

• MSI is "soft-tissue" injury to any part of the body.  MSI is sometimes known as repetitive strain injury (RSI)

• about a third of all occupational injuries are to the neck, shoulders, arms and hands, related to the design of work, work stations, work organization and work operations.  With lower back injury included, the figure rises to nearly 65%

• the characteristics of musculoskeletal injury are

often not recognized as work-related

usually painful and often long-lasting

often poorly diagnosed and treated inappropriately

workers' compensation for MSI is hard to get (about 50% of legitimate claims are turned down), yet very costly to the workers' compensation system

all occupations including assembly line workers, cashiers, and hospital workers are affected

not just keyboard and computer workers

the injury rate among women workers is very high

Canadian legislation to protect workers from MSI is poor or non-existent - BC has good legislation but it is poorly enforced and MSI language in Saskatchewan law is not enforced at all!

• what has to be done to prevent MSI

shop floor activism: the union and the joint health and safety committee need to make the issue a priority in the workplace

• the local union needs to frame a workplace strategy including a role for
• collective bargaining on MSI
• how to handle ergonomics and MSI in the joint committee
• consider a special ergonomics committee or a union ergonomics representative
• develop an action plan and timeable for action on MSI, including the introduction of new equipment meeting proper ergonomic standards

demand the enforcement of health and safety standards

demand that WCB's recognize and compensate all MSI claims

identify MSI hazards, then redesign jobs and work stations

limit the time on repetitive tasks, slow down the pace of work, reduce repetitive tasks and introduce regular rest breaks

increase union control over work organization and work operations

introduce a training program for workers to recognize symptoms and change the conditions that result in MSI