Introduction
Some of the tasks we perform at work—such as lifting, reaching, and repeating
the same movements—can strain our bodies. In some situations, these tasks can
result in an injury to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, and
joints of the neck, shoulders, arms, wrists, legs, and back. This type of injury is
called a musculoskeletal injury, or MSI.
MSI is a common type of workplace injury in all industries in British Columbia.
MSI claims resulting from overexertion and repetitive motion accidents account
for about one-third of claims accepted by the WCB in British Columbia. In some
industries, this proportion is much higher.
This guide is an educational booklet. It provides information to help workers,
employers, and joint health and safety committees:
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of MSI
• Understand the potential health effects of MSI
• Identify the factors that place workers at risk for MSI
What is MSI?
The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation defines musculoskeletal
injury (MSI) as “an injury or disorder of the muscles, tendons,
ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels or related soft tissue including a
sprain, strain and inflammation, that may be caused or aggravated by
work”
Signs and symptoms of MSI
It is important for employers and workers to recognize the early signs and
symptoms of MSI. If treatment is needed, it can be started right away. You can also
take steps in the workplace and outside it to avoid making the condition worse.
A sign can be observed, such as:
• Swelling
• Redness
• Difficulty moving a particular body part
A symptom can be felt but cannot be observed, such as:
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Pain
If you are experiencing signs or symptoms of MSI, inform your supervisor and
report to the first aid attendant, if there is one.
Signs and symptoms of MSI may appear suddenly—for example, from a single
incident that causes an injury—or they may appear gradually over a longer
period. Don’t ignore early signs and symptoms of MSI. You may need treatment
or may need to take steps to prevent the injury from getting worse.
Potential health effects
An MSI can affect your ability to perform tasks at work and at home. Early signs
or symptoms of MSIs can progress into conditions such as the following, which
can have long-term effects:
• Muscle strains to the neck, back, shoulders, or legs
• Tendinitis (swelling of a tendon, a band of tissue that attaches muscle to bone)
• Carpal tunnel syndrome (pressure on a nerve in the wrist, resulting in
numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the hand, wrist, or forearm)
Treatment
Treatment will vary according to the type of MSI. Treatment can include the
application of cold or heat, medication, physical therapy, and even surgery. An
MSI may be treated more effectively if it is discovered and reported early.
Risk factors
The factors that contribute to the risk of MSI are called risk factors. A risk
factor is something that may cause or contribute to an injury. Two or more risk
factors can be present at one time, increasing the risk of injury.
Workers may not always be able to identify all the risk factors in a task.
However, it is important for workers to recognize situations when they are at
higher risk. For example, if a worker must bend awkwardly to lift a heavy object
in a cramped area, the worker will be exposed to a greater risk of MSI than a
worker who uses a mechanical lifting device or one who has enough room to
follow safe lifting procedures.
The primary risk factors for MSI are the physical demands of a task, including:
• Force
• Repetition
• Work posture
• Local contact stress
For each of these risk factors, it is important to consider duration (how long)
and magnitude (how much). These are discussed on page 13.
Other risk factors that can affect these physical demands include:
• Layout and condition of the workplace or workstation—for example, a
workstation that is too high or too low can create awkward working postures
• Characteristics of objects handled—for example, an object that is slippery or
has no handles may cause awkward postures and require greater force to
handle the object in a stable manner
• Environmental conditions of the workplace—for example, cold temperatures
or drafts reduce blood flow to the hands and arms, requiring more grip force
• Organization of work tasks—for example, a worker performing a variety of
different tasks throughout the day is likely at less risk of injury than a worker
who has little variety and is exposed to the same risk factor for a longer time
The mere presence of MSI risk factors may not in itself result in an injury. It
depends on, for example, how great the force is and how long the worker is
exposed to the risk. It can also depend on individual characteristics that vary
from worker to worker (such as height, gender, and the body’s ability to deal
with the risk factors).
The primary risk factors for MSI are explained on the following pages, along
with examples and illustrations of some work activities that may expose workers
to these risk factors. You will probably be able to identify the same risk factors
in some of your activities outside the workplace.
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