Risk management: Where should we target strategies to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders?

Work-related musculoskeletal injuries and disorders (WMSDs) present a major problem throughout the world. Strategies to control risks associated with WMSDs typically focus on strategies to reduce the biomechanical loads that people experience during work. It is now evident that to focus workplace risk management strategies only on physical actions during task performance is not the optimal way to reduce WMSD risk. Evidence suggests that risk controls need to be developed in a participative way and controls need to incorporate all hazards and risk including physical and psychosocial. 1381 Responses from 8 jobs in 6 organisations in 3 different industry sectors, in Melbourne, Australia, were analysed for differences in predictors of WSMD risk using ANOVA and multi-modelling. Analysis of results across sector, organisation and job levels found that WMSD risk levels were different across all 8 jobs. Despite differences in levels or risk physical and psychosocial hazards were significant contributors. Greatest variation in predictors of WMSD risk was found at the job level, providing support for risk management to be focussed on jobs rather than at organisation or sector level. This is distinct from a hazard level focus which is the current focus of many risk management strategies. These results support the need for a change to current approaches to WMSD risk management. To accurately identify and control all hazards a toolkit approach is suggested using worker participation to develop appropriate measures to mitigate WMSD risk.