NSC white paper on MSDs looks at ‘non-physical’ risk factors

Washington — Work organization, job stress and other non-physical risk factors “cannot be ignored” when assessing the likelihood of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, according to a new white paper from the National Safety Council.

Overlooking these factors “can be a common reason MSDs are not decreasing in an organization,” NSC experts say in the paper.

MSDs include tendinitis, back strains and sprains, and carpal tunnel syndrome. They’re the most common workplace injury and remain the leading cause of worker disability, early retirement and limitations to gainful employment, NSC says.

The paper, released via the council’s MSD Solutions Lab, lists three categories non-physical MSD risk factors can be placed into:
Organizational factors, which are “directly influenced or controlled by the employer and related to the way the work is designed, organized and managed.” These include work organization, training and job security.
Psychosocial factors, which are related to “interactions between and among work environment” and other attributes “that may influence health and work performance.” Among them: mental workload, job satisfaction, job stress and perceived support.
Behavioral factors, which involve “actions a person engages in that can be modified or impacted by the workplace.” These include nutrition, amount of sleep, physical activity, alcohol/substance use and tobacco use.

NSC offers employers several solutions to help them navigate non-physical MSD risk factors:

• Add the mitigation of non-physical risk factors into existing MSD prevention and ergonomics programs.
• Engage frontline workers in learning about the connection between non-physical risk factors and workplace safety.
• Ensure safety and health training is adequate and delivered by qualified instructors.
• Foster a culture of support, transparent communication and listening to workers.

“As we look to the future of MSD prevention and ergonomics, an emphasis on both physical and non-physical risk factors is needed,” Katherine Mendoza, senior director of workplace programs at NSC, said in a press release. “Employees who experience non-physical risk factors are at greater risk of injury, less satisfied with their work and more likely to leave their organization, which is why it’s critically important for organizations to proactively address and mitigate these issues.”