TRU Health & Safey News/Current Events
October is Ergonomic Awareness Month!!
Theme for the Month – Ensure your workstation is properly setup – No Pain - You Gain
What is a Musculoskeletal Injury? (MSI)
- Disorders affecting muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues such as nerves and arteries.
- An MSI is an injury that tends to result from overuse of a particular body part and where physical demands exceed the capabilities of the body. Most MSI injuries do not occur from a single event but rather from an accumulation of stress that weakens the body to the point of failure.
What are the signs and symptoms of MSI?
Any of the following signs or symptoms may indicate a potential MSI
- Pain or discomfort
- Tenderness
- Inflammation
- Burning sensation
- Decreased motion
- Weakness or clumsiness
- Tingling or numbness
- Whitening of the fingers or toes.
Who do you report these signs or symptoms to?
It is very important that at the first signs of MSI that you report it to your supervisor and First Aid Attendant. If signs persist or worsens, it is important to go and see your doctor.
What can you do to prevent and MSI Injury?
Change up stressful positions frequently
- If you stand all day, put your foot up on a foot rest to relieve the strain in your back
- If you sit all day, stand up and bend backwards at your hips
- If you are working in a forward bent position (Shoveling, picking up wood..) stand up and do some stretches periodically.
- If you sit or stand in one position all day, then every few minutes roll your shoulders in a circle, stretch your neck from side to side – JUST CHANGE POSTION!!
Regularly do stretches
- Perform stretches throughout the shift
- Rule of thumb: Stretch opposite to how you work (bend backwards if you sit all day)
- Stretch before you feel the need to stretch or you are waiting too long
- A good rule to remember is to stretch before shift, during shift as well as after your shift is over.
Keep in Good Physical Condition
- Don’t come to work to get in shape. You must be physically fit to perform the same tasks for 8 hours day after day or you will develop aches and pains.
A positive aspect of the slow progression of MSI injuries is that the damage can be reversed quickly if caught early. This is referred to as “resetting the injury clock”. If you rest the injury clock soon enough and often enough, serious MSI injuries can be avoided. Maintenance exercises and stretching are used to rest the injury clock. Like a machine, the body requires regular maintenance to ensure that it works properly.
With Simple maintenance, the body can remain healthy and continue to perform at an optimum level, enhancing life both on and off the job.
TRU OH&S Department