Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSIs)
The most common type of injury
Musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) involve our muscles and skeleton. They can also affect tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, and blood vessels. Some everyday names for MSIs are
- sprains and strains
- over-exertion
- soft tissue damage
- repetitive strain
In 2023, industries in Nova Scotia saw:
3,309 sprain and strain injuries reported
65 inflamed joint, tendon, or muscle injuries reported
This statistic highlights the importance of improving safety practices and providing adequate training to reduce injuries and reduce the human and financial cost of workplace injuries.
Over 63% of all workplace injuries were MSIs in 2023
- 2% of time-loss injuries were caused by risky or repetitive movement
- 4% of injuries were sprains and strains
- 1,109 time-loss injuries were sprains and strains where workers missed 3 or more days of work due to their injuries.
What causes MSIs?
- Doing the same movement over and over again
- Lifting, pushing, or pulling heavy loads
- Standing or sitting in an awkward position for a long time
How to prevent MSIs
Follow these safety tips and information guides to improve MSI safety in your workplace
Checklists and tools
- Use this OHS Risk Mapping Tool Kit to identify and control potential sources of MSI injury in your workplace.
- Follow this Inspection checklist to find out which tasks have the highest risks.
Prevention guide
- Get step-by-step instructions on how to build awareness, identify hazards, assess risks, implement controls and more in this MSI Prevention Guide
Online webinar: Preventing Sprain and Strain Injuries in Your Workplace
Watch this to learn more about preventing sprain and strain injuries
Make the job fit the worker
Many employers have successfully reduced the number of MSIs in their workplace by looking at the way workers interact with their desks, tools, etc. Then they used that information to redesign the workplace to be more comfortable, safe, and healthy. This is called “ergonomics.”
- Read this case study to see how one manufacturer saved over a quarter of million dollars through ergonomics.
- Ask your workers to take this Discomfort Survey so you understand what they are experiencing.
- Follow this Office Ergonomics Resource Guide to learn how your office space and desks can be improved.
Educate your workers
Download these posters and put them up around your workplace to remind workers of the safest way to work.
Pushing is better than pulling
Nose between toes, use your legs
Share these tip sheets to make work safer:
Rod Stickman - Working Safely, By Design
Watch this video with your workers, then use this discussion guide to have a safety talk.