Priority: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
Goal
Improved control of MSD risk factors.
Performance indicators
- Increased compliance with standards.
- Reduction in the rates and incidence of permanent impairment in workers due to musculoskeletal injuries caused by body stressing (manual tasks), slips, trips, and falls, hitting and being hit by objects and psychosocial factors in the workplace.
- Increased awareness of MSD risk factors by employers.
Strategies
- Improve recognition and control of the primary mechanisms of injury which cause MSDs (body stressing, slips, trips and falls at level and height, hitting and being hit by objects, and psychosocial factors) by:
- Developing strategic partnerships with key stakeholders and other organisations to work.
toward developing interventions and solutions for MSD prevention. - Delivering interventions targeted at the mechanisms of injuries responsible for musculoskeletal injuries.
- Developing internal and external capability in ergonomics to address MSDs.
- Developing industry awareness and facilitating activity in MSD prevention through promotion with targeted priority industry sectors.
- Conducting and supporting applied research into MSD injury prevention and intervention effectiveness.
- Developing solutions for targeted high risk manual tasks.
- Updating and developing standards and the legislative framework to support industry in achieving the effective risk management of MSDs.
- Developing strategic partnerships with key stakeholders and other organisations to work.
The core elements of our strategy are:
Capability
- Improve the capability of industry (employers, Workplace Health and Safety Officers, Workplace Health and Safety representatives and others) to recognise and control MSD risks.
- Improve the capability of WHSQ Inspectors and Small Business Advisors through professional development and a mentoring program in ergonomics and MSD controls.
- Develop cultural and climate change initiatives to expand the current scope of practice for the WHSQ inspectors.
- Develop selection, recruitment and retention strategies for technical ergonomics specialists including the graduate trainee program.
Promotions
- Promote an industry focus on MSDs and related mechanisms of injury.
- Promote information products, programs and tools for the control of MSD risks to industry through various avenues such as the Internet, workshops and seminars.
- Promote MSD campaigns and interventions, including successful MSD prosecutions, through the media and industry and worker associations.
Partnerships
- Build on existing relationships and establish new collaborations that target MSD prevention.
- Establish partnerships to identify high risk MSD related tasks, develop solutions and promote their uptake within industry.
- Build existing WHSQ internal relationships to achieve a whole of organisation approach to the prevention of MSDs.
Interventions
- Identify high risk industries, occupations and manual tasks and implement a targeted, MSD riskbased approach to enforcement and advice including targeted audit programs, development of information products, and provision of industry information forums.
- Deliver dedicated MSD risk management programs and tools to targeted high risk industry sectors.
- Implement a targeted MSD enforcement and prosecution strategy.
- Promote and ensure a focus on safe design as an integral part of MSD prevention.
Solutions and applied research
- Establish tripartite collaborations with WHSQ and stakeholders including universities to target priority industry sub-sectors and high risk tasks, and to develop, test and commercialise practical solutions.
- Link into industry based funds and research grants for the development of practical solutions.
- Support the development of research and delivery of ergonomics courses through universities.
Standards
- Contribute to the development and review of manual tasks and other MSD related standards and codes of practice.
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