Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the release of a new whitepaper from the National Safety Council through its MSD Solutions Lab initiative, that examines many effective interventions used to prevent and reduce the impact of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) on the job.
The report references nearly 60 scientific studies and academic publications after initially identifying 13,500 potential articles on the topic, and examines interventions across the top 10 afflicted industries to determine safety initiatives that are most effective at reducing MSDs. Key findings across multiple studies included that interventions including the use of assistive devices, exoskeletons or employer-backed physical activity programs have the potential to be effective at reducing MSD discomfort, pain and injury. The paper also includes findings related to the effectiveness of commonly adopted MSD interventions, prompting a call for more extensive research in those areas.