Musculoskeletal Disorders And The Workplace

Every year workers' low-back, hand, and arm problems lead to time away from jobs and reduce the nation's economic productivity. The connection of these problems to workplace activities-from carrying boxes to lifting patients to pounding computer keyboards-is the subject of major disagreements among workers, employers, advocacy groups, and researchers. Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Workplace examines the scientific basis for connecting musculoskeletal disorders with the workplace, considering people, job tasks, and work environments. A multidisciplinary panel draws conclusions about the likelihood of causal links and the effectiveness of various intervention strategies. The panel also offers recommendations for what actions can be considered on the basis of current information and for closing information gaps. This book presents the latest information on the prevalence, incidence, and costs of musculoskeletal disorders and identifies factors that influence injury reporting. It reviews the broad scope of evidence: epidemiological studies of physical and psychosocial variables, basic biology, biomechanics, and physical and behavioral responses to stress. Given the magnitude of the problem-approximately 1 million people miss some work each year-and the current trends in workplace practices, this volume will be a must for advocates for workplace health, policy makers, employers, employees, medical professionals, engineers, lawyers, and labor officials.

Estimated costs associated with lost days and compensation claims related to musculoskeletal disorders-including back pains and repetitive motion injuries-range from $13 billion to $20 billion annually. This is a serious national problem that has spurred considerable debate about the causal links between such disorders and risk factors in the workplace. This book presents a preliminary assessment of what is known about the relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and what may cause them. It includes papers and a workshop summary of findings from orthopedic surgery, public health, occupational medicine, epidemiology, risk analysis, ergonomics, and human factors. Topics covered include the biological responses of tissues to stress, the biomechanics of work stressors, the epidemiology of physical work factors, and the contributions of individual, recreational, and social factors to such disorders. The book also considers the relative success of various workplace interventions for prevention and rehabilitation.

This book addresses the complexity of preventing, diagnosing, and treating musculoskeletal pain and disability disorders in the workplace. Divided evenly between common occupational pain disorders, conceptual and methodological issues, and evidence-based intervention methods, this comprehensive reference presents current findings on prevalence, causation, and physical and psychological aspects common to these disorders. Attention is given to working-world concerns, including insurance and compensation issues and AMA guidelines for disability evaluations. Also, specialized chapters offer lenses for understanding and administering the best approaches for treating specific pain disorders, and explore what workplaces can do to accommodate affected employees and prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.

Whether you call them work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs), cumulative trauma disorders (CTDS), or occupational overuse syndromes (OOSs), these conditions are a cause of pain, disability and suffering to workers worldwide. These designations often imply that their causes are related to work, but the supporting evidence can be unclear. Transparency is important, especially when it is necessary to form a connection with work factors to obtain treatment or compensation. This book addresses the dilemma. Written by a professional ergonomist with almost 40 years of experience in workplace ergonomics, this book combines a critical summary and assessment of the epidemiological literature with an exploration of the scientific and medical evidence for possible causal mechanisms to develop well-informed conclusions on causation of a number of common musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb and intervertebral disc injury. Although much of the book focuses on physical factors, the role of psychosocial factors is increasingly being recognized and an additional chapter reviews a number of the current theories relating to this important issue. Features Focuses on a clear and authoritative account of the evidence for the role of work in the causation of commonly occurring ULDs and disc injury Provides an up-to-date compilation of the scientific evidence, devoid of views based on assumptions or prejudice Presents a clear explanation of the most likely causal mechanisms for common ULDs and disc injuries Includes a summary of theories concerning the role played by psychosocial factors Outlines the statistical evidence in a clear and understandable manner Bridges the gap between the evidence-base in the scientific and medical research literature and the practitioner

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) refer to a wide range of inflammatory and degenerative conditions that occur in the workplace or are caused by work activities. WRMSDs affect the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, peripheral nerves, and supporting blood vessels. These conditions can cause pain and functional impairment and they often result in direct economic costs to both the workplace and the worker. Injuries sustained at work can negatively affect a person's physical and mental health as well as a company's bottom line. This book describes the human musculoskeletal system, including such topics as anthropometry and posture, as it relates to accidents and injuries in the workplace. Chapters discuss such subjects as job standards; risk assessment; direct and indirect costs of WRMSDs; epidemiology, etiology, and pathology of WRMSDs; engineering and administrative controls; risk factor identification; injury management; and education and training. It presents a holistic approach to identifying, intervening, and preventing WRMSDs.

Completely updated version this classic reference covers both physical hazards and biological agents Provides updated information on protecting workers from proven and possible health risks from manual material handling, extremes of temperature and pressure, ionizing and non-ionizing (magnetic fields) radiation, shiftwork, and more Details major changes in our understanding of biological hazards including Ebola, Chikungunya, Zika, HIV, Hepatitis C, Lyme disease, MERS-CoV, TB, and much more All infectious diseases have been updated from an occupational health perspective Includes practical guidance on to how to set up medical surveillance for hazards and suggests preventive measures that can be used to reduce occupational diseases

This reference presents all the information needed to treat orthopaedic disorders occurring in the workplace. It covers not only biomechanics and ergonomics, but also diagnosis and treatment. It thoroughly covers rehabilitation of the injured worker and how to identify, eliminate or modify the factors causing the problems.

Upper limb disorders (ULDs) are a particular group of muskuloskeletal disorders which affect the arm and neck. This revised guidance is aimed at managers with responsibility for workers who may be at risk of developing ULDs. It aims to help the reader understand the hazards and risks and how to control them. Includes: ULDs - managing the problem; risk assessment and solutions; monitoring and reviewing; medical aspects of ULDs; and legal requirements.