The Ministry of Labour has developed with its partners:
— Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Prevention Toolbox
The MSD Prevention Toolbox provides information on how to conduct a
MSD risk assessment in the workplace, setting up an MSD prevention
program and enhancing a workplace's current MSD prevention practices.
The toolbox is the third installment of the MSD Prevention Series,
which provides information on addressing these injuries.
— Online database to share information on controlling MSD hazards
is a website that provides links
to over 200 MSD prevention resources. It allows the user to browse
for specific material based on their type of workplace, an MSD topic
or by a specific job.
Contact Info
"The McGuinty government is committed to making workplaces safer,"
said Ontario Labour Minister Brad Duguid, speaking at the Radisson Hotel. "We
are working with our partners to provide workers and employers with the
information they need to prevent injuries, stay safe, and ultimately increase
the productivity of our economy."
"Injury prevention saves employers money, increases productivity and
improves worker health and satisfaction," said Steve Mahoney, chair of the
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
The Ministry of Labour developed the toolbox in partnership with members
of the Occupational Health and Safety Council of Ontario, including the WSIB
and the Institute for Work and Health. The ministry consulted with labour
organizations, employers' associations and individual employers and workers.
The University of Waterloo's Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention
of Musculoskeletal Disorders provided additional support.
Disponible en français
www.labour.gov.on.ca
Backgrounder
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MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDER (MSD) PREVENTION TOOLBOX
The Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Prevention Toolbox was developed by
the Occupational Health and Safety Council of Ontario. The council is composed
of the Ontario Ministry of Labour, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board,
and 12 industry-based Safe Workplace Associations, the Workers Health and
Safety Centre, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers and Institute
for Work and Health.
The toolbox is the third and final component in the MSD Prevention
Series. The first two are the:
— MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario, which describes a recommended
framework for MSD prevention and
— Resource Manual for the MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario, which
contains information on implementing the process described in the
guideline and understanding and recognizing MSD hazards, risk
assessment and hazard controls.
The toolbox outlines workplace MSD hazards and has three sections:
— Getting Started provides easy-to-use tools that include information
on:
— An MSD prevention framework
— How to recognize jobs with MSD hazards
— How to conduct a simple MSD risk assessment and
— How to identify and select MSD hazard controls.
— Beyond the Basics includes tools to enhance a workplace's current MSD
prevention practices.
— More On In-Depth Risk Assessment Methods contains advanced
information and emphasizes risk assessment methodologies.
How to obtain copies of MSD prevention resources
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These resources are available at
http://www.wsib.on.ca/wsib/wsibsite.nsf/public/PreventMSD.
For further information:
Media enquiries:
Bruce Skeaff
Ministry of Labour
416-326-7405
Disponible en français
www.labour.gov.on.ca
Backgrounder
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WORKPLACE ERGONOMICS-RELATED INJURIES
Workplace ergonomics-related injuries develop because of the cumulative
effects of repetitive, stressful or awkward movements on bones, joints,
ligaments and other soft tissues. Ergonomics (the science of fitting the work
to the worker) is considered a key to injury prevention.
These types of injuries and disorders include:
— Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
— Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
— Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) and
— Repetitive Motion Injury (RMI).
Key facts:
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— Workplace ergonomics-related injuries are responsible for more than
40 per cent of all lost-time injuries, causing serious pain and
suffering for Ontario workers and economic loss for employers.
— In the last 10 years, Ontario employers paid more than $19 billion in
direct and indirect costs related to this problem, according to the
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
Pains and Strains Campaign
--------------------------
In January 2006, Ontario launched the Pains and Strains Campaign to
implement six recommendations of the Minister of Labour's Ergonomics Advisory
Panel:
1. Increase education and awareness of MSDs and their prevention
— The ministry created a resource sheet to help workers and
employers identify and prevent ergonomics-related injuries in the
workplace.
— The ministry launched the Pains and Strains website.
2. Focus on MSD prevention during inspections
— Ministry of Labour inspectors are raising awareness of
ergonomic-related injuries and risk factors by providing
employers and workers with information about ergonomic hazards.
— MSD enforcement activities are now conducted in all workplaces.
3. Enhanced training for inspectors on MSD prevention
— Ministry of Labour inspectors have received ergonomics training to
allow them to identify ergonomics-related hazards and take
appropriate action.
4. New resource materials
— The ministry released the MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario and
the Resource Manual for the MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario.
— The MSD Prevention Toolbox that accompanies the guideline is being
released today.
— MSD prevention resource material has been collected and a website
launched to present this information.
5. Improved tracking of ergonomics-related inspections
— The ministry has implemented new mechanisms to track
ergonomics-related inspections.
6. Increased ergonomic expertise
— The position of Provincial Ergonomist has been reinstated. The
Provincial Ergonomist leads the Pains and Strains campaign and
acts as the senior ministry expert on ergonomics.
For further information:
Media enquiries:
Bruce Skeaff
Ministry of Labour
416-326-7405
Disponible en français
www.labour.gov.on.ca
