Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention
11/04/2019
August was national Tradies Health Month; an initiative by the Australian Physiotherapy Association to help educate tradies to keep a check on their safety, health and well-being, as they are amongst the highest industries for compensation claims in Australia for serious injury and disease.
The focus was aimed at musculoskeletal injuries (injuries that affect the body’s movement) which are amongst the highest forms of injuries, not just with tradies but many other industries.
WorkSafe Connect attended a seminar hosted by The Construction Training Centre where Work Cover Queensland presented on this topic.
In what are striking statistics, it was quoted that those musculoskeletal injuries make up over 50% if all workers’ compensation claims each year, with 40,000 claims made across all industries in 2014-2015.
The three most common causes were cited as:
- 1. Lifting, carrying and putting down objects
- 2. Falls
- 3. Repetitive movement or strain
While members in the trade industries, mining, transportation and others are at a higher risk of developing these injuries office workers are still at risk. Sitting for long periods of time and poor ergonomics and office design can equally contribute to musculoskeletal injuries if not addressed.
Being aware of the risks that can be involved and doing regular exercise and stretches can help reduce the risk and ensure that you are fit and able to work. If you do have an injury, having prolonged time off work can greatly reduce your chance of getting returning which can result in other areas of your life being affected including your mental health.
Take the time to have a break, have a walk, stretch and be aware of the risks so that you can have a happy, healthy productive work and social life.
To find out FAQ’s about musculoskeletal injuries go to:
Safe Work Australia has released a short video focussing on musculoskeletal injury prevention which can be viewed below: