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Did you know that MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders) are one of the most prominent hazards in the vehicle sales and services sector? With a little foresight these injuries can be avoided.
MSDs are injuries and disorders of the muscles, tendons, and nerves, and can cause injuries such as back sprain, muscle strain, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. They are the leading cause of work-related, lost-time claims submitted to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) in Ontario, and account for half of all lost-time days.
In the vehicle sales and service sector, MSDs can be caused by overexertion while lifting heavy vehicle parts or maintaining awkward work postures especially while working underneath vehicles.
Below are a few examples that are
common to your industry:
- A technician twists his knee by crouching on a hard concrete floor
for a prolonged period while working.
- An employee at a facility injures his back using an awkward posture and repetition while cleaning vehicles.
- A technician suffers a lower back injury while using force to pull a
stuck car seat from a vehicle.
The sad fact is that none of these situations need occur, and yet they do, in significant proportions.
By the Numbers
In 2005, MSDs were the leading cause of injury or illness to workers in vehicle sales and service, accounting for 32.6 per cent of all workplace injuries.
Of that percentage, injuries to the upper extremities accounted for 35 per cent, followed by 29 per cent of injuries to the trunk and around 16 per cent to lower extremities.
Given that there are over 10,000 vehicle sales and service organizations registered with the WSIB in Ontario alone, employing close to 330,000 workers, these numbers certainly cannot be taken lightly.
As an employer, there are steps you can take now to control this significant issue in your workplace.
New MSD prevention guidelines are now available through various partners of the Ontario health and safety system. A study of these guidelines will provide information and advice on preventing MSDs in the workplace.
Some of the specific controls that
you can set in place for prevention
of MSD at your organization include:
- Use of jacks and lifting aids for
lifting and holding heavy parts
for installation.
- Storing of heavy parts above the floor level-between knee and shoulder level.
- Use of rolling work stands so workers avoid having to bend over to pick up tools.
- Avoid placing heavy parts on the ground
if they’re going to be re-installed. It is
advisable to hang them around or on
the lift, using a device like a tire hanger.
- Seeking help with big, heavy or
awkward parts.
- Learning the ergonomically safe
way to lift.
These MSD guidelines are explained in greater detail in the The Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Prevention Guideline for Ontario, a free set of MDS resource materials from the Ontario Ministry of Labour. You may obtain a free download copy of the resource manual and toolbox at ossa.com.
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