Back pain and work related disorders

Back pain and work related disorders

It is said that an average of 7 working days are lost per employee per year and more than a third of those are work related musculoskeletal disorders. It is estimated that it costs the company an average of 9% of total payroll costs.

Musculo Skeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common occupational illness in Great Britain, affecting more than 1.0 million people a year. They include problems such as low back pain, joint injuries and repetitive strain injuries of various sorts.

Back disorders are the most common form of ill health at work.

Back pain can arise in many work situations. The exact cause is often unclear, but back pain is more common in tasks that involve:

• Sitting at a workstation for a long period of time - especially if the workstation is not correctly arranged or adjusted to fit  the person.
• Driving long distances or driving over rough ground, particularly if the seat is not, or cannot be, properly adjusted or adequately sprung. Operating heavy equipment, such as an excavator, can lead to excessive jolting and jarring;
• Carrying laptops, briefcases or handbags in the same manner all the time can lead to postural compensation;
• Heavy manual labour, and handling tasks in heavy industry;
• Manual handling in awkward places, like delivery work;
• Repetitive tasks;
• Postural strain due to prolonged periods in one position.