Musculoskeletal Disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) include a wide range of inflammatory and degenerative conditions affecting the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, peripheral nerves and supporting blood vessels.
The economic and health burden of work-related MSDs is significant. In the ACT, 57% of all accepted private sector workers’ compensation claims lodged between 2017-2018 and 2020-21 were for MSDs.
Causes of MSDs
Safe Work Australia categorises MSDs into traumatic joint/ligament and muscle/tendon injuries (MSD injuries) and musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases (MSD diseases).
Work-related MSDs often involve a complex interaction between a number of risk factors including:
- physical factors such as repetitive tasks, heavy lifting and adverse postures
- psychosocial factors such as low control/demand, low supervisor support and low recognition, and
- organisational factors such as high workloads and night shifts.
Hazards
The most common hazard likely to cause MSDs is lifting heavy or bulky loads. Repetitive work, reaching, twisting or working in small spaces also pose risks of developing MSDs.
Strategy to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders
On 3 May 2022 WorkSafe ACT launched its Strategy to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders (the Strategy). This Strategy captures WorkSafe ACT’s approach to preventing MSDs in ACT workplaces. The Strategy will guide the activities of WorkSafe ACT to educate, engage and enforce the management of MSD prevention in the ACT over the next two years.
It aims to reduce the incidence rate of claims for MSDs resulting in one or more weeks off work by at least 30%.
View or download the Strategy to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders.(PDF 522KB) (WORD 729KB)
Objectives
The key objectives of the Strategy are:
Evaluation
WorkSafe ACT is committed to evaluating and reporting on its activities to support its strategic initiatives. This will be achieved through yearly review of implementation and a final evaluation report for the life of the Strategy.
The progress of the Strategy will be reported in WorkSafe ACT’s Annual Reports. The strategy is developed in alignment with WorkSafe ACT’s governance structure and encompasses the priorities within the:
MSD Data Snapshot
WorkSafe ACT has gathered National and ACT specific data on Musculoskeletal disorders. For more information, visit Data Snapshot - Musculoskeletal Disorders.
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