January 19, 2006

A new program by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, its Pains and Strains campaign, will help reduce work-related musculoskeletal injuries. The goal is to reduce workplace injuries by 20 per cent by 2008. ‘Pains and Strains’ program targets musculoskal injuries

PETER KENTER

correspondent

TORONTO

The Ontario Ministry of Labour is rolling out a new program to help reduce work-related musculoskeletal injuries. Its Pains and Strains campaign will use a combination of education and enforcement to reduce these injuries.

“Injuries like back pains and joint strains are a major concern in Ontario workplaces — they account for 42 per cent of all lost-time injuries,” says Ontario Labour Minister Steve Peters.

“These injuries are unnecessary and we are committed to preventing them.”

The government is backing the plan, recommended by a Ministry panel in last September’s report, Recommendations On Strategies To Reduce Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders In Ontario.

As of April 1, Ministry inspectors are focusing on musculoskeletal injury risk factors during inspections of high-risk workplaces in industrial and health sectors.

Each organization’s experience with these types of injuries will be reviewed along with the preventive steps they have taken.

But not all workplaces will be treated with a velvet glove, says Gabriel Mansour, Acting Co-ordinator for Professional and Specialized Services with the Ministry.

“They could invoke the general duty clause under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. If the problem is severe, an inspector may engage one of our ergonomists to see if the risk is sufficiently high for enforcement action.”

This phase of the program doesn’t specifically target the construction industry. The Ministry will be calling on stakeholders throughout the year to roll out the program on a sector-by-sector basis.

“Although musculoskeletal injuries might be similar, there are different tasks in different industries that cause them,” says Mansour.

“We’ll only be rolling out the construction component after discussions with stakeholders as part of a system-wide initiative.”

Mansour says he hopes to see construction-specific guidelines developed by the end of 2006 with the actual program in place by 2007.

“The goal is to reduce workplace injuries by 20 per cent by 2008.”

Musculoskeletal Disorder

• The Ministry of Labour’s Pains and Strains program targets injuries known as Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) and Repetitive Motion Injury (RMI). These types of injuries affect the muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves.

• MSDs develop as a result of the effects of repetitive, forceful or awkward movements on bones, joints, ligaments and other soft tissues.

• Workers may experience symptoms such as discomfort, pain, numbness, tingling, weakness and restricted movements.

• It is estimated that from 1996-2004, Ontario’s employers paid more than $12 billion in direct and indirect costs related to MSDs.

Source: Ontario Ministry of Labour

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