New MSD Guidelines How Do They Affect MCAT Members?
By ERIN CARTER, President, Barantas Inc.

Ergonomics may seem like the new buzz word in the injury prevention realm for employers. Whether you like it or not this is founded on real statistics. Based on current WSIB statistics 42 per cent of lost time injuries, 42 per cent of all lost time injury claim costs and 50 per cent of lost time days are related to Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs).

 MSDs are injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. They may be caused or aggravated by various hazards or risk factors in the workplace (for example, repetitive movements such as crimpling would  fit this category). They do not include specific traumatic events such as slips and falls.

Ergonomics  is the study of the design of work in relation to the physiological and psychological capabilities of people. Ergonomics is the science of prevention of musculoskeletal disorders.

MSDs are a frightening reality for employers – especially construction employers who depend heavily on their CAD-7 experience rating system for revenue recovery, and for tendering and pre-qualification purposes.

Due to these statistics from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), the Ministry of Labour has struck a committee that has been working diligently on a new set of regulations and for musculoskeletal disorders. This committee is well experienced and contains many ergonomics specialists, union leaders and industry leaders. They have been working on this program for the past few years and are coming to the completion point of their project. This committee has developed three packages to support and educate employers in developing their MSD programs.

The first package is the “MSD Prevention Guidelines.” This 36-page document outlines the process for identifying and ranking MSD related hazards. It provides a methodology from the first steps to the disseminating of the program.

The second package is the “Resource Material for the MSD Prevention Guidelines in Ontario.” This 80-page manual supports the guide by helping to identify frequency and severity issues, and target audience for the program. This document delves deeper into the causation and possible correction methods for MSD hazards and risk factors.

The final package is the MSD Toolbox. This 170-page document is the actual compendium of tools, formulas and charts that one might use to assess the hazards. It is yet to be released but is expected very soon.

So what does this mean for the employers in the mechanical trades? Well, proactively, you now have a mechanism of creating a good ergonomics and injury prevention program for your workers. This will create a better CAD-7 experience rating outcome. Less obvious, but still worth mentioning, is the increase in productivity that comes from an ergonomically sound workplace. Furthermore, by doing this for your workplace, you can apply these activities to your safety group activities and it represents the completion of elements of the work well audit.

There is a catch. With the development of these new guidelines, the MOL inspectorate now has a foundation for issuing orders to employers with poor MSD prevention programs. The orders will be issued under section 25(1)(c) for not ensuring that all measures and procedures prescribed are carried out in the workplace or where injuries are apparent under section 25(2)(h) for not taking every precaution reasonable in the circumstance for the protection of a worker. It is understood that the inspectors will start reviewing and issuing orders for construction operations in January 2008.

As a group of contractors who provide similar activities and tasks, I recommend this as a group project. The cost savings, as a group, would ensure that you do not re-create the wheel by having every member do it individually and pay for it. Either way it must get done.

The two manuals currently in print can be found at www.wsib.on.ca/wsib.nsf/public/PreventMSD.

Erin Carter is a certified Kinesiologist and a Canadian Registered Safety Professional. She has been working on health and safety services for employers for 13 years. Carter can be reached at (416) 410-4470.