Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can have a devastating effect on the workplace.
From tendonitis and muscle strains, to carpal tunnel syndrome and ruptured disks – figures from the Labour Force Survey of Great Britain show that 44 per cent of all work-related illnesses in 2014 and 2015 came under the banner of MSDs. That means they are behind a total of 9.5 million working days lost in the United Kingdom, which is about 40 per cent of all days lost to work-related illness.
These findings are important for the UAE, where many people have sedentary lifestyles and work long hours in office-based environments.
An Australian study entitled Too Much Sitting: The Population-Health Science of Sedentary Behaviour showed that even when adults are doing a recommended amount of physical activity per week, sitting for long periods of time can still cause problems with health.
So what can employers do about this, both to improve the health of their employees and reduce costs associated with MSDs?
The first place to start for employers is with the working environment – collaborating closely with staff to create surroundings that are built for their needs and free from any potentially MSD-causing factors. In practical terms, this means repositioning workstations to ensure screens and keyboards are laid out at the correct height and distance, adjusting chair backs, footrests and wrist supports for maximum comfort. Ergonomic keyboards and chairs should also be considered.
Where possible, employers should also look to break up periods of repetitive work by allowing employees to share certain duties. If this is not feasible then at the very least employees should be encouraged to get up from their workstations at regular intervals to engage by standing, walking and stretching.
But a well-designed workstation is just one side of the coin. For best results, any workstation reorganisation should be coupled with a wellness initiative to help educate staff on how their working habits can affect health. This could be something as simple as giving employees access to information on correct posture or the importance of taking breaks – right through to holding regular seminars with osteopaths, chiropractors and other health specialists to impart knowledge and guidance first hand.
Wellness initiative should include programmes centred around weight loss and quitting smoking. Apart from positive health benefits to this, what many people do not realise is that both have links with MSDs – in particular chronic back pain. Research by Northwestern University in the US put it quite simply: “If you want to avoid chronic back pain, put out the cigarette.” It was found that smokers are three times more likely than non-smokers to develop chronic back pain. Meanwhile, a report in the American Journal of Epidemiology looked at 33 studies and concluded that being overweight or obese also increases the risk of chronic back pain.
In addition, the financial burden of MSDs is more than significant. Here is a quick global overview: in the UK, the British Safety Council estimates MSDs cost the UK economy almost US$130 billion every year. Meanwhile, across the whole of the European Union, the Work Foundation puts the equivalent figure at around $255bn. In the US, the bureau of labor statistics cites MSDs as the single largest category of workplace injury, accounting for almost 30 per cent of all workers’ compensation costs.
What does it mean for a country such as the UAE, where lower back pain alone can potentially account for 6 per cent of all employee medical claims? Certainly action is required, and as we have seen there is much that employers can do.
Musculoskeletal conditions are the second greatest cause of disability in the world – and in many cases they are preventable.
What’s even more frustrating is that the solutions to the problem are largely common sense. However, simply repositioning a few workstations is not enough. Employers must also work to create a culture of support and openness around the issue by both encouraging employees to seek advice with regards to their aches and pains, and making help and support readily available to them.
A few proactive moves will reap rewards in employee health, productivity and cost savings.
Carole Khalife is head of human capital and employee benefits at Al Futtaim Willis
business@thenational.ae
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