Musculoskeletal Injuries
A musculoskeletal injury (MSI) is an injury or disorder of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels or related soft tissue, including a sprain, strain and inflammation, which may be caused or aggravated by work.
MSIs can occur anywhere in the body; but often involve the back, wrist, elbow or shoulder. They can result from a single traumatic event, such as lifting a heavy load; or they can develop over a period of time as a result of cumulative damage. MSIs can impact almost every aspect of an injured worker’s life, causing a range of issues from discomfort to severe disability.
Almost 70 per cent of lost-time claims at WorkplaceNL relate to soft-tissue injury. As the number one type of lost-time injury in our province, MSIs are costly for employers and account for approximately $85 million in annual claims costs. To prevent MSIs, employers must implement an effective health and safety program to minimize the risk of injury, and workers must follow safe work practices to protect themselves and their co-workers.
New MSI Certification Training Standard
To reduce the risk of workplace MSIs and help workplace parties fulfill their legislated OHS responsibilities, WorkplaceNL has developed a voluntary MSI certification training standard.
Trainers interested in delivering the MSI Prevention certification training must:
- Meet the minimum criteria outlined in the MSI Prevention Voluntary Certification Training Standard.
- Complete a WorkplaceNL course content review webinar.
- Pass the WorkplaceNL trainer assessment.
Applications must include:
- Completed Trainer Registration Form
- Current resume, outlining requirements and experience as per the standard
- Copies of valid certificates as per standard
- Signed Code of Ethics
If you have any questions, call 709.778.1000, or email ohs.training@workplacenl.ca.