Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders within management systems: A scoping review of practices, approaches, and techniques

Amin Yazdani; W Patrick Neumann; Daniel Imbeau; Philip Bigelow; Mark Pagell; Richard Wells

doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2015.05.006

Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders within management systems: A scoping review of practices, approaches, and techniques

Appl Ergon. 2015 Nov:51:255-62. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2015.05.006. Epub 2015 Jun 10.

Authors

Amin Yazdani¹, W Patrick Neumann², Daniel Imbeau³, Philip Bigelow⁴, Mark Pagell⁵, Richard Wells⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada; Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD), 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada. Electronic address: ayazdani@uwaterloo.ca.
² Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 2K3, Canada.
³ Département de Mathématiques et de Génie Industriel, École Polytechnique de Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succ. Centre-ville, Montréal, Quebec, H3C 3A7, Canada.
⁴ Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD), 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada; School of Public Health and Health Systems, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
⁵ Smurfit Graduate School of Business, University College Dublin, Carysfort Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.
⁶ Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada; Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD), 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.

PMID: 26154224
DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2015.05.006

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify and summarize the current research evidence on approaches to preventing musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) within Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). Databases in business, engineering, and health and safety were searched and 718 potentially relevant publications were identified and examined for their relevance. Twenty-one papers met the selection criteria and were subjected to thematic analysis. There was very little literature describing the integration of MSD risk assessment and prevention into management systems. This lack of information may isolate MSD prevention, leading to difficulties in preventing these disorders at an organizational level. The findings of this review argue for further research to integrate MSD prevention into management systems and to evaluate the effectiveness of the approach.

Keywords: Ergonomics; Integrated management systems; Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems; Participative ergonomics; Risk assessment.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Management Information Systems*
Musculoskeletal Diseases / prevention & control*
Occupational Diseases / prevention & control*
Risk Management / methods*