On December 28, The National Safety Council released the 2023-2024 MSD Solutions Index Pledge Community Report, which revealed progress in addressing one of the most pervasive workplace injuries: musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs.
Findings from the report revealed improvements in several key areas, including greater use of ergonomics programs, more organizations taking a proactive approach toward prevention, and increased collaboration across industries to share effective solutions.
“This year’s report reflects the dedication of the MSD Pledge community to building safer workplaces and protecting workers’ health,” said Katherine Mendoza, senior director of workplace safety programs at NSC, in a statement. “With the insights from the MSD Solutions Index, we see organizations are making significant strides and identifying critical areas for improvement, proving that the MSD Pledge can drive real change in the safety and wellbeing of workers worldwide.”
The 2023-2024 MSD Solutions Index survey, conducted from December 2023 to June 2024, included responses from 44 MSD Pledge members, with data compared to the previous year’s findings.
Key takeaways included:
Higher overall results: 81.4% of organizations achieved overall ratings in the advancing or proactive categories, with 11.6% reaching the innovating category — an improvement from the 2022-2023 cycle, where no organizations received innovating scores.
Enhanced use of ergonomics programs: Nearly 89% of respondents have some form of MSD prevention and ergonomics program, which is up from about 83% last year. Organizations with ergonomics programs also reported higher scores across all MSD prevention areas.
Increased focus on leading indicators of MSDs: This year, 65.1% of respondents reported prioritizing leading indicators over lagging ones, a significant increase from 42% in the prior year. This shift reflects a growing focus on proactive measures to prevent MSDs before they occur.
Broader employee involvement in safety decisions: Nearly 68% of respondents engage frontline workers in safety-related decision-making, with employees regularly consulting on workstation design, job tasks and workflow. This approach is associated with stronger safety cultures and greater trust across organizational levels.
Increased reporting of common MSD risk factors: Awkward postures, lifting and prolonged sitting and standing were among the top risk factors cited, with low back pain emerging as the most common MSD-related ailment — reported by 77.3% of respondents, in comparison to only 57.7% last year.
Expanded sharing of effective MSD solutions: This year saw a rise in organizations sharing MSD prevention successes internally and externally, with 76.7% reporting they share solutions beyond their organization. Collaborative efforts were also highlighted, with almost 87% engaging in or researching MSD prevention technologies.
While the report highlighted several areas of success among the MSD Pledge community, it also identified ongoing areas of opportunity, such as in quantifying non-physical risk factors like mental fatigue, expanding the use of technology, and engaging smaller organizations that may lack the resources of larger companies. To advance MSD prevention efforts, the report recommends organizations adopt the following strategies:
- Engage leadership to help foster a strong safety culture, which is crucial for effective MSD prevention.
- Prioritize employee feedback and collaboration by involving frontline workers in ergonomic assessments and decision-making.
- Set targeted goals for risk reduction by developing clear, measurable objectives that can help guide organizations and track progress.
- Leverage and explore new technologies and innovations, from ergonomic assessment tools to automation, to help reduce MSD risks.