Musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs, remain the most common workplace injury of the 2.6 million workplace injuries and illnesses reported in 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The cost of these injuries is $18 billion a year for U.S. businesses in the private sector, said the National Safety Council.
To address this critical safety challenge, the group released a new resource on February 25, The Importance of Musculoskeletal Disorder and Related Injury Surveillance: An Organizational Approach.
"MSDs are entirely preventable, and prevention starts with understanding where and how these injuries occur,” said Katherine Mendoza, senior director of workplace safety programs at NSC, in a statement. “This new resource equips safety professionals with research-backed strategies to identify risks early and take action before injuries occur.”
Published through the MSD Solutions Lab, this resource draws from 50 academic sources to provide practical guidance for preventing MSDs through effective injury surveillance systems. Key features include:
- Standardized recordkeeping: Guidelines for consistent injury classification and data collection, helping organizations better identify risks and target prevention efforts.
- System implementation: Best practices for designing and maintaining effective injury surveillance frameworks that adapt to an organization's size and capabilities.
- Technology integration: Guidance on leveraging IoT devices, AI analytics and automated systems to enhance workplace monitoring and early intervention, with practical considerations for implementation.
- Real-world application: Use cases and interactive exercises to help organizations implement these strategies effectively in their own workplaces.
NSC notes that by making injury prevention and surveillance a cornerstone of their safety programs, and implementing evidenced-based strategies, businesses can reduce the occurrence of MSDs.