8 November 2012 – London
Understand how musculoskeletal disorders affect employees and learn to manage their impact so you staff can work in comfort
Overview
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the biggest causes of work-related sickness absence in the UK. Apart from the human cost in terms of impact on work and life, bad backs, sore necks and shoulders and painful upper limbs together form a massive drain on any employer’s resources.
This course will explain what MSDs are, helping to clear some of the jargon (RSI, WRULDs, CTDs, etc) and explain what is known about what causes them and how work can play a part. Whether a condition has been caused by work or not, it is important to understand how work can at least provoke symptoms and to have some idea of how to change workplaces to avoid this. Both industrial and office workplaces will be considered.
Not all MSDs are preventable – with some resulting from degenerative or other changes (e.g. some ULDs can be related to the menopause). Part of the course will therefore focus not on their prevention but on reducing their impact, enabling the employee to remain in useful work with minimal pain and discomfort.
Learning Outcomes
- Know what the main MSDs are;
- Have some understanding of what causes them;
- Appreciate the role of ergonomic design in preventing them or reducing their impact;
- Have some guidance on altering workstations to avoid MSDs or reduce their impact;
- Understand how best to manage those with long-lasting or intractable problems.
Programme
09.30 – 09.45 Welcome and Introduction: What are MSDs?
09.45 – 10.45 Upper limb disorders (ULDs)
- What are they?
- What are the common ULDs?
- What causes pain and other symptoms?
10.45 – 11.00 Coffee
11.00 – 12.00 Necks and backs (including sciatica)
- What causes pain and other symptoms?
12.00 – 12.30 Good ergonomics: How people should sit and work in the office
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch
13.30 – 14.15 Good ergonomics: Principles of industrial ergonomics
14.15 – 14.45 Good manual handling (Backs)
14.45 – 15.00 Tea
15.00 – 15.30 Manual handling: Designing out the problem
15.30 – 15.45 Managing the employee with an MSD
15.45 – 16.00 Any questions?
- Reducing risk at source
- Helping the individual cope
Trainer
Richard Graveling has the benefit of over 30 years experience of work as an ergonomist and is a Fellow of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors. In that time, musculoskeletal disorders, in particular back injuries from manual handling and work-related upper limb disorders, have formed a major focus of both his research (including studies into the epidemiology of both back pain and upper limb disorders) and consultancy activities.
On manual handling, he was a member of an ad hoc advisory group providing assistance to the HSE before the Manual Handling Regulations and guidance were formulated (including helping to construct the numerical guidelines) and was also a member of the project team who conducted an investigation of the usability of the Regulations and guidance immediately prior to their introduction. This thread of involvement with the Regulatory body has continued with a survey on the implementation of these Regulations, again sponsored by the HSE. He has also carried out research for the HSE, evaluating current scientific knowledge regarding manual handling training. This work was used as part of the most recently published revision of the HSE guidelines on the Manual Handling Regulations (2004, see Guidance Note 198). The IOM has also completed a commission by the HSE to carry out an evaluation of the uptake and impact of their Manual Handling Assessment Chart (MAC), reinforcing the important role of the IOM and Dr Graveling in this area.
His work in relation to ULDs is equally comprehensive. He had primary responsibility for the development of an early risk-assessment tool for industrial settings on behalf of the HSE and was a leading member of the research team who carried out a major epidemiological survey of work-related upper limb disorders in the office environment, again with HSE funding. More recently he lead a team carrying out further HSE-funded research in this area, examining the levels of ULDs, back pain and other health problems in office workers. He was also a member of the Upper Limb Disorder Guideline Development Group for the Royal College of Physicians which prepared recently published guidance on the management of upper limb disorders at work.
All of this research experience underpins practical experience in advising companies on the identification and reduction of manual handling and ULD risk factors in the workplace.
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Pricing
All training events are priced at £350 + VAT per attendee.
Terms and Conditions
Please see our full terms and conditions here .
Cancellations
Cancellations received in writing up to one month before the event will be refunded in full, less an administration charge of £100 + VAT. We cannot accept cancellations after that time.
How to pay
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