P-601 Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention: A Practical Implementation Resource

Introduction Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a substantial burden for workers, workplaces and workers’ compensation systems. This project conducted a comprehensive synthesis of MSD prevention practices to produce an easy-to-use, evidence-based guide to aid workplaces in implementing effective MSD prevention practices. Methods The project had two components: i) a survey and interviews with workers, managers/OHS practitioners to describe workplace MSD practices, ii) a review of reviews of the MSD prevention literature. Results There were 645 survey respondents and 16 interview participants representing workers and manager/OHS practitioners from a variety of sectors/jobs with MSD experience. The review of reviews identified a total of 58 relevant systematic reviews, 21 provided evidence of sufficient quality for synthesis. The synthesis from these sources of research and practice evidence revealed: 1) awareness programs and practices for MSD prevention are often employed in practice and considered effective. However, there is a lack of research evidence for these types of programs and practices. 2) training programs and activities are considered a key element for MSD prevention in workplaces. The research evidence for training is not strong, with most studies finding no evidence of effect for MSD prevention outcomes. 3) hazard identification/solutions are often employed in practice and felt to be effective for MSD prevention. The research evidence supports hazard prevention solutions as effective for MSD prevention outcomes. Discussion and conclusion This project developed a practical resource to guide implementation of MSD prevention programs and practices using both practice evidence from practitioner/worker expertise along with the best available research evidence.