Many people suffer from aches and pains, sometimes the cause is work related, sometimes its
not. Bad practices at work can cause damage or aggravate a pre existing condition or cause
long term ill health leading to time off or eventual inability to work.
So where do the risks come from?
Your muscles, skeleton and joints support your body in all its movements, but they can
be damaged by things like
1. Heavy lifting in many different industries and settings
2. An uncomfortable working or sitting position whether in an office, factory, or driving or standing
for long periods of time at work 3. Repeating an action many times on
a production line or 4. Awkward manoeuvres such as twisting
or stooping in shops, farming, construction or manufacturing
5. Working for long periods without breaks or in cold environments without protection
and 6. Not acting upon symptoms quickly enough can all lead to long term problems
What are the causes of these risks?
Damage to muscles bones and joints occurs when someone does a job that is not planned into
the process of doing the job, for example
7. The need to move or lift heavy materials without the use of mechanical equipment to
assist or sufficient staff to make the job easier
8. Being forced to lift materials in enclosed or awkward places limiting your ability to
move correctly 9. Where the set speed of repetitive tasks
does not allow for breaks or changes in position 10. Where individuals sit for long periods
without thinking about the posture they have adopted
11.Where an individual continues to work with a known or pre-existing condition such as
an old injury or pregnancy without precautions or 12. Where there is a lack of awareness
of the risk among staff and management
So how does all this affect your health?
Injuries to muscles, bones and joints usually results in:
13. Increased levels of aches, pain, discomfort and lack of movement in muscles and joints
14. Reduced mobility limiting activity at work and at home
15. Repetitive strain injury making certain tasks difficult and painful
16. Inability to carry out certain work tasks 17. Inability to perform household activities
such as shopping, cleaning, sports or playing with children
How do you control the risks?
So, prevention is important, and the following steps will help
18. Look at your work activities to see if they can cause injury
19. Use machines to take the strain rather then people
20. Break up heavy loads and encourage the use of trolleys and barrows
21. In all work activities, encourage staff to maintain good posture and regularly change
position 22. Modify and fit the job to the worker
23. Ensure good housekeeping to reduce slips and trips and make access to materials easier
24. Practice job rotation to reduce the time exposed to risk
25. Provide appropriate information, instruction and training to staff who are identified as
at risk from their activities 26. If you are concerned about someone’s
ability to perform the task, consider medical assessments and get professional advice
27. Encourage workers to keep active in and out of work
Following these examples will help you reduce your health risks at work. For more information,
check out the where to get extra help and support chapter at the end of this DVD and in the guidance pack.