Workers at manufacturing plants are often required to lift, carry and drag heavy loads. This involves repeatedly using the same body parts and puts workers at risk of MSDs. This case study looks at an intervention to improve equipment and working conditions at a large PVC manufacturing plant in...

This series of short informative case studies looks at a range of policy level initiatives across Europe and beyond aiming to prevent and manage work-related MSDs. The studies focus on achievements, factors contributing to their success and challenges encountered, and transferability to other...

This website offers free tools to assess the risks of physical work load and a 5-step approach to guide during the process of tackling the present issues.

This report includes Case 5.1: A French printing company needing to address the MSDs and absenteeism affecting its mainly female staff in its finishing workshop. They obtained help from the regional association for the improvement of working conditions (ARACT). Ergonomic solutions were put in place...

The main objective of the project was to reduce physical strain in order to lower the prevalence of knee and back problems and cut the rate of absenteeism. It wasn’t enough to change the working method of the workers but the task itself needed to be changed, by altering the street design (addressing...

The harvest and post-harvest handling of tomatoes is manual and labour intensive work. As this work involves a lot of repetitive movements, lifting, pushing and pulling, there is a substantial risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders.

In greenhouse horticulture, cultivation of strawberries is done on high racks, so-called gullies. The strawberry plants are at a height of 150-160 cm. To pull the blossoms through and clear out the plants, the workers usually walk on 30 cm high stilts. Because of the height and resulting insecurity...