Ingrid was 24 years old when she developed rheumatoid arthritis (RA). At that time she was ashamed and hid her hands. Today she is 65 and knows better. It is important to stay active and to avoid too much stress, she says. On this website she tells her story, she shares her joie de vivre and wants...

Regardless of what rheumatic diagnosis you have, you can train to feel better, according to physiotherapist Emma Haglund. After 25 years in rheumatology, she has two messages; start treatment early and avoid prolonged sedentary life.This website provides usefull and encouraging information for...

Exposure to vibrations may affect human beings in a variety of ways.The harmful effects of vibrating tools or machines have long since been known but are still frequently underestimated. This Guide for Risk Assessment is about hazards arising from whole-body and hand-arm vibrations. It is meant to...

The E-Fact explains the steps of the risk assessment process, including identifying hazards and evaluating risks. It also includes two case studies on preventing harm and a checklist of the most common hazards associated with the use of cleaning equipment.

This fact sheet highlights the key findings of the EU-OSHA’s ’Back to Work’ report, which focuses on the retention, reintegration and rehabilitation of workers with MSDs. It comes in two parts: a literature review on the effectiveness of work-related interventions, and an overview of policy...

Almost two thirds of EU workers report being exposed to repetitive hand and arm movements, and a quarter to vibrations from tools - significant risk factors for work-related neck and upper limb disorders (WRULDs). Many workers, in a wide range of jobs, develop WRULDs and they are the most common...

Manual handling of loads (MHL) is any of the following activities carried out by one or more workers: lifting, holding, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving of a load. The load can be animate (a person or animal) or inanimate (an object). Though decreasing lately, the rate of workers...