Workers at the Dutch vegetable growing company Verdonk Broccoli were prone to develop MSDs, especially when lifting and stacking crates and boxes. To prevent MSDs and to reduce physical strain and manual lifting, palletisers were purchased. As a result, there are fewer health complaints and absences...

The Dutch cleaning services company Hago Next was finding it difficult to retain experienced employees and attract new ones because the work is physically demanding. To reduce physical strain and prevent MSDs, the company has implemented a broad range of measures to improve working practices and...

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 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...

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...