Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (Wmsds)

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders, or WMSDs, have become a major problem in many industrialized countries. It was previously thought that the number of repetitive jobs would decline in the future, which would have led to a decline in the number of WMSDs: however this has not been the case. Some government agencies expect WMSDs to be one of the major work-related disorders of the late 20th early 21st centuries.; WMSDs have the face of Janus; on one hand they are diseases like any other, having their natural history, diagnostic criteria and therapy. On the other hand, having been designated work-related, they have become the subject of special legislation and compensation. This has an influence on how they are understood and how companies and labour react to them.; This book contains evaluated scientific information that should help prevent WMSDs. It is derived from original research and field experience via a Canadian Government sponsored project on work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The team was headed by Ilkka Kuorinka, past President of the IEA, and consisted of a group of international experts in the field. The expert group's goal was two fold: the first objective was to examine the work-relatedness of WMSDs in the light of existing literature, and the second was to explore and systhesize information, avenues and approaches that could help in the prevention of WMSDs. The content of this book is the result of a collective effort by everyone, experts and scientific editors alike; each chapter has had one or two main authors. Its central themes are identification, evaluation, action, implementation, and change.