SafeWork NSW launches webinars to tackle strains and sprains
18 Oct 2024•BlueSafe Team•Source: SafeWork NSW
SafeWork NSW is urging employers to use a new series of short online webinars to help prevent musculoskeletal disorders during National Safe Work Month in October. The disorders account for 52 per cent of serious workplace injuries and diseases in NSW.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) cause an average of 20 weeks of lost work time for each injured person. The new webinars cover managing MSD risks, preventing injuries and understanding the legal duties of employers and workers.
Physical hazards such as repetitive movements, heavy lifting and falls can injure muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. Psychosocial hazards, including high workloads, stress, bullying and poor supervisor support, are also directly linked to a greater risk of MSDs.
Head of SafeWork NSW Trent Curtin said: “Workers can suffer these injuries and diseases over time or suddenly. These disorders can have significant impacts on a worker’s physical and mental health as well as the productivity of businesses.”
Employers can help prevent these disorders by allocating resources to effective safety measures, designing work to eliminate hazardous manual tasks, providing relevant training and reviewing and updating risk controls regularly.
The webinar launch forms part of SafeWork NSW’s Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention Plan to 2026. The agency is also working with key stakeholders to help workplaces understand and address MSD risks.
Resources for culturally and linguistically diverse communities are due to become available soon, including a webinar series in Mandarin and Cantonese.
“SafeWork NSW’s new online webinars provide a useful guide for employers to better understand the impacts of MSDs, consider their legal duties and how to better protect workers. Employers need to take responsibility for creating safer workplaces.” Mr Curtin said.
How Blue Safe can help: Our free WHS self-check can help you review your approach to workplace health and safety and identify areas that may need attention, including physical and psychosocial hazards. Take the free WHS self-check