Research

Five musculoskeletal strategies identified
Researchers in Denmark have identified strategies for surgeons who are at high risk of work-related musculoskeletal pain but lack knowledge on how to adapt less physically demanding work postures in the operating theatre.

Based on a systematic literature review and interviews with Danish surgeons, the researchers found interventions to prevent and rehabilitate musculoskeletal pain need to promote individual behavioural changes, along with organisational, attitudinal and management changes.

Successful interventions depend on six factors: knowledge, skills, attitude, social influence, self-efficacy and expected outcomes. They propose five intervention strategies addressing these, which involve a combination of mandatory workshops with training sessions for surgeons and hospital management.

The strategies cover the benefits of physical exercise training on physical health, targeting vulnerable and painful body regions; using available physical ergonomics; incorporating micro-breaks into surgery time; work impacts on health: and prioritising surgeons' work-related musculoskeletal pain for management. 
Read more: Tina Dalagar, et al. Using an intervention mapping approach to develop prevention and rehabilitation strategies for musculoskeletal pain among surgeons. [Full article] BMC Public Health, online March 2019, doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-6625-4. Source: OHSAlert

Share Tweet

RELATED

DO WE NEED A NEW HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS FOR PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARDS?
Until the 1940s safety was basically a trial-and-error endeavour – in 1941 the National Safety Council (NSC) in the US began in-depth examinations into the causes of fatal occupational incidents and seeking...
Read More
AKZ FINED AGAIN FOR REPEAT INJURIES
Morwell based company Retired AKZ Pty Ltd (formerly known as AKZ Reinforcing Pty Ltd) makes a return to court after injuring their fifth employee in much the same way. Their repeated failures...
Read More
NEWCOLD UNDERTAKING DÉJÀ VU
A cold storage warehouse facility operator has entered into their second Enforceable Undertaking (EU) following an incident that crushed a labour hire worker’s ankle.
Read More