TORONTO, ON – February 28 is International Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day.
RSIs, or musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), describe a collection of painful disorders of the tendons, muscles, nerves and joints in the neck, back, chest, shoulders, arms and hands.
RSIs are among the most common types of worker injuries, affecting some 2.3 million Canadian every year.
More than 40 per cent of all lost-time injuries allowed by Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) are RSIs or MSDs.
Remember to take breaks, drink water, move your body, and stretch while at your workplace. Report symptoms and hazards early to your supervisor and joint health and safety committee (JHSC) or health and safety representative.
Insist on quality training to address these issues. Press employers to implement ergonomic prevention solutions. Encourage governments to enact effective and enforced ergonomic regulations.
This Repetitive Strain Injury Awareness Day, it is incumbent on all of us to demand solutions, raise awareness, and prevent occupational injuries that leave workers unable to care for themselves or their families.
