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A staged approach to reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace
online resource
posted on 2007-01-04, 13:01 authored by Zara Whysall, Cheryl Haslam, Roger HaslamPROJECT AIMS:
For over a decade, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) have remained the most
common cause of work-related ill health in Great Britain, and despite an initial decline in
prevalence rates, figures appear to have reached a plateau in recent years. The failure for
prevalence rates to diminish further in 2001/02 and 2003/04 may be an indication that further
health and safety interventions are failing to have any additional notable effect.
Behaviour is a crucial factor in the reduction of many of today’s most widespread diseases
and health problems, including MSDs. As with the effective reduction of any health or safety
risk, not only do managers first need to take action to implement risk-reducing measures, but
employees then need to change their routine ways of working to incorporate new methods,
equipment, or working practices. Despite this, evidence suggests that ergonomics consultants
focus largely on the physical aspects of the work, tending to overlook the more
‘psychological’ factors such as risk perception or management commitment (Whysall et al.,
2004). Such an approach also overlooks psychosocial factors, which have been found to be
associated with MSDs.
This research attempted to improve the efficacy of interventions by applying the stage of
change approach (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1982) to the workplace. The stage of change
model acknowledges the importance of addressing attitudes in order to achieve behaviour
change, and assumes that any behaviour change involves movement through distinct stages:
i) precontemplation (resistance to recognising or modifying problem behaviour)
ii) contemplation (recognition of the problem, thinking about changing, but not
ready to act)
iii) preparation (intending to change in the next 30 days, and/or having made specific
plans to do so)
iv) action (having engaged in behaviour change, no longer than 6 months ago)
v) maintenance (initiated changes over 6 months ago, working to consolidate gains
made and avoid relapse)
An individual’s stage determines their receptiveness to, and the likely efficacy of, particular
methods of education.
History
School
- Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
Pages
943807 bytesCitation
WHYSALL, Z., HASLAM, C.O. and HASLAM, R.A., 2005. A staged approach to reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace. HSE research report 379. London : Health and Safety Executive.Publisher
© Health and Safety ExecutivePublication date
2005Notes
This document is also available electronically at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr379.pdf and the follow-up report is available on the repository at: https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/12246Book series
HSE research report;379Language
- en