When you think about calling in sick to work, typically a cold or the flu may come to mind. But the fastest-growing category of workplace injury is something called a Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD). MSDs such as carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis are often related to repetitive motion and stress injuries resulting from ergonomic stressors, such as lifting heavy items, typing for too long on a computer, or sitting at a workstation in an awkward position.
What can you do to prevent getting an MSD? Here are some tips from worksite safety experts on how to use ergonomics—the science that seeks to adapt tasks and tools to fit the employee—to help you stay healthy and avoid injuries on the job.