AGRICULTURAL SAFETY TOPICS – MUSCULOSkELETAL DISORDERS (MSDS)
PREvEnTIOn
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130-011-12-IADO © 2014, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
1 877 494 WSPS (9777) | 905 614 1400 | www.wsps.ca
The main hazards associated with MSDs include fixed or awkward postures, force, and repetition.
Examples of tasks performed in the agriculture sector that can lead to an MSD include:
Working in the field in a stooped position for long periods.
Reaching above shoulder level picking apples.
Carrying heavy baskets of vegetables.
Awkward wrist postures and pinching harvesting berries.
MSD prevention can help organizations reduce costs, increase productivity, improve quality, and
improve worker satisfaction and well-being. Ergonomics is about matching the demands of the work to
the capabilities of the workers. It's about working smarter, not harder. And it makes good business sense.
Look for ways to reduce potential MSD hazards in the workplace. Effective controls don't have to be
elaborate. Often low tech, low cost solutions can be very effective. Encourage workers to suggest ways
to improve the demands of the job.
Some examples include:
Use tables, troughs, or benches to eliminate ground level work. Make the work height adjustable
if possible.
Use containers or baskets with handles.
Use dollies or carts instead of carrying loads.
Use a planting cart to eliminate kneeling or crouching.
Remember, preventing MSD hazards is less expensive and more effective than trying to control them
later.
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