INDUSTRY LED, RESULTS DRIVEN PAGE | 2
Introduction
The security of our food system depends on the
well-being of our workers. From growers and
processors to distributors and retailers, every link
in our food supply chain relies on having healthy
workers show up to do their jobs. When grocery
store workers were recognized as essential to this
intricate system, it became apparent that a better
understanding of the risks they face and how to
mitigate them was needed.
Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
collaborated with some of Ontario's largest grocery
stores to conduct risk assessment and root-cause
analysis workshops. Worker and management
representatives from this sector leveraged their
collective experience to determine the greatest risks
to grocery store workers. They identified exposure
to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from handling
product as the top risk affecting their sector.
Whether unloading deliveries, stocking shelves, or
moving items through the checkout, most of a what
a grocery store worker does during a shift involves
manually handling product. The group recognized
that the repetitive nature of these daily tasks as
well as the force and postures required for the
movements puts workers at risk of developing an
MSD, which aligns with injury statistics. According
to data from the Workplace Safety and Insurance
Board (WSIB), MSDs are one of the top contributors
to lost-time injuries in the grocery sector.
"This can put an immense strain on the grocery
sector because employers depend directly on
workers being present at work and fully able to
complete their tasks for the store to be successful,"
said Laura Veldhuyzen, Specialized Consultant in
Ergonomics with WSPS. "When workers are not
able to attend work, employers are left to fill the
gap by assigning additional or extended shifts to
healthy workers, requiring supervisors to cover
worker tasks, or running the store short-handed, all
of which can adversely affect the workers."
MSDs are injuries of
the muscles, nerves,
tendons, joints, cartilage,
and spinal discs.
Symptoms include pain,
tingling, and numbness
in the back, neck, wrists,
shoulders, and knees.
MSD injuries can be
caused by a specific
incident; however, more
often they occur slowly
as workers are exposed
to hazards repeatedly
over time.
