The exchequer estimated that back pain costs an estimated £5 billion per year whilst the TUC reported that British businesses lose an estimated 4.9 million days of employee absenteeism through work related back pain.

 

Promoting back health in the workplace will not only benefit employers but also the lives of employees as MSK conditions cannot only make work-life unbearable but can also have an impact on their personal life. 

 

Causes of back pain and MSK conditions within labour intensive industries like manufacturing can include:

Kneeling for long periods of time

Handling heavy loads or objects

Whole body vibration; through the use of hand-held tools and/or even vehicles

Work which involves hands to be lifted overhead for long periods of time

Sitting for a long duration, for example within a vehicle

 

To prevent back pain and MSK issues, BMI Healthcare has put together the following tips for employees working in labour intensive industries:

•  Ensure you keep up to date with mandatory moving and handling training, and advice offered by your company to keep you safe in your workplace.

•  Before any moving related task, consider TILE (the Task, the Individual, the Load and the Environment where moving needs to occur).

•  Where possible think about what aids you can use to assist in moving objects.

•  Carry light loads close to your body and use larger joints to help with movement – i.e. bending from your knees rather than your spine.

•  Seek advice from your health and safety coordinator for the safest methods for moving items.

•  If back pain does occur, consider or seek early expert medical advice.

 

Nicky Walker, physiotherapist at BMI Healthcare, says: Early intervention is key to treating back pain effectively, and can allow your employees to return to work a lot faster, as opposed to leaving the pain and condition to exacerbate and increase, possibly leading to the need for complex management or surgery. If employees suffer with back pain, physiotherapy can provide clinically effective and cost effective management and treatment of patients with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

 

“Targeting employees early in their symptoms by giving them rapid access to musculoskeletal physiotherapists may reduce the amount of time they are off sick and is vital in preventing new acute problems becoming chronic and long lasting.”