HUMAN FACTORS & ERGONOMICS
Return to work discussions are an essential part of an employee’s recovery. It may be possible that they can come back before all their symptoms have completely disappeared depending on medical advice and consider whether an adjustment to work practices to accommodate their return will be necessary. It might be prudent to consult an occupational health professional for advice on back pain. Larger companies may have in-house occupational health departments; however, there are plenty of external contractors who provide occupational health services.
“EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE EDUCATED ON THE DANGERS OF BACK AND SPINE INJURIES AND HOW TO RECOGNISE AND AVOID THE CAUSES.”
BACK PAIN AND MENTAL HEALTH It is worth noting that sufferers of any chronic pain
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could go on to develop issues with their mental health, such as depression. Unrelenting back pain can lead to poor sleeping and eating habits, interrupt physical activity and all of the other activities that contribute to positive emotional wellbeing. Stress from suffering with pain can often exacerbate the physical symptoms, and so it becomes a vicious circle. GPs will often suggest psychological therapy in addition to other treatments for back pain.
CONCLUSION Injuries to muscles, bones and joints are
commonplace, particularly in the construction industry. Although they can improve within weeks, the disruption to businesses and workforces can be significant, even more so when there is a high risk the problems can return. Not to mention the detrimental impact MSDs have on employees themselves.
With the HSE inspection campaign set to shine a light on these conditions over the next few months, now is a good time to review current health and safety policies and ensure robust management strategies are in place when it comes to preventing these all-too- common workplace injuries.
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