It’s a business’s responsibility to keep workers safe: to identify potential dangers and ensure that team members aren’t needlessly put at risk.
Repetitive strain injuries are one of the more difficult risks to manage, as they can occur in seemingly innocuous situations. That said, there are a wealth of mitigation strategies available, particularly in terms of material handling solutions.
In this guide we’ll take a closer look at RSIs, and what a business can do to prevent them.
What are repetitive strain injuries (RSIs)?
‘Repetitive strain injury’ (RSI) or ‘repetitive work injury’ are umbrella terms for a group of injuries caused by repetitive and potentially strenuous movements, particularly when certain body parts are overused, or are placed and moved in awkward positions.
Examples of repetitive strain injuries include tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, bursitis and trigger finger. Wrist and hand repetitive strain injuries are particularly common, and unsurprisingly RSIs are seen more in workers whose tasks include manual handling.
In New Zealand, repetitive strain injuries in the workplace regularly make up the highest proportion of workers compensation claims (38% in 2017).
The business impact of RSIs
Repetitive muscle strains can be as debilitating for a business as they are for the workers who suffer them.
The immediate impacts of a repetitive strain injury from work include lost productivity and potential medical expenses. If RSIs continually arise in your workplace you could face increasing levels of absenteeism and decreasing morale.
But the biggest RSI issue for businesses comes in the form of potential legal liabilities, which can be significant if your business is shown not to have done all that it could to ensure workers were protected from potential harm.
There are a number of different strategies for minimising workplace RSIs. You should ensure that all workers have proper manual handling training, enjoy regular breaks, and use supportive ergonomic equipment.
But the most effective way to prevent RSIs is to remove the need for the worker to complete manual handling tasks in the first place.
Material handling solutions for RSI prevention
Material handling equipment like forklifts, cranes, hoists and vacuum lifters allow workers to lift and shift large loads safely and efficiently. They convert the strenuous and repetitive movements involved in heavy lifting into something far more safe and simple – pressing a button, pulling a lever or pushing a load down a track.
Material handling solutions don’t just make your workplace safer – they can make it far more productive too, by allowing team members to move large loads efficiently.
Ultimately an investment in manual handling equipment can:
- Significantly improve the health, safety and morale of your team.
- Minimise the potential risks and costs of workplace injuries.
- Enhance efficiency, productivity and the ability of your business to compete on the open market.
- Strengthen your reputation as a safe and responsible employer.
Helping New Zealand manufacturers safely solve their lifting challenges with the best local and global solutions
At Stratalign we pride ourselves on helping Kiwi businesses to work smarter, safer and better through clever crane and material handling solutions.
Our experts are ready to help you identify the ideal solutions for your situation from our extensive range of cranes, hoists, vacuum lifters and forklift attachments – the ones that will get your business working better than ever, and that will keep your workers well and truly out of harm’s way.
