What precautionary measures can an employer take?
There are a variety of precautionary measures an employer can take to reduce the risk of MSDs. The appropriate control measures can depend upon the sort of work your employees carry out and what it is ‘reasonably practicable’ for your company to do. The first step is to assess all the MSD risks the tasks generate. Next, try to eliminate as many of them as possible, by redesigning the tasks or providing mechanical aids. When considering precautionary measures, ensure that you consult you workforce as they often have first hand knowledge of the risks associated with a specific task or tasks. Once the precautionary measures have been introduced you should monitor their effectiveness and ensure that any new risks have not been introduced. HSE has produced a number of publications to help you with your choice of precautionary measure some of which may be specific to your industry.
