04.10.2022
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES REMAIN THE MOST COMMON WORK-RELATED HEALTH PROBLEM
"Musculoskeletal disabilities remain the most common work-related health problem in Europe. That is why it is necessary to unite the efforts of all interested parties for the prevention of the disease in the workplace". This was said by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labor and Social Policy Lazar Lazarov at a national conference on "Healthy workplaces - lighten the load". The forum is organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy as the National Focal Point of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The conference is organized within the framework of the European campaign dedicated to risk management and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries at work.
In his welcome, Minister Lazarov cited data from the sixth European survey of working conditions, which shows that millions of workers across Europe suffer from work-related musculoskeletal injuries, and three out of five workers in the EU complain of such ailments. "A third of workers with a musculoskeletal disability or other health problem think they will not be able to continue to do their job into their 60s. This inevitably reduces their quality of life and their capacity to work, reduces the competitiveness of businesses and economies and contributes to the largest share of lost working days in the EU," the Minister of Labor and Social Policy pointed out. Disabilities increase society's costs of treatment, rehabilitation and employment, he added.
Minister Lazarov emphasized that cooperation between employers, managers and workers, as well as the development of social dialogue, will lead to an increase in awareness of the problem and to ensuring a higher level of protection for workers. He also emphasized the importance of the role of employers in taking timely measures to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.
According to the European Enterprise Survey on New and Emerging Risks 2019 (ESENER), the most commonly identified risk factor for the occurrence of such problems in the EU-27 is repetitive hand or wrist movement, reported by 65% of enterprises. Other risks are prolonged sitting (61%), lifting or moving people or heavy loads (52%), time pressure (45%) and tiring or painful work positions (31%).
