Manual handling



Musculoskeletal disorders (also known as MSDs), including back pain and RSI, have consistently been the most commonly reported type of work-related illness.


The HSE reports that the latest estimates from the Labour Force Survey show that in 2016-17 the total number of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) cases (prevalence) was 507,000 out of a total of 1,299,000 for all work-related illnesses. This represents 39% of the total number of work-related illnesses and a rate of 1,550 cases per 100,000 workers. In addition:


• the number of new cases of WRMSDs (incidence) was 159,000, an incidence rate of 480 cases per 100,000 workers; 


• an estimated 8.9 million working days were lost due to WRMSDs, an average of 17.6 days lost for each case;


• WRMSDs account for 35% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health; and


• although working days lost per worker due to self-reported work-related musculoskeletal disorders showed a generally downward trend until around 2010-11, since then the rate has remained broadly flat.