Construction Safety Nova Scotia releases new resources for RSI Day

Feb. 23, 2023

Association will also hold live stream webinar on Feb. 28

DARTMOUTH, NS — Construction Safety Nova Scotia has introduced new resources for construction employers around repetitive strain injury in honour of RSI Day on Feb. 28. The International Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day aims to raise awareness of RSIs (also known as musculoskeletal injuries), which are a family of painful disorders affecting tendons, muscles, nerves and joints in the neck, upper and lower back, chest, shoulders, arms, and hands.

“These types of injuries can be debilitating for a worker, causing them to not only miss time from work but it also significantly decreases their quality of life,” said MJ MacDonald, CEO of Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS). “It might not be as high-profile as some other areas of safety in construction, but musculoskeletal injuries and proper ergonomics deserve equal attention on construction sites.”

RSIs account for 40 percent of all time loss claims in the construction sector in Nova Scotia at an average claim cost of $7,700, according to data from the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia. Back injuries are the most common in the construction sector among this classification of injury, accounting for 34 percent of the musculoskeletal injury time loss claims, followed by leg injuries at 15 percent, and shoulders at 12 percent.

RSIs/MSIs commonly occur from lifting, vibration and force, pulling, pushing, bending, gripping, and clenching. According to data from WCB NS, overexertion is the cause for 30 percent of time loss claims for MSIs.

To help employers prevent these injuries, CSNS has released the following resources:

• Toolbox talk on RSIs
• Safe lifting poster
• Social media graphics
• Videos
• Safe Work Practice (SWP) for team lifting
• Safe Work Practice for manual material handling

Construction Safety Nova Scotia will also be hosting a live stream webinar that can be seen on Facebook and LinkedIn to educate members on the risks of repetitive strain injuries, common activities in the construction sector that put employees at risk, and how to mitigate these risks.

ABOUT CONSTRUCTION SAFETY NOVA SCOTIA

Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS) is an industry funded not-for-profit association focused on improving occupational health and safety in the construction sector. CSNS is a highly regarded leader in OHS services with over 300,000 students trained in health and safety and over 1,150 firms attaining the association’s Certificate of Recognition (COR®) safety certification. The board of directors, OHS advisors, and CSNS staff work towards a safer construction industry by engaging with its membership to reduce injuries and improve safety culture. The association is passionate about saving lives and reducing injuries through industry-tailored instruction and advice. ­https://constructionsafetyns.ca/