Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC
12
Months
of Safety
October 2023
Sprains and Strains

Sprains and strains are some of the most common workplace injuries workers in food processing and manufacturing industries experience. They may be caused by or aggravated by repetitive ordinary work and movements, or overexertion to accomplish a task. They can also be the result of motor vehicle accidents or slips, trips, and falls. Well-known musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) include sprains and strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis, trigger finger, white finger diseases, and epicondylitis (tennis elbow).

This module shares basic information on identifying sprain and strain hazards, and introduces ergonomic exercises and stretches to help prevent or minimize sprains and strains.

Videos & Webinars
Sprains and Strains Resources and Tools
Service
Ergonomic and Human Factors Assessments Industrial (Plant) and Office Ergonomics Choose from a range of office and industrial ergonomics assessments and services. Pain and discomfort are clear signals when a worker has stayed in an uncomfortable or awkward position too long. If an uncomfortable or awkward position is required to do the job, workers are […]
Toolbox Talk
Ergonomics works to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries (MSI), including damage to muscles, bones or joints through designed workplaces, equipment, systems, and work. On average, MSI claims are 34% of all WorkSafeBC claims. From 2011 to 2020, that was an average of 17,891 claims per year.
A musculoskeletal injury (MSI) is an injury or disorder of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels or related soft tissue, including a sprain, strain, and inflammation, which may be caused or aggravated by work. Well-known MSIs include sprains and strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis, trigger finger, white finger diseases, and epicondylitis (tennis elbow).
The Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC is proud to introduce the MSI Prevention Guide, a source of guidance to an organization in implementing an ergonomics program at their workplace.
Poster tips for stretches that can be done at any workstation throughout during periodic wellness breaks to counter stiffness from static work and potentially limit risk of sprains or strains in more active jobs.
In Canada each year, 2.3 million adults experience a musculoskeletal injury (MSI) serious enough to limit their normal activities. While MSIs are a common cause of lost-time injuries in the workplace, many employers and workers are not aware of good practices in preventing and/or reducing their effects. Find out what changes can be made to […]
Watch on Demand
It’s one thing to talk about overexertion and lifting. It’s another to be able to identify the specific elements of a job that have a high level of musculoskeletal injury (MSI) risk. In this workshop, gain a basic understanding of ergonomics and MSI prevention, and then take a deeper dive into task analysis—the essential first […]
It’s one thing to talk about overexertion and repetition. It’s another to be able to identify manual material handling and hand-intensive tasks that pose the greatest musculoskeletal injury (MSI) risk within a specific element of any task. In this workshop, gain a basic understanding of physical ergonomics and MSI prevention, and then explore the essentials […]
News & Blog Articles
Langley’s Mauser Packaging Solutions earned the Occupational Standard of Excellence certification in September, with a score of 95 per cent on the robust OSSE audit. ~written by Jennifer Wiebe Mauser’s 160-employee Langley facility is part of a multinational corporation with...
Ergonomics goes beyond stretching programs or choosing the right chair.  It is an important strategic consideration. In the manufacturing sector, employees are especially vulnerable to developing musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) due to several factors specific to their occupations. Risk factors such...