Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD’s) are among the most common and costly workplace injuries.  Many MSD hazards are subtle and develop gradually through forceful exertions, awkward or sustained postures, repetitive motions, vibration, and contact stress. When workers are exposed to these hazards repeatedly or for long durations, the body may not have enough time to recover, increasing the likelihood of discomfort, pain, or injury.   

Effective MSD hazard identification helps employers catch issues early—before they become injuries—and prioritize controls that fit the job to the worker (not the other way around!).

Simple 4 Step MSD Hazard Identification Process 

1. Observe the Job

   Watch  employees perform their regular job duties and document any MSD risk factors.  Pay close attention to activities that require high force, significant awkward postures or movements that occur frequently.
   

2. Ask the Workers

   Employees often recognize hazards first.  Discomfort surveys, questionnaires, suggestion boxes, and conversations can help identify areas of concern before injuries occur.  Employees are your experts, they understand the tasks, feel discomforts first and may even come up with practical solutions to address their areas of concern.
   

3. Look for Warning Signs

   Reports of soreness and pain, workers modifying or changing tasks to avoid discomfort, or increased absenteeism may indicate underlying hazards.  Reviewing injury reports, first aid records or modified work cases to help narrow down where MSD hazards may exist in your workplace.

4. Review Physical Demands Analyses

   PDAs are objective documentation of job tasks/demands and can highlight areas of concern.  For example, movements or tasks that occur more than 33% of the day and/or forceful exertions (e.g. heavy lifts) or reaches above shoulder height or below knee height are more likely to result in injury as they place higher strain on muscles and joint.

Focus on Controls

Use the hierarchy of controls to guide effective sustainable solutions.

• • Eliminate: Remove the manual handling step entirely (e.g., eliminate re-packing or duplicate handling).

  • Substitute: Use lighter materials, smaller containers, or ergonomically designed tools/handles that reduce grip force.

  • Engineering controls: Modify the workstation or equipment—lift/tilt/turn devices, height‑adjustable tables, conveyors, carts, tool balancers, or fixture redesign.

  • Administrative/work practice controls: Improve task rotation, staffing, work pace, micro-breaks, maintenance, and training

  • PPE: Use as a last level control only (e.g., anti-vibration gloves). PPE alone rarely fixes MSD risk.

When to Partner with a Professional 

Engaging with a Certified Professional Ergonomist ensures hazards are identified accurately, and solutions are practical, evidence-based, and aligned with your operations.

Our team uses validated tools and assessments to evaluate hazards which can help you understand risk and prioritize change strategies to most effectively mitigate the hazards and risk present.

We can also support other initiatives such as customized training for staff, supervisors, and JHSCs that is based on observations and findings from the ergonomic risk assessment.