Step 6: Promote Worker Recovery

For Everyone

Key points

  • Learn to develop a return-to-work program and educate managers and employees on work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) symptoms.
  • Health care providers can meet with employers to learn about job demands and become familiar with employees' capabilities.
  • Understand how to engage in safe work practices, follow safety rules, and report WMSD symptoms.
A group of young adults standing in a half circle in safety vests and hardhats.

Promote musculoskeletal health in the workplace

Work-related injuries and disability are associated with many negative health and social outcomes, including:

  • Reduced quality of life
  • Job loss
  • Reduced lifetime income
  • Injuries among family caregivers
  • Premature death

NIOSH-funded research found that workers who suffer injuries requiring days away from work may die sooner than workers only medical treatment1.

Other studies2 have shown that the chances of returning to work drop dramatically the longer the worker remains away from work. More serious diagnoses are usually associated with longer periods off work. Meanwhile, minor diagnoses can also lead to disability if the recovery and return-to-work processes are not properly managed.

Employees, employers, and health care providers are all responsible for preventing injury and disability in the workplace.

How to promote musculoskeletal health in the workplace

Group
  • Responsibilities

    • Employers

  • Develop a return-to-work program in which modified jobs, restricted duties, or temporary job transfers are provided to accommodate employees with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs).
  • Educate and train employees to recognize and report signs and symptoms of WMSDs.
  • Encourage employees who report symptoms of WMSDs to speak to the qualified health care provider.
  • Give health care providers the opportunity to become familiar with the jobs and tasks in your workplace.
  • Modify jobs, restrict duties, or put in a temporary job transfer to accommodate employees with WMSDs.
  • Select a health care provider qualified in treating WMSDs.
  • Ensure privacy and confidentiality of employees’ medical records.

    • Health Care Providers

  • Meet with employers to learn the physical demands of jobs and job tasks.
  • Become familiar with the physical capabilities and limitations of employees.
  • Review job analysis reports, detailed job descriptions, job safety analyses, photographs, and video recordings.
  • Conduct periodic walk-throughs to record changing work conditions.
  • Evaluate employees’ descriptions of work activities and whether it causes, contributes to, or exacerbates WMSD related pain.
  • Evaluate employees’ medical histories.
  • If an employee presents symptoms of MSDs, conduct a physical exam and plan to do a follow-up examination.
  • Prescribe and monitor splints, braces, and other supports to relieve employees of WMSD symptoms. Remember, if employees use different techniques at their jobs, splinting may cause new WMSD problems.
  • Determine the work restrictions for employees affected by WMSDs.
  • Advise employees affected by MSDs to limit hobbies, recreational activities, and personal habits that agitate their condition.
  • Document improvements to employees’ WMSD symptoms.
  • Ensure privacy and confidentiality of employees’ medical records.

    • Employees

  • Engage in safe work practices.
  • Follow workplace safety and health rules.
  • Report signs and symptoms of WMSDs

    • External resources

    Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Centers of Occupational Health and Education (COHEs)
    Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Stay-at-Work / Return-to-Work (SAW/RTW)
    International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC)
    A How-to guide For Injury and Work Disability Prevention
    The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM)
    ACOEM Coding Initiative Guidance Statement
    The Institute for Work & Health (IWH)

    Specifically, the IWH conducts research on:

    • Return-to-work, including:
      • Workplaces
      • Workers' compensation boards
      • Insurance companies and rehabilitation providers
      • Disability management and prevention
      • Vocational rehabilitation
      • Work reintegration.
    • Evidence-based practices for health care treating:
      • Back and neck pain
      • Chronic pain
      • Upper extremity disorders, and other soft-tissue injurie
    • Examining trends in workers' compensation claims and benefits
      • Effects of adequacy and equity on workers
    • Measuring worker health, function, and disability
      • Predicting the course and pattern of recovering from disability
      • Determining the prevalence of certain health conditions among workers
    Print
    Content Source
    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
    About This Page
    Published: May 15, 2024
    Updated: November 25, 2023

    This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.

    Reviewed: March 6, 2024

    The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.

    1. The impact of non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses on mortality - PubMed (nih.gov)
    2. Allers A. (1989, August). Workplace prevention program cut cost of illness and injury. Pre-work flexibility stretching reduces employee muscular injury and company health-care cost. Occupational Health & Safety, 58(8), 26–29.