Ergonomist
Ergonomists & MSD Prevention
A large part of the practice of Professional Ergonomists in Ontario and Canada is MSD prevention. Ergonomists can provide training and also participate in work assessment, control development, the Return to Work process and perhaps most importantly, in the design process. It has been argued that for maximum effectiveness and sustainability, MSD prevention should be integrated into an organization’s management system. The Guideline is written using the structure and language of management systems, and resources to prevent MSD within the management system are identified.
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Find all the available resources on the MSD prevention website, including posters, videos, and links to relevant websites.
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Our guideline selector will ask you a few questions to help determine which guideline will be the best fit for your organization. Each guideline follows the same structure, making it easy to switch between them as needed.
MSD Guidelines
Quick Start Guide: General
The guide includes a folder and posters with information on common MSD hazards and solutions to control hazards in many workplaces.
Quick Start Guide: Office
The guide includes a folder and posters that include tips for setting up computer-based workstations and best practices for MSD prevention.
Basic Guideline
The Basic Guideline is best for organizations that have a Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC); have a person or persons with knowledge, experience, and responsibility for Health and Safety; have policies and procedures for health and safety addressing most hazards but want to improve their MSD prevention activities.
Comprehensive Guideline
The Comprehensive Guideline is best for large organizations that have a formal management framework; have a management system for Health and Safety; have policies and procedures for health and safety that address most hazards but want to improve their MSD prevention activities.
Assessments
Preliminary Assessments
These tools typically contain a list of questions with either yes/no or multiple-choice style responses to note the presence or absence of an MSD hazard and some of its characteristics.
Detailed Assessments
Detailed assessments include observational evaluations and comprehensive analyses.
Hazard Controls
The hierarchy of controls is a system developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that ranks hazard controls from most effective (elimination) to least effective (personal protective equipment). Learn more about the Hierarchy of Controls.
Elimination
Removes the source of the MSD hazard to eliminate exposure.
Substitution
Replaces with another approach that reduces the risk of MSD.
Engineering
Modifies the design of the physical workplace to remove or block the MSD hazard from the worker by machinery, tools or equipment.
Administrative
Changes to the work organization and work practices to reduce exposure to MSD hazards, such as job rotation, pace of work, training, breaks, etc.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Barriers between the worker and the hazard that are worn by the worker.
Supplementary Guideline Resources
Step 2
Facilitate and Encourage Workers’ Participation
Step 3
Plan Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
Step 4
Conduct Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments
Step 9
Document Lessons Learned and Stakeholders’ Feedback
Step 10
Review Processes, Achievements, and Identify Areas for Improvement
Additional Resources
See All Resources for Ergonomists
View a curated collection of resources in the resource library.