Ergonomics is about interactions between people and their physical and organizational environments to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs). MSIs are one of the most common injuries workers face in the workplace. From 2020 to 2024, MSIs caused by overexertion resulted in 16.9%* of the reported injuries within the community social services sector.
MSIs commonly present as sprains or strains to the neck, shoulder, back, wrist, or elbow. They are injuries or disorders of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels, or related soft tissue including sprains, strains, and inflammation, that may be caused or aggravated by work.
There’s a lot to consider about ergonomics and MSIs as part of your Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system. Check out our templates and resources, created with social service workers in mind, to help your process.
*WorkSafeBC Provincial Overview Industry Claim Analysis Data Pulled on Sept. 26, 2025
Program Builder: Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention Online Course
Program Builder: Ergonomics Program Template
Program Builder: MSI – Point of Service Risk Assessment
Program Builder: Safety Talk – Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention
Program Builder: MSI High Risk Tasks in Social Services
Program Builder: MSI Risk Assessment – Individual Factors
Program Builder: WorkSafeBC Preventing MSIs Guide
Program Builder: WorkSafeBC Guide to MSI Risk Assessments
WorkSafeBC Requirements
Ergonomics or Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention (MSIP) are requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (Section 4.46- 4.53).
Learn more:
Whether you are an office worker or use mechanical lifts regularly, CSSHSA’s online Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention course can help you understand risks and eliminate injuries in your workplace.
What Employers Need to Know
Legal Requirements
- Employers are required to establish an effective Ergonomics or MSI Prevention program with the following elements: identification of risk factors, risk assessment and control measures, education and training, and written procedures. Tip: Use our Ergonomic Program template to help you set up an effective program.
- Employers must consult with a Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee or the workers’ health and safety representative about the ergonomics program.
- Employers must consult with a representative sampling of workers, including workers with signs or symptoms of MSI, when performing the risk assessment.
Best Practices
Take Safety Seriously
- For individual MSI concerns, ask them to complete the MSI Risk Assessment Tool for workers to identify MSI risk factors specific to their job duties. This tool is designed to guide supervisors and workers in identifying MSI risk factors related to their jobs and to work collaboratively to identify solutions.
- For a department-wide MSI risk assessment, use the MSI survey questions to guide your process. Tip: Our team can help you setup the survey for your organization and help you gather MSI data for your team.
Be Proactive
- Reduce or eliminate the risk of MSI by creating ergonomic workplaces where tasks are matched to a worker’s physical capabilities, without exceeding their limits.
- Use multiple methods to determine the degree of risk a specific workplace poses.
- Conduct regular staff refreshers on key areas of risk.
Disclaimer: This resource is intended to help community social service organizations understand the requirements of developing different aspects of health and safety programs. It provides information on key concepts and directs users to relevant resources. The content above is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Please refer to the included links or consult official legislation and resources for current and accurate information.