Pain is Optional - for Wardrobe Workers
An educational guide to preventing Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) for wardrobe workers. Presented in a comic book style, the goal of this resource is to help workers recognize and prevent the symptoms of MSI.
Ergonomics/MSI
Actsafe has many PDF documents in our library that can be downloaded or viewed online.
Books & Manuals
Pain is Optional – for Wardrobe Workers
Pain is Optional – for Carpenters
- Pain is Optional – for Carpenters
An educational guide to preventing Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) for carpenters. Presented in a comic book style, the goal of this resource is to help workers recognize and prevent the symptoms of MSI.
Pain is Optional: For Caterers
An educational guide to preventing Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) for caterers. Presented in a comic book style, the goal of this resource is to help workers recognize and prevent the symptoms of MSI.
Pain is Optional: For Office Workers
An educational guide to preventing Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) for office workers. Presented in a comic book style, the goal of this resource is to help workers recognize and prevent the symptoms of MSI.
How to Make Your Computer Workstation Fit
Does your computer workstation fit you & the type of work you do?
This guide will help you answer this question. It contains basic information on how to identify and solve problems with computer workstations and is intended primarily as a self-help guide for workers. Other users include employers, supervisors, safety and health committees, and safety and health specialists. This guide:
- Recommends practical and inexpensive ways to improve your workstation layout and lighting
- Explains how to ensure good posture
- Suggests ways to organize your work day and work space to reduce the likelihood of injury to muscles, tendons, nerves, joints, and other parts of the body
- Includes a checklist for assessing your computer workstation, and exercises that you can do at your desk to reduce muscle and eyestrain
You can make many of the changes suggested in this guide yourself – for example, changing the height of your chair. Discuss other changes, such as purchasing a wrist rest or lowering overhead light levels, with your supervisor or employer. Your employer should have guidelines for the selection of equipment and furniture so that your computer workstation can be made to fit you and the type of work you do.
Back Talk: An Owner’s Manual for Backs
The low back is subject to greater mechanical stress than any other part of the body and, because of this, is commonly injured. It is important to know which situations cause excessive loads and how to use proper body mechanics to reduce the risk of injury.
A majority of low-back problems are caused by simple strains that can heal within six to eight weeks with appropriate treatment. Fear and misunderstanding are the two main factors that can delay recovery.
The information and advice in this booklet will help you understand how the back works, provide tips for avoiding injury, and show you how to care for your back during recovery.
Remember that this booklet is not meant to replace your health professional. It is particularly important to seek professional advice if back pain spreads down your leg, especially below the knee, and is accompanied by weakness, tingling, or numbness.
Dancers and MSI Safety Primer
MSI is the most frequently reported medical problem among classical and modern dancers. The majority of dancers have reported at least one injury that has affected their dancing or kept them from dancing and approximately 50% of dancers report at least one chronic injury.
An MSI is any injury or disorder of the muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, or related soft tissues. This includes a strain, sprain, or inflammation that is caused or aggravated by activity.
There are many things you can do to help prevent and treat musculoskeletal injury (MSI). An MSI can be painful and can interfere with both your professional and personal life, so it’s important to use prevention strategies. If you already have an MSI, there are treatment options that will help you stop the injury from getting worse and speed up the healing process.
Infosheets
Ergonomics Commentary 1 – Back Belts
WCB British Columbia -ERG
This pamphlet provides information about the lack of evidence regarding effectiveness of back belts in the workplace. It provides alternatives for avoiding back injuries, and discourages the use of back belts as a protective measure.
Guide to Preventing Lower Back Pain
Poster created by Actsafe to help workers prevent lower back pain.
Musicians and MSI Safety Primer
A Musculoskeletal injury (MSI) is any injury or disorder of the muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, or related soft tissues. This includes a strain, sprain, or inflammation that is caused or aggravated by activity.
Musicians (including vocalists) are prone to MSI that is caused or aggravated by practice, rehearsal, or performance. Playing a musical instrument may be second only to computer use in terms of population exposure to MSI. Some studies have shown that approximately half of professional musicians and music students experience significant MSI symptoms.
There are many things you can do to help prevent and treat MSI. An MSI can be painful and can interfere with both your professional and personal life, so it’s important to use prevention strategies. If you already have an MSI, there are treatment options that will help you stop the injury from getting worse and speed up the healing process.