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WorkSafeBC

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Frequently Asked Questions


General Questions | Consultation | Risk Identification | Risk Assessment | Risk Control and Evaluation | Education and Training | Investigating MSI



Risk Identification

What are risk factors?

Hazards that contribute to the risk of MSI are called risk factors. A risk factor is something that may cause or contribute to a musculoskeletal injury (MSI); the mere presence of a risk factor may not in itself result in an injury. As well, two or more risk factors may be present at once, increasing the risk of injury.

The primary risk factors for MSI include force, repetition, work posture, and local contact stress.

Section 4.49 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requires employers to consider a number of factors when identifying and assessing the risk of MSI:

    (a) the physical demands of work activities, including force required, repetition, duration, work postures, and local contact stresses
    (b) aspects of the layout and condition of the workplace or workstation, including working reaches, working heights, seating, and floor surfaces
    (c) the characteristics of objects handled, including size and shape, load condition and weight distribution, and container, tool and equipment handles
    (d) the environmental conditions, including cold temperature
    (e) three key characteristics of the organization of work - work-recovery cycles, task variability, and work rate

For a description of these risk factors, and of the factors that influence the physical demands (such as layout of the workplace and the organization of work tasks), see the WCB publication Understanding the Risks of Musculoskeletal Injury (MSI): An Educational Guide for Workers on Sprains, Strains, and Other MSIs (PDF 2 MB).

What is risk identification (risk ID)?

Many activities pose some risk of MSI to workers. When considering MSI prevention, a reasonable starting point is to produce a prioritized list of the high-risk jobs or tasks that will require further assessment and control.

This list can be developed by reviewing and analyzing information about the worksite:

  • Injury statistics from work-related MSI claims
  • Accident/incident investigation reports and first aid reports
  • Information provided by workers who have reported risks or who have signs or symptoms of MSI

After priorities are established, risk factor identification should begin, starting with the jobs with the highest level of risk. The WCB has produced Worksheet A, MSI Risk Factor Identification (PDF 63 KB), to help employers identify risk factors.

Risk factors listed in Section 4.49 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation must be considered. Other factors (such as vibration or illumination) may pose additional MSI risks and should also be considered where relevant.

Are risk ID tools available from the WCB?

Several risk identification tools are available. WorkSafeBC produces Worksheet A - MSI Risk Factor Identification (PDF 63 KB) and Worksheet B - MSI Risk Factor Assessment (PDF 1 MB), as well as risk factor guidance sheets, to help employers identify and assess MSI risks within the workplace.

There are currently four risk factor guidance sheets:



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