Next Tuesday, February 29th, has been designated international RSI (repetitive strain injury) day, a date chosen because it is the only non-repetitive day of the year. Events will be held around the world to raise awareness about RSI as a workplace issue.
According to RSI day chairwoman, Ms Catherine Fenech: "Our purpose is to raise public awareness about repetitive strain injury, to prevent others from being injured and to promote understanding and acceptance for those with RSI."
Repetitive strain injuries affect soft tissues such as muscles, tendons and nerves caused by repetition, force, poor workstation design or static postures. They start as aches and pains but they can progress to debilitating symptoms.
RSI is increasingly recognised as a serious occupational health issue. Excluding back injuries, repetitive trauma disorders accounted for 62 per cent (308,000) of all work-related illnesses in the US in 1995, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It had increased 14-fold from 1972 to 1994.
Despite their increasing prevalence, RSI injuries are poorly understood by many employers, workers and members of the medical profession. Getting appropriate diagnosis, treatment, compensation and workplace accommodation is often difficult and places a further burden on the injured worker, say the RSI-day organisers, comprising injured workers, trade unionists, health and safety professionals and health-care practitioners.
"We want to reach anyone who is at risk, from computer users to assembly-line workers to students. RSI doesn't discriminate; it hits a cross section of the population engaged in a variety of occupations," says Canada-based Ms Fenech.
While RSI can be difficult to treat and healing takes time, it can usually be prevented by improved work-station ergonomics and frequent breaks from repetitive movements such as typing.
One of RSI day's objectives is to encourage workers to take notice of aches and pains rather than ignore them. It is also aimed at educating employers. According to the organisers, many employers and even members of the health professions can shrug off RSI believing it all to be in the mind and denying the obvious cause: repetitive movements.
Organisers hope that RSI day will encourage employers, workers and health professionals to work together to prevent and manage the problem. They also hope it will assist the return of RSI sufferers to health and productivity, by speedy and suitable treatment and appropriate workplace accommodation.
With its network of international planning groups and volunteers, the international RSI-day planning committee seeks to educate the public about the types of RSI, the risk factors, and how best to prevent, detect, accommodate and treat RSI. It aims to stimulate research to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
The day has been organised at grassroots level and is taking place through existing organisations like support groups and injured workers' groups.
The organisers point out that children are also at risk. "Why is it that we teach children at very early ages to use computers but we don't teach them how to use them safely? Students need to be educated as they start using computers and before they enter the workforce."
The organisers hope that employers, health and safety managers, workers, unions and health educators will initiate events at local level around the world. They suggest that events might involve people who have RSI. "It could be something simple or something more extravagant, what you do is up to you. We just want to mark the day in some way and increase awareness of this growing health problem."
Employers could alert or remind workers who are engaged in repetitive movements to take frequent short breaks or place a special emphasis that day on new trainees' grasp of preventative measures.
In Britain, the 1.6 million-member public and health-sector trade union, Unison, has issued a circular based on and directing members to the International RSI Day website. Unison suggests branches could consider using the day to raise awareness among members about the risk of RSI.
People can read and respond to archived messages on the RSI-Day list on the Internet, which they can join at anytime and catch up on past posts through its archive.
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe. cgi/RSIDay http://www.onelist.com/archive/RSIDay RSIDay@onelist.com
International RSI Awareness Day website: http://www.ctdrn.org/rsiday/
The TUC safety website: http://www.vl28.dial.pipex.com/whin18.pdf
Readers may like to contact the RSI Association, 380-384 Harrow Road, London W9 2HU. Telephone: 0044 171 266 2000.
jmarms@irish-times.ie
