Latest News

• Prevention of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders: International Scientific Conference in Zurich, July 2004
  Premus 2004, the 5th International Scientific Conference on Prevention of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders will be held in Zurich, Switzerland from 11 to 15 July 2004.
  
  The Conference will bring together scientists, practitioners in occupational health and safety, ergonomists, industrial engineers and policy makers. It will offer an international platform to exchange knowledge and expertise in musculoskeletal research and practice. Participants will discuss effective interventions aimed at the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders at work.
  
  The deadline for pre-conference registration is 30 June 2004.
  
  Contact e-mail address
   
• BBC feature on RSI Awareness Week
  The BBC's website recently posted a feature on RSI to mark Awareness Week 2004 (23 - 29 February).
  
  Appearing under the heading 'Health Awareness Campaigns', the feature includes sections on:-
  
  
• What is RSI Awareness Week?
• What is RSI?
• Causes and symptoms
• Prevention
• Managing RSI
• Finding out more



BBC feature on RSI Awareness Week
 
• Amsterdam support group for English speakers
  The Dutch RSI Association recently launched an English-speaking support group in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It's run by Imogen Dunbar, a British expat who has lived in the Netherlands for over two years and was diagnosed with RSI about two years ago. The support group meets every four weeks and is visited by people of different nationalities, which shows again that the problem of RSI exists everywhere. If you live in the Netherlands and you're interested, you can contact Imogen Dunbar by phone 0031 (0) 641 790 677 or by mail (Imogen@excite.com). For more information about the Dutch RSI-association, call the national helpline 0031 (0) 900 774 54 56.
  
   
• East Lancashire RSI Group
  A new contact group is being set up to raise awareness and provide support for sufferers in Lancashire, in conjunction with the Manchester Area RSI Support and Action Group (MARSAG). Meetings will probably be held in Blackburn, at least initially. For more information please email rsigroup@tesco.net or telephone Julie Eyles on 01254 690211.
  
   
• Medics stage prevention campaign for performers
  A medical charity backed by performers’ union Equity is to campaign for prevention of occupational health disorders in the industry. The British Performing Arts Medicine Trust (BPAMT), a medical charity part-funded by Equity, says injuries, aches and pains can have their origin in early bad practices. In response, BPAMT is preparing a programme of workshops for performing arts schools and colleges. The plan is for doctors, therapists, and technical experts to reinforce the message of teachers by explaining just what goes wrong and why, giving case histories and statistical evidence. It says they will try to underline that what might seem irrelevant when you are fit, young and bound for fame and fortune, might have disastrous repercussions — career-blighting consequences —when you are older. Equity members can get a free initial assessment from one of BPAMT’s expert physicians.
  Equity news release
   
• New EU Occupational Safety and Health website
  The European Agency for Occupational Safety and Health have just launched their completely redesigned website. The site is available in 11 languages and gives free access to the agency’s growing portfolio of health and safety information. The site also contains links to health and safety sites worldwide. There is a specific section on musculoskeletal disorders containing information on research, reports and articles commissioned by the Agency, case studies from across the EU demonstrating good MSD prevention practice, and EU working practices directives relevant to MSDs. You can also subscribe to a regular e-update.
  
  The Agency, based in Bilbao, Spain, acts as a catalyst for developing, collecting, analysing and disseminating information that improves the state of occupational safety and health in Europe. The Agency is a tripartite European Union organisation and brings together representatives from three key decision-making groups in each of the EU’s 15 Member States – governments, employers and workers’ organisations.
  EU Occupational Safety and Health
   
• Call Centres
  Revised HSE guidance has been issued to call centre inspectors and employers following a study of working practices in the industry. It covers a variety of issues including: verbal abuse, hearing problems, stress, and good practice. It recommends at least 5 minutes break every hour and that call handlers be given time after an abusive call to recover and discuss it with a colleague. Advice regarding Call Centre Local Working Practices, Local Authority Circular 94/1 (Rev) is available on the web at www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/94-l.htm
  
  Holding the Line, UNISON'S guide on call centres explains how monitoring systems have increased the pressure on staff. Instead of freeing workers to take on more creative tasks, sophisticated IT is often being used to chain them more firmly to their workstations. Computers monitor minute by minute, send messages to end a call if it takes longer than average, and automatically put the next caller through. Some employers aim for their call handlers to be on the telephone for as much as 80% of their shift which will inevitably take its toll on worker's health.
  
  As a major call centre union, UNISON wants to work positively and in partnership with employers in ensuring best practice. The guide suggests positive steps to make call centres a safe and rewarding place to work and to reduce the high rates of staff turnover. Copies (stock no. 1901) are available from UNISON'S Communications Dept, via your branch.
  
  Taken from the UNISON publication Health & Safety Organiser, April 2002
  
   
• Strain Injuries not trivial!
  At the launch of the HSE's revised guidance on the best ways to prevent and manage workplace strain injuries, including RSI, Dr Alan Whitehead, the Minister for Health and Safety, said: "These conditions are not trivial, or the inevitable consequences of working life; they are as unacceptable today as the old industrial diseases were in the past. I welcome [this] guidance... as offering hope...and providing a fresh approach to managing this painful and debilitating disorder".
  
  If strain related injuries are a problem at your workplace, you may want to recommend that your employer buys a copy of Upper Limb Disorders in the Workplace, HSG60 (rev), ISBN 0-7176-1978-8, priced £9.50 and available from HSE Books. Further information is also available from the TUC's website, including an RSI risk filter.
  
  Taken from the UNISON publication Health & Safety Organiser, April 2002
  Spotting the risk of RSI
   
• RSI in London Group launch new Website and Leaflet
  The RSI in London group, funded by "A give it a go" Millennium Award and supported by SCOPE, is producing a leaflet and website to support people with Repetitive Strain Injury/Work Related Upper Limb Disorders , as well as their friends, relations and co-workers. We will focus on practical ideas from those who have RSI, experts and those who have helped and supported those who have restricted use of their hands/arms etc. probably through repetitive movements.
  
  The website and leaflets will be officially launched at a meeting on March 26th.
  For further Information
   
• Virgin Mobiles launch their 'How to Practice Safe Text' campaign
  Tom Alexander, managing director of Virgin Mobile, said: "By launching the 'How to Practice Safe Text' campaign, we are offering customers a possible remedy to a potentially serious issue. We would like to make our customers aware that aches in the fingers can be alleviated by some simple exercises, so that they can continue to text to their heart's content - safely!"
  
  Andrew Chadwick, Chief Executive of the RSI Association,says: "We at the RSI Association welcome the 'Practice Safe Text' campaign, and are delighted that Virgin Mobile is bringing this issue to the attention of its customers. Through highlighting the risks and raising awareness of the consequences, injuries from texting (as with other RSI conditions) can be prevented, so we are delighted more attention is being drawn to this increasingly common issue. Blood flow is a key to avoiding injury when texting and Virgin Mobile's textercisers should be a great help."
  Virgin Mobiles
   
• The HSE Launches its guide to "Upper Limb disorders in the workplace".
  To coincide with International RSI Awareness Day the Health and Safety Executive have launched a new guide to "Upper Limb disorders in the workplace".
  
   
• RSI checklist will spot jobs at risk: "One in fifty workers have RSI"
  On Saturday 23rd February the TUC issued guidance for 200,000 union safety reps, and urge them to use their legal powers to inspect their workplace for the risks of RSI on International RSI Awareness Day Thursday 28th February 2002.
  TUC guidance to safety reps
   

---

News Archive (all news items)
Information Pages