Since 1992 when the first PREMUS conference was held, the scientific community specializing in work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) has made considerable progress. If you think back to the 1990s, the proposition that exposures arising from work led to the onset of musculoskeletal disorders was frequently contested, said Institute for Work & Health (IWH) President Dr. Cam Mustard in his remarks welcoming delegates to the 9th International Scientific Conference on the Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders. That’s not the case anymore.
Thanks in part to researchers around the world, many of whom meet every three years at PREMUS gatherings, there’s now wide recognition that adverse work exposures will lead to the development of MSDs, added Mustard. He was addressing some 400 scientists and practitioners from about 30 countries who had come to Toronto June 20 to 23, 2016, to share the latest evidence on work-related MSDs.
Ontario Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn also welcomed the attendees in his remarks delivered on the third day of the conference.
Flynn noted that the provincial government has tackled MSDs since 2006 with the launch of a “pains and strains” campaign to increase awareness of ergonomic-related injuries, as well as ongoing inspection blitzes targeting MSD hazards across a variety of sectors. We believe every person who works deserves to go home safe at the end of each day, and every person here today has a role to play in making this goal a reality,
he added.
The conference, hosted by IWH, included about 360 oral presentations and 60 poster presentations. It also included four keynote presentations; the messages of the distinguished speakers are summarized here:
- Forceful repetition a carpal tunnel risk factor
- Eight safety leading indicators for the construction worksite
- 'Too much standing hurts too'
- Understanding MSDs with sex/gender lens
Keynote lectures are also available as slidecasts at the PREMUS 2016 website.