Current Projects
The network of researchers that make up CRE-MSD are conducting a number of interesting projects that we wish to highlight.

Centre Grants
This is a list of links to Centre grants that are currently in progress

• Developing and evaluating a workplace-level MSD physical risk factor survey: A researcher-labour collaborative project
• Development of valid and reliable physical exposure measures for users of hand-held mobile communication devices
• Ergonomics in the transportation sector: The development of best practices in MSD-reduction strategies. See the Transportation section under r2P for more information
• Encouraging construction companies to adopt innovations to reduce MSDs using different knowledge transfer techniques. See the Construction section under r2p for more information
• A versatile and comprehensive model to predict the effort required by the hand and wrist during manual work: Development and evaluation

MSD Physical Risk FactorsCRE-MSD researchers are also working with a number of union and organized labour organizations to create a tool that will allow for the assessment of MSD physical risk factors in workplaces at the workplace level. While there are many published ergonomics checklists and assessment methods for musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) physical risk factors, they are overwhelmingly designed to assess a single person’s exposure or a single workstation. In comparison, there are very few ways to assess MSD physical risk factors at the workplace level. Our partners on this research project are the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP), the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), the Canadian Autoworkers (CAW) and the Steelworkers Union.
MSD Hazard Identification Tool: Computer WorkstationWe are collaborating with the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) on evaluating a tool that is part of the MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario that was launched a year ago. We are evaluating the “MSD Hazard Identification Tool: Computer workstation” that can be found in Part 3A: MSD Prevention Toolbox – Getting Started, one of which is (page 19-24) [http://www.pphsa.on.ca/pdfs/msdparta.pdf]. After five years, there will be a re-evaluation of the Guideline; this project will help inform these future revisions.
This project is part of a larger initiative from the Occupational Health and Safety Council of Ontario’s (OHSCO) subcommittee on evaluation and measurement that is looking for a way to benchmark MSD hazards in Ontario.

Firefighters
press release
http://www.prweb.com/releases/Firefighters/Injury_Prevention/prweb2863574.htm
video
http://www.weartv.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wear_vid_3823.shtml