Aluminiumindustriens
Miljøsekretariat

Pilestredet Park 31
Postboks 2894  Solli
NO-0230  Oslo, Norway
Tel.  +47  23 32 60 90
Fax  +47  23 32 60 99
Mob  +47  951 44 394
e-mail  elly@ams-aluminium.no 
 
Musculoskeletal health

 Systematic intervention to improve musculoskeletal health in the aluminium industry

 Autumn 2002
We have reach the goal!
Several are in better shape now!

A co-operation project between Aluminiumindustriens Miljøsekretariat - the aluminium industry in Norway and Division for Occupational Medicine, University of Bergen.

Background
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are one of the greatest causes to absence in the aluminium industry and have been elucidated as a considerable problem in studies that have been carried out by the branch.

The aim of the project was to reduce and prevent MSD among employees in the aluminium industry and to increase the ability of the employees and the organisation to cope with MSD.

The project should study the effect of a teaching programme focusing on prevention of MSD.

Method

All employees at eight smelters were invited to participate in the survey 

    • Before the teaching programme  (intervention) (1998)
    • After 1½ year (2000) and
    • After 3½ year (2002).

40 teaching groups from eight smelters were drawn out.

  • The groups were in 3 categories
    1) Shift with leader
    2) Shift without leader
    3) Only leaders.
     
  • The remaining shifts in the production were control groups.  Employees outside the production were reference groups.
  • The teaching programme consisted of 10 meetings of 1 hour during 1 year (1999), 1 meeting for evaluation and 4 follow-up meetings in 2001.  Subjects and teaching material were  standardised.  The physiotherapists at the smelters guided the meetings.
     
  • Active participation was a central part of the process.  The participants made in each meeting an action plan for measures that should be followed up in the next meeting.

Result
  • The teaching groups without leader did more than earlier to cope with their MSD and had some increased social support.  The participants in these groups were cleverer to ask for help by their colleagues in tasks of strain.
     
  • 311 of 424 suggested work environment measures were accomplished through the work in the teaching groups.
     
  • Occurrence of frequent MSD in the aluminium industry generally was reduced with 8 % from 1998 to 2002, but no change in MSD in the teaching groups compared to the control groups were shown.   This was probably due to the fact that MSD are difficult to influence due to complexity in causes.
The chart shows changes in use of strategies of coping in the different groups (operators n=1537) from 1998 to 2002. The scale is from -1 to +1.
The chart shows the percentage of the employees in the whole aluminium industry in Norway with frequent MSD (often or very often) in the different body parts in 1998 (n=5654), 2000 (n=5143) og 2002 (n=5097).
  • Less than 10 % of the employees in the aluminium industry was the cause to 80 % of the absence from work in connection with MSD.
     
  • Operators had most work-related MSD and absence from work due to MSD.  Back troubles gave most problems for the physical function and were an important cause to absence from work due to MSD.

Proceedings
In the proceedings to prevent MSD is the following suggested:

  • Employees should have an active and central part in the process to assess the risk conditions and accomplish improvements of the work environment connected MSD.
     
  • Teaching programme in MSD combined with the task of making action plans is recommended if the aim is to carry out various measures in the work environment.
     
  • General measures (primary prevention measures) should be directed towards all types of MSD, but especially against the risk factors on back troubles. 
    Evaluation of measures should take place by  measuring changes in actual risk factors (heavy lifts, working methods, unilateral work, social support) (refer to AMS, Manual in Risk Assessment of the Work Environment, 2001 [in Norw.]).
     
  • Measures for employees with MSD (secondary preventive measures) should be directed specially towards workers with back pain. 
    Measuring changes in functions (coping, MSD, absence from work) should do evaluation of measures.
     
  • The work to reduce absence from work in the aluminium industry should focus to identify the persons who have the highest risks of long-term absence from work and measures should be started among them.
    This applies specially to workers with frequent shoulder pain, frequent back pain or frequent pain from several parts of the body.

Project leaders at the different aluminium smelters:

Elkem Aluminium Mosjøen

Solrun Holien

Hydro Aluminium Sunndal

Inger Lise L. Saue/
Guri M. Seljebø

Hydro Aluminium Høyanger

Gerita ten Bolscher

Hydro Aluminium Årdal

Cecilie Roth

Sør-Norge Aluminium Husnes

Varughese Thoppil

Hydro Aluminium Karmøy

Svein Pedersen

Elkem Aluminium Lista

Hans Meberg

Hydro Aluminium Holmestrand

Signe Helene V. Hauge

Vigeland Metal Refinery, Vennesla

Harry Jørgensen

Contact person

Tone Morken
Seksjon for arbeidsmedisin
Institutt for samfunnsmedisinske fag
Universitetet i Bergen
Ulriksdal 8 c
NO-5009  BERGEN  Norway
Tel.: +47 55 58 61 02
e-mail:  tone.morken@isf.uib.no

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