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RSI Awareness Day will be marked across the country on Feb. 28.
Ottawa (18 Feb. 2010) - Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day will be marked across Canada this year on Feb. 28, drawing attention to a hazard that affects millions of Canadians at some point in their lives.
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) once again joins with its partners within the labour movement to help raise awareness of the serious nature of this problem and to urge governments at all levels to take RSI issues more seriously.
A study by Statistics Canada has estimated that 2.3 million Canadian adults have experienced a repetitive strain injury – at home or at work – serious enough to limit normal activities. RSI Awareness Day is promoted each year in an attempt to focus increased attention on the problem.
RSI is an umbrella term to describe injuries to soft tissues of the neck, upper and lower back, shoulders, wrists and arms. Tendonitis, tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome are some common examples of RSI.
Symptoms can include aches, pains, tingling, swelling and loss of joint movement and strength in the affected areas. Symptoms can progress into crippling disorders preventing those affected from working or leading normal lives.
A variety of workplace factors can play a role in the development of RSIs, including repetition, work pace, work organization, awkward or fixed positions, forceful movements, vibration, cold temperatures, contact stress, pyschosocial stress and insufficient recovery time.
Injured workers can suffer work restrictions, permanent disabilities and loss in earning power and quality of life. RSI also results in higher insurance rates, increased worker sick time and production problems for employers.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE
More information:
Animated videos for Radical Ergonomics
from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work