In this seminar, Associate Professor Anjum Naweed presents his findings on how to ‘derail’ workplace MSD risks using systems thinking. His research is focused on work health and safety risks experienced by drivers of light rail vehicles (i.e. trams or streetcars).

Who is this seminar for?

This seminar will be useful to PCBUs, WHS consultants, researchers and workers across all industries, but with a particular focus on the rail transport industry.

About the presenter

Associate Professor Anjum Naweed, Central Queensland University, has over 15 years’ experience across a range of industry sectors, complex domains and occupational settings. 

He has a PhD in applied cognitive science and is a certified professional ergonomist. He currently serves as a scientific editor for Applied Ergonomics and has been a scientific convenor for the Australasian Simulation Congress on four consecutive occasions.

About Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common type of work-related injury in Australia, accounting for around half of all workers’ compensation claims. They also have a broader impact on individuals and society, with nearly 7 million Australians self-reporting an MSD in the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2017-18 National Health Survey (NHS). The costs of health care and compensation for MSDs, combined with the impacts of loss of income and early retirement pose a significant economic burden.

As Australian workers increasingly delay retirement for economic reasons, workers are exposed for longer periods to workplace hazards – physical and psychosocial – linked with work-related MSDs (WMSDs). WMSDs pose increasing risks as Australia’s population ages, especially for older workers who are more prone to other chronic health conditions. These factors point to the importance of introducing interventions for WMSDs.