Workers Health & Safety Centre

Members Login

RSIs and MSDs: Prevention starts here

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Instagram Youtube
Go to News Index ►
February 11, 2026 Training, Work hazards, Prevention, Vulnerable Workers
Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs) get one day of awareness annually, but they demand prevention every day.

Also known as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), RSIs and their awareness are the focus of international efforts on February 28, or February 29, the only non-repeating day in the calendar. RSIs/MSDs aren’t caused by bad posture or because people work ‘wrong’. They occur when work is organised in a way that fails to account for the physical limits of the human body. From a health and safety standpoint, this includes job designs that place ongoing or excessive physical demands on workers without appropriate controls, rest, or ergonomic support, thereby leading to muscle, tendon and tissue damage over time. Motions of daily life that are simple, familiar, and usually harmless, when repeated endlessly on the job, can become exhausting, painful, and debilitating.

Did you know that Ontario and federal occupational health and safety legislation require employers to actively identify ergonomic hazards, implement preventive controls, and train workers to participate in these prevention activities? When employers fail to act, they put both worker health and legal compliance on the line.

In case you missed it! In an effort to support workers, their representatives, supervisors, and other workplace parties, Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC) ergonomics training courses are $40 per person per course (whether taken virtually, in-person or onsite), representing a savings of up to $80 per registrant. Secure your discounted rate by booking before February 28, including future training sessions. WHSC is Ontario’s designated occupational health and safety training centre.

Choose from general to more sector-specific ergonomics training:
  • Work Organization (3 hours, virtual)
    Over three hours, this program looks at how scheduling, workload, technology and pace of work affect worker health and MSD risk factors. Participants learn to recognize harmful work organisation patterns and explore practical measures—like job rotation and improved scheduling—that support healthier, safer work.
  • Patient Handling (3 hours, virtual)
    This three-hour program focuses on the lifting, transferring and repositioning tasks that drive MSD rates among health care workers. Participants learn how to assess patient handling hazards, understand relevant legislation and support strong prevention policies and programs in their workplaces.
  • Manual Material Handling (3 hours, virtual)
    In this three-hour session, participants explore hazards of lifting, carrying and other manual handling tasks and review guidelines such as the NIOSH lifting equation. They leave with practical strategies for safer work design, mechanical aids and other controls to protect workers. (Also available in French.)
  • Hand Tools (3 hours, virtual)
    This three-hour program links the design and use of hand tools to common MSD injuries. Participants learn how to spot tool-related hazards, apply relevant standards and develop an action plan to reduce risk factors—an essential step anywhere hand tools are used. (Also available in French.)
  • Ergonomics: Basic Principles (1 day, virtual or in-person)
    Over a full day, participants learn how everyday job tasks can harm the musculoskeletal system, and what practical changes can prevent that harm. The program is designed to empower workers, reps and supervisors to identify MSD hazards and recommend effective ergonomic solutions.
  • Ergonomics: Applying Prevention Principles at Work (1 day, virtual)
    This full-day program builds on Ergonomics: Basic Principles and is aimed at those taking a more hands-on role in MSD prevention. Participants dig deeper into the science and legislation behind ergonomics and practice using assessment tools to design safer work.
  • Ergonomics in Health Care and Social Services (3 hours, virtual)
    Designed specifically for health care and social service settings, this three-hour program looks at the unique ergonomic risk factors in these sectors. Participants learn how to identify hazardous tasks that cause awkward postures, force and repetition, and explore prevention strategies supported by sector-specific tools and resources.
  • Ergonomics and MSDs (3 hours, virtual or in-person)
    In this three-hour program, participants learn what MSDs are, how they develop and how poor work design contributes to these injuries. The focus is on helping JHSCs and others recognize, assess and control MSD risks before workers are seriously hurt.
  • Ergonomic Toolbox (3 hours, virtual or in-person)
    This three-hour session gives participants practical, ready-to-use tools for spotting and solving ergonomic hazards in their own workplaces. It’s ideal for joint health and safety committee (JHSC) members, reps, supervisors and workers who want concrete strategies they can apply right away.

Save by booking now. Train when it works for you.
REGISTER

Ergonomics training in French is also being discounted. Register on our French website to secure your seat or contact WHSC Training Services Representative, Christopher Gervais at cgervais@whsc.on.ca or 613-407-2187 to learn more.

Need more information?
Download and share our discounted Ergonomics Training flyer.
Contact a WHSC Training Services Representative in your area.
Email: contactus@whsc.on.ca
Visit: whsc.on.ca
Connect with and follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube