The European Week of Safety and Health at Work will be held from 22 to 26 October 2007 and will focus on the theme of "Musculoskeletal Disorders". The week will see the culmination of a European campaign entitled Lighten the Load - A European Campaign on Musculoskeletal Disorders. The campaign aims to promote an integrated management approach to tackle musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) embracing prevention of MSDs, and the retention, rehabilitation and reintegration of workers who already suffer from MSDs. Run by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the campaign involves employers, workers, workers' safety representatives, practitioners, preventive services, policy makers and other stakeholders in improving MSD prevention at the workplace level.

MSDs affect millions of European workers across all employment sectors, with the highest rates found in agriculture and construction. The cost to individual companies, individual workers and their families, and to Europe and society at large, is high. Any worker can be affected, yet the problem can be prevented or reduced by following existing health and safety regulations, and is preventable by applying proper risk assessments, putting in place appropriate preventive measures based on guidance and good practice, and checking that these measures remain effective.

For more information on MSDs, see the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety. It includes chapters on Musculoskeletal System and Ergonomics, as well as the following articles : Musculoskeletal disorders among fishermen and workers in the fish processing industry, Musculoskeletal disorders among visual display units operators and Effect of psychosocial work factors on musculoskeletal disorders.

The ILO CISDOC bibliographic database contains references to numerous books, training manuals, articles, etc. on various OHS-related subjects including MSDs.