MSD accounts for 1/2 of all absences from work in the EU*

The Scale of the Problem in the EU

1. MSDs Are Among the Most Prevalent Work-Related Health Issues

• According to EU-OSHA, musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common work-related ailments affecting millions of workers across Europe and resulting in significant costs for employers and society. They encompass injuries affecting back, neck, shoulders and limbs that range from minor pain to chronic conditions requiring time off work or even leading to disability. EU-OSHA
• Data from the EU Labour Force Survey show that around 6.0% of EU workers reported suffering bone, joint or muscle problems that were caused or made worse by their job in a given year — a non-trivial share of the workforce. European Commission
• Other compendia estimate that MSDs affect at least 100 million people in Europe, accounting for half of all absences from work and up to 60% of permanent work incapacity. Musculoskeletal Key*

This structural prevalence underscores that manual handling tasks remain a core source of work-related injury throughout EU member states.

2. Injury Types and Contexts: Manual Handling as a Cause

• Eurostat data show that dislocations, sprains and strains — injury types strongly associated with manual handling and physical exertion — accounted for 26.8% of all non-fatal workplace accidents in the EU in 2023. These injury types often include MSDs of the back and limbs that result from lifting, pushing, pulling and carrying tasks. European Commission
• Within the transportation and storage sector, work involving handling equipment and movement of objects accounted for a significant share of non-fatal accidents, highlighting risk factors directly relevant to activities with roll cages, pallet jacks, sack trucks and similar devices. European Commission
• Specifically in the distributive trades (which includes retail and warehousing operations), a substantial proportion of both non-fatal and fatal accidents were linked to losing control of transport and handling equipment — which would often include roll cages and trolleys — particularly in countries such as Germany, Spain and Austria. European Commission

Arthritis, rheumatic diseases and Corpal Tunnel Syndrome (CRS) are effected by manual handling. 

Case Example: Transportation and Logistics (Roll Cages, Roll Containers)

Workers in transportation, warehousing and logistics routinely push, pull and manoeuvre loaded cages, pallets and trolleys:

• In transport and storage sectors, manual handling accounted for a notable proportion of musculoskeletal sprain/strain injuries, with national data indicating that over 40% of all non-fatal injuries were due to physical strain on the musculoskeletal system in certain reporting periods. HSA
• UK industry figures reported that lifting and moving by hand were the main causes of reportable accidents in freight and logistics, with bad backs being the most common injury as early as the mid-2000s. HSE
• Logistics sector analyses have shown that rates of musculoskeletal disorders are around 50% higher than the national averages for all industries, reflecting the frequent forceful exertions involved in moving loads. Logistics Matters

These insights are illustrative of persistent, real-world injury patterns in tasks that involve the pushing/pulling of loaded cages and carts, which is directly analogous to supermarket roll cage handling.

40% of workplace injuries were physical strain on the musculoskeletal system

Case Example: Warehouse and Retail Stock Movement

Retail and warehousing environments — including supermarkets — have inherent ergonomic hazards:

• Retail stacking/unstacking tasks and wheeled rack movements are highlighted as key causes of MSDs in food and drink sectors, where pushing trolleys and racks often lead to back injuries and repetitive strain complaints. HSE
• Detailed safety investigations commonly list wheeled racks and trolleys among the most problematic manual handling tasks when carrying out risk assessments, particularly where loads are unstable, heavy or awkward to grip. ICW

Although national figures (e.g., from the UK) are not EU-wide, they are broadly consistent with wider EU-OSHA findings about common causes of MSDs across sectors where manual handling and movement of goods are routine.

Wheeled racks and trolleys are among the most problematic manual handling tasks

Case Example: Healthcare and Patient Handling (Wheelchairs)

Healthcare workers often experience MSDs due to manual patient handling, such as repositioning or assisting people, further exacerbated by tasks involving movement of wheelchairs and mobility aids without mechanical assistance. Occupational research confirms that caregivers bear heavy loads on the lower back and shoulders during patient handling tasks absent ergonomic aids. arXiv

Manual handling is not only a problem for goods movement but also in human logistics contexts.

Country and Sector Variation

While country-specific injury reporting systems and legal frameworks vary, available data suggest:

1. Variation in Reporting and Incidence

• Eurostat’s work accident data show that the incidence rate of non-fatal accidents and underlying injury types differs across EU member states, with some (like Portugal, Spain and France) reporting higher standardised non-fatal accident rates than others. European Commission
• In the transportation and storage sector, the proportion of accidents associated with transport and handling equipment varied significantly between countries — with Romania among those with high shares for non-fatal accidents attributable to handling equipment. European Commission

This graph shows how countries compare on workforce MSD prevalence and manual handling accident rates, highlighting where ergonomic interventions like iTip Safety Handles could be most beneficial.

Citations for the Graph Data

• Musculoskeletal disorder prevalence (EU): 6.0 % of workers reported bone, joint or muscle problems caused or made worse by their job (EU‑LFS 2020). European Commission
• Workplace accidents (EU 2023): 2.82 million non‑fatal and 3,298 fatal accidents at work in the EU. European Commission
• Accident causes linked to handling and physical stress: ~19.7 % physical stress, 12.4 % handling of objects, ~11.3 % related to transport/handling equipment. European Commission

Note; These variations may reflect differences in national reporting systems, sectoral labour composition, ergonomic risk management practices and legislative enforcement, rather than innate differences in injury risk alone. However, it provides an of the wider problem across the EU. 

2. Occupational Disease Recognition

Eurostat occupational disease statistics indicate that cases of shoulder lesions and soft-tissue musculoskeletal disorders increased over a decade in the EU, suggesting persistent or emerging recognition of these conditions in work-related reporting systems. European Commission

Illustrative Statistics (Summary)

Note: EU-wide statistics on specific tasks (like pushing loaded cages or sack trucks) are not systematically reported under a single harmonised category; however, associated injury categories (e.g., sprains/strains, body movement with physical stress) provide proxy measures for manual handling risk.

Implications for Roll Cages, Sack Trucks and related devices

Based on these data and case patterns:

• Tasks involving repetitive pushing/pulling (e.g., stocked roll cages or sack trucks) contribute significantly to back, shoulder and upper limb MSDs, aligning with broader EU-OSHA risk factor profiles for manual handling. EU-OSHA
• Sector differences matter: transport/logistics, warehousing, retail and healthcare show consistently elevated MSD burdens related to physical handling work.
• National variations in reporting underscore the importance of proactive risk assessment and ergonomics rather than reliance on country averages alone.

ezTip Safety Handles providing MSD protection on a sack truck

Conclusion

Manual handling injuries — especially MSDs associated with moving loads and handling devices like roll cages, sack trucks and wheelchairs — remain a major occupational health challenge across the EU. While harmonised task-specific EU data are limited, broader work injury statistics demonstrate that sprains, strains and physical stress injuries account for a large proportion of non-fatal work accidents, and many of these are linked to handling and movement of loads. European Commission

Country-level data further suggest variability in incidence and causes, highlighting the need for targeted ergonomic interventions and preventive measures tailored to local work contexts.

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