ABSTRACT
In November 2009, three train drivers collectively claimed damages from their employer after developing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). They claimed that their conditions were work related. The judge of the case could not conclude that the CTS was work related but failings to comply with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998) were established. An article in Rail Professional Magazine in May 2011, ‘When the train causes a strain’, highlighted the need for suitable risk assessments to be undertaken in relation to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In response to the legal case described, RSSB was asked by theAssociation of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) to undertake some research in this area. The work was undertaken under project T940, Identifying, quantifying and managing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries and illness among train drivers. The first phase of work was to establish whether there was existing information, tools and processes that could be used to assess and manage MSD risk in train drivers. These tools and processes could not be identified and subsequently a bespoke tool was developed to address this gap.
