This report was commissioned by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.

The main objective of the research project whose findings are presented in this report was to investigate if and how specific characteristics of the workforce (namely gender, nationality, sexual orientation and gender identity, and age) are associated with a greater likelihood of being in a job with higher exposure to poor working conditions, OSH risks and health-related issues, with a specific focus on MSDs.

With reference to the three groups of workers within the scope of this research project (that is women workers, migrant workers and LGBTI workers), the specific objectives were to:

  • increase knowledge and improve access to information related to working conditions and Workforce diversity and musculoskeletal disorders: review of facts and figures and case examples European Agency for Safety and Health at Work – EU-OSHA 6 health risks, specifically of MSDs;
  • identify and analyse patterns of occupational segregation;
  • identify the sectors and the occupations/jobs in which workers are more likely to be exposed to MSD risks and to suffer from MSDs, and to explore the reasons underlying this phenomenon;
  • explore the relationship between psychosocial risks (including discrimination in the workplace) and the risk of MSDs;
  • identify and provide information on existing policies or practices in EU Member States and at workplace level aimed at preventing MSDs among the groups of workers under analysis;
  • provide information to support the development of resources for the Europe-wide Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2020-2022 on musculoskeletal disorders.
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