Firms urged to combat costly RSI.

THE Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has urged Government and employers to take greater steps to protect workers in all industries from repetitive strain injury.

It follows new figures which show that 37,000 workers in the West Midlands are suffering from this disabling condition.

The prevalence rate of RSI in the West Midlands (0.95 per 100 workers) is the fourth highest in Great Britain.

RSI costs employers in Great Britain almost pounds 300 million per year in lost working time, sick pay and administration.

An estimated 3.5 million working days were lost in 2006-07 due to RSI, with each person affected taking over 13 days off sick. However, RSI is usually preventable or treatable with help from an occupational physiotherapist. Bronwyn Clifford, spokeswoman for the CSP and member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics, comments: "Why do we let this situation continue?

"Many thousands of people in the West Midlands are suffering and employers are losing millions of pounds every year through RSI. This is totally unnecessary as RSI can often be avoided with advice on appropriate equipment and safe working practices from occupational health physiotherapists.

"Government and employers must do more to protect the health of employees and prevent a further increase in R SI."