Musculoskeletal disorders symposium to be held in Brisbane

The inaugural Musculoskeletal Disorders Symposium (MSD) will be held at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre from 3-4 March 2015.

Delegates to the symposium will hear about the latest research and best practice approaches to MSD risk management, including the characteristics of high-performing workplaces, the critical role leadership plays in creating a good safety culture and the business benefits of managing MSDs.

There will be dedicated sessions on the link between MSDs and psychosocial risk factors, the link between MSDs and chronic disease risk factors (including sedentary work), and how to engage workers on MSD risk factors.

Professor Dennis Else, executive director, safety, sustainability and health, Brookfield Multiplex Australasia and director, the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living, will deliver a keynote presentation on the OHS characteristics of high-performing workplaces. Professor Else has significant experience with occupational health and safety, including being the chair of the Australian National Occupational Health and Safety Commission for six years.

Professor Else will explore evidence that leaders can grow adaptive organisational cultures to enhance safety and profitability simultaneously, including: the characteristics of adaptive and high-reliability organisations; integrating high performance into workplace design; leading for high performance and due diligence; a case study of integrating high performance and occupational health and safety performance.

The symposium will also feature a myth-busting panel session and a range of case studies presented by Queensland businesses.