NSC Report Highlights Progress and Gaps in MSD Prevention
The National Safety Council’s 2024–2025 MSD Solutions Index Pledge Community Report finds many organizations strengthening safety culture but urges clearer risk-reduction goals and broader adoption of MSD prevention tools and technologies.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Dec 15, 2025
The National Safety Council has released its 2024–2025 MSD Solutions Index Pledge Community Report, highlighting continued progress in preventing musculoskeletal disorders while calling for increased investment in measurable risk reduction and innovation.
Musculoskeletal disorders remain the most common workplace injury, according to the council. Now in its third year, the MSD Solutions Index shows that organizations are strengthening safety culture and worker engagement, though progress in reducing exposure risks and adopting prevention technologies remains uneven.
Developed by the NSC MSD Solutions Lab, the index evaluates organizations across three areas: risk reduction, safety culture and innovation, and collaboration. The lab was established in 2021 with funding from Amazon.
Among organizations participating in the latest reporting cycle, 76% were rated proactive or advancing in their approaches to MSD prevention. However, the report found slower progress in setting measurable risk reduction goals and implementing tools and technologies designed to prevent MSDs.
Nearly three-quarters of organizations that have participated in the index for three consecutive years improved their overall scores, the report found, suggesting sustained participation and focus on MSD prevention can lead to long-term safety improvements.
“We’re encouraged to see organizations’ continued commitment to improving workplace safety through proactive culture-building and worker engagement,” said Paige DeBaylo, director of the MSD Solutions Lab. “At the same time, the findings show more work is needed to set clear risk reduction goals, address non-physical risk factors, and leverage emerging technologies.”
The report found that nearly 90% of participating organizations have an ergonomics or MSD prevention program in place, and more companies are tracking leading indicators tied to injury prevention. While 98% of organizations recognize the impact of non-physical risk factors such as job stress and social support, only about half measure those factors. Three-quarters of respondents reported engaging with MSD prevention technology, though one-quarter said they have limited knowledge of available solutions.
The MSD Solutions Index is part of the MSD Pledge, a global initiative launched in 2022 to encourage organizations to reduce workplace MSDs through innovation, collaboration, and data-driven safety practices. Hundreds of companies have signed the pledge to date.
The report recommends that organizations strengthen MSD prevention by setting clear goals, involving frontline workers in safety decisions, and adopting higher-level controls, including engineering solutions and technology-enabled interventions.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.