NSC Marks Five Years of Combating Ergonomic Injuries
Nearly 300 organizations join global initiative to reduce musculoskeletal disorders, which cost U.S. businesses $19 billion annually.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- Jun 23, 2026
A global initiative dedicated to reducing the most common type of workplace injury celebrated its fifth anniversary on Tuesday, June 23, during the annual Workplace Safety Summit.
The National Safety Council highlighted the progress of its MSD Solutions Lab, an initiative launched in 2021 to address musculoskeletal disorders. These injuries, which include sprains, strains and repetitive motion injuries, impact nearly 25% of the global population.
In the United States, ergonomic injuries cost private sector businesses more than $19 billion annually, according to industry data.
The summit, held during National Safety Month, brought together safety professionals and industry partners to share strategies for mitigating these injuries. The safety council noted that its signature MSD Pledge initiative now includes nearly 300 organizations, representing more than 3 million employees worldwide.
According to recent benchmarking data from the initiative, nearly 75% of participating employers improved their workplace safety scores over the last three years.
Since its inception, the lab has published more than 50 research reports, toolkits and educational resources. The initiative has also hosted annual challenges to identify emerging safety technologies and distributed more than $1 million in grants to fund practical injury prevention solutions.
The safety council encourages employers to access its open-source tools and join the pledge community to reduce preventable workplace injuries.
About the Author
Jesse Jacobs is assistant editor of OHSOnline.com.