Occupational medicine and ergonomics: a new paradigm for improved management of ergonomic risks

Despite the existence of numerous initiatives and methods to prevent occupational risks and improve workplace well-being, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) remain a major health concern in European countries. Without doubt, the cause of this worrying situation is multifactorial, and various disease management approaches have been proposed in the scientific literature. However, the authors of this article identified a gap that should be considered: collaboration between occupational health professionals and ergonomists would lead to more efficient ergonomic interventions and proper implementation of proactive measures for occupational health and safety. The paper presents a brief literature review and proposes a methodological framework that englobes the cooperation of occupational health professionals and ergonomists for implementation of ergonomic interventions.