The news. Quebec's workplace health and safety board, the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST), launched its first campaign on ergonomic risks at work on November 9, according to its news release (in French). These risks affect about 35,000 workers every year. In 2025, they caused more than a third of the roughly 104,000 injuries accepted by the CNESST.
The campaign. Its theme is "Ergonomic risks at work have real consequences." Ads are running on TV, online, on YouTube and on the radio until December 13, 2026. This year, the CNESST is also working with content creators to reach young people.
What this is about. Ergonomic risks can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). According to the CNESST (in French), these are injuries to joints, muscles, tendons or ligaments, often caused by overloaded tissues. The best-known examples are back pain, shoulder pain and tendinitis. Signs to watch for include pain, stiffness, fatigue in one part of the body, swelling or numbness. The CNESST recommends seeing a health professional as soon as symptoms start, because at an advanced stage the problem can become irreversible.
The employer's role. Workplaces must put measures in place to eliminate, reduce and control these risks, says the CNESST's prevention page (in French). Poor postures and efforts beyond the body's ability to recover can cause pain or MSDs.
If you are hurt. The CNESST lists the steps. Tell your employer quickly, even if you don't need medical care. See the health professional of your choice: they will give you a medical certificate. If you can't work for the rest of the day, your employer must pay you 100% of your wages for that day. For the next 14 days, your employer pays you 90% of your net wages for the days you would normally have worked. You have 6 months from the date of the accident to file your claim with the CNESST, online through MonEspace CNESST.
Good to know for newcomers. Pain that keeps coming back after work is not "normal" just because the job is physical: that is exactly the warning sign the CNESST wants people to recognize. Keep a note of the date the pain started and what you were doing. For your other rights at work, our guide to Quebec labour standards sums them up. The new prevention rules in force since October 1 are explained in our August 31 article.
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