Around one-third of serious workplace injuries are caused by manual handling, it emerged today.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said more than 2,650 injuries reported last year came from lifting or moving loads.
Employers have been are warned that addressing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace is a legal requirement.
A regional seminar focusing on the issue will be held today in Galway's Marriott Hotel.
The HSA said MSDs are also the most common work-related health issue across the European Union, affecting millions of workers each year.
"Some 25 per cent of workers complain of backache, and 23 per cent report muscular pains, while 35 per cent of workers carry or move loads, and 46 per cent report working in painful or tiring positions," said a HSA spokesman.
PA