Current research suggests that nearly 70% of the U.S. workforce suffers from some sort of pain while completing their daily job requirements. With worker pain comes lower productivity, increased absenteeism, and higher workers’ compensation costs. Smart companies are addressing employee pain with proactive preventative ergonomic practices to help improve employee health and impact their bottom line.
Most people have probably heard the word ergonomics and may think it has something to do with office chairs or tools to help with posture support. In reality, those are just pieces of ergonomics. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), ergonomics is the science of designing a job tasks to physically fit the worker instead of forcing the worker to make their body fit the job tasks.
Ergonomists take the information known about how the body functions at its best and then adapt tasks, create tools, and modify work stations to help reduce physical stress on a worker’s body. When creating a work environment that helps the worker complete tasks in their natural and non-stressed state, the risk of potentially serious, debilitating musculoskeletal disorders is reduced.
When an employee is asked to complete tasks and use equipment that does not include ergonomic principles in their design, they are exposed to physical strain, stress, and overexertion. Research suggests that when a worker’s tasks are adapted to include ergonomic principles that reduce physical stress in the workplace, up to half of all serious musculoskeletal injuries could be eliminated each year dramatically improving employee health.
Implementing preventative ergonomic principles not only influences employee well-being but also impacts company productivity. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, work-related musculoskeletal injuries account for more than one-third of all workday lost cases. Including ergonomic principles in worker tasks impacts a company’s bottom line by decreasing absenteeism and lowering the number of workers’ compensation claims.
There are three types of ergonomic principles—physical, cognitive, and environmental.
Musculoskeletal disorders affect workers in almost every industry and work environment. The disorders are most commonly diagnosed in those whose job frequently involves:
When in an office setting, there are several important practices that can be implemented to help reduce the risk of a musculoskeletal injury.
In an office setting, the number one way to reduce musculoskeletal injuries is to set up the workspace so a worker can complete their tasks in a neutral position. Neutral position can be accomplished with a few easy adjustments.
To avoid undue stress on your wrists, shoulders, neck, and back, when sitting at a desk, one should create an “L” position with the elbows under the shoulders and hips slightly higher than your knees. For most workers, the only way to accomplish this shape is with an adjustable chair. A fully-adjustable chair allows for height changes, seat-tilting, lumbar support adjustment.
When in a seated position, to achieve proper neutral position, your feet must be flat on the floor. This is one simple step that is often overlooked when creating an ergonomically friendly space but floating feet can lead to lower back stress. To accomplish this position, one can simply lower your chair. However, if your chair is not adjustable or you are unable to sit lower due to another medical condition, the feet should be supported with a foot stool.
Looking down or up for an extended period of time is considered an awkward position and causes stress on the neck. To avoid holding your neck in an awkward position, it is best to raise computers to eye-level. This can be done with monitor risers or with a laptop stand.
The first step in integrating proper ergonomics and reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries for your employees is to complete an ergonomic assessment that identifies current workplace hazards. The skilled professionals at Briotix can provide a comprehensive assessment the existing risks and provides specific steps to address each.