Ergonomics is a science of learning the way people work at their workplaces and modifying it as needed to ensure they keep safe and remain in good health. Thorough understanding of ergonomics of your office and organizing in-office ergonomics training sessions help enterprises prevent any work-related injuries as well. This type of training can help to reduce the risk of any repetitive injuries and help improve their overall work performance and commitment to dedicatedly work even in stressful situations. As a considerate employer, you want your employees to be productive and comfortable while they're at the workplace. Also, ergonomics is the study of how people interact with their environment. When it comes to the workplace, ergonomics training can help employees learn how to set up their workstations in a way that is most comfortable and efficient for them. There are a variety of ergonomics training programs available, so you can choose one that best fits your organizational needs. Whether you provide in-house training or send employees to an outside program, ergonomics training can help your employees be more comfortable and productive at work while keeping safe and healthy.
How Better Ergonomics at Work is Essential?
Almost every one of us is vulnerable to routine aches and pains towards the end of each workday while we leave our office cubicle, and often our stay there is prolonged due to additional work responsibilities. Certainly, we cannot do away from our work responsibilities, but surely we don't want bad ergonomics being the key player in affecting our health status either that may lead into missed days at work or on-the-job injuries due to repetitive motions and/or bad posture. The hazards of poor ergonomics are many which include neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, fatigue, lethargy, poor vision, numbness of hands and feet, and the most common syndrome that is associated with poor ergonomics is carpal tunnel syndrome. We must agree that ergonomics is not just about getting the best office chair, but it has something more to it. How you work in delivering your job duties also plays an important role here. Certainly, we can increase our productivity by working harder, but there is also another way around, to work safely by avoiding such overuse injuries. You cannot alleviate pent-up stresses at work for sure, but you can minimize these routine aches and pains by taking a proactive approach and paying close attention to your work ergonomics.
The Best Practices for Improving Workplace Ergonomics For The People Confined to Cubicles for Long Hours!
Ensure setting up your workstation in an ergonomically correct way. Doing this can eliminate extreme stretching, twisting, and overreaching injuries. You can follow the below directions for setting it up correctly:
Position your head upright with relaxed shoulders and arms.
Your wrists should be positioned straight (at or below) elbow height. A rubber wrist rest/pad in front of your keyboard to rest your forearms can alleviate the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
Your keyboard must be parallel to your arms, so that you don't type with your arms pointing downwards, nor upwards.
Ensure adequate back support, especially to the lower back to avoid developing back ache.
While sitting on a chair, ensure that your knees are always below the hip height.
Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet rest flat on the ground.
The monitor should be placed at least at viewing distance, i.e., 20-25 inches away from your eyes, and the top of the monitor must be parallel or below your eye level.
Using an anti-glare screen for your monitor can certainly prevent unnecessary eye strain and reduce glare.
Ensure stretching every 30 minutes to relax your muscles and avoid any fatigue. You can take small 1-2 minute breaks and relax by just walking around a bit. You can also enjoy a sip of cold beverage every now and then as summers are round the corner now.
If your job duties involve prolonged standing on a hard floor, it is advisable to seek an anti-fatigue mat to minimize the stress on your legs, feet, and back due to prolonged standing.
You must keep all your belongings and/or any materials that are most frequently used at your workplace within easy reach to avoid too much bending, twisting, or straining.
Don't try to lift weights more than what you actually can. Use proper lifting techniques. You can always opt for using dollies, carts, or motorized trucks for carrying any heavy objects.
Use of power tools is always recommended over manual tools for carrying out any repetitive tasks. Even if you are required to use hand tools, you can ensure using tools only with cushioned grips.
For repetitive activities, you can always vary your pace, take short and frequent breaks, and even undertake a different task at the same time to alternate between the two.
1 Health Medical Center Has The Best Ergonomic Trainers On Board!
If you feel the need to improve the ergonomics of your office too, keep in mind the above tips, and to schedule a professional well-structured ergonomics training program, you can contact the experts at 1Health.
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