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Some common workplace ergonomic issues

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Well, you know you have been busy when you go to do your next Blog Post and notice that the previous one was about 5 months ago! Not “all work and no play” though – I managed to squeeze in a fortnight’s holiday in that time, including an escape to some sunny weather 🙂

 

So, in thinking about what I would write about for this update I thought it might be a good time to summarise some of the common workplace ergonomic “themes” that I have been coming across during those months – honestly, they are no different to the usual issues but certainly provide some simple starting points to think about if you are wondering how best to set up yourself or your staff members in a computer-based working environment.

 

Everyone is individual

A bit of a ‘vanilla’ statement but certainly a major point to highlight the importance of an ergonomic assessment for each and every staff member to ensure that they are optimally set up to lower their risk of developing a workplace injury.

 

Lately, I have come across a string of really tall people – over 6 foot / 183cm – that seem to dwarf the equipment they are working with/on. Contrast that with a couple of “5-foot nothings” and you can clearly see that the “one size fits all” approach to an office fit-out (i.e. same desk and chair) does not work for everyone.

 

For my taller clients I have had to put in varying strategies to raise their desks and give them the room they require for their lower limbs, from a humble little device called a “deskalator”, through to arranging the supply of an electric height adjustable standing desk.  Having their working surface set at the correct height enables them to be more relaxed through their upper body and have sufficient under desk space to not feel cramped in their legs.

For my shorter clients I quite often need to look at their chair and make recommendations for a smaller seat base – if the seat base is too long it either means they cannot sit back far enough to engage appropriately with the lumbar support and maintain their natural spinal curves consistently in a seated position throughout the day, or they have unnecessary pressure behind their knees that leads to increasing lower leg discomfort over time.

 

Obviously there are many other individual differences between people that will be considered during a formal ergonomic workplace assessment, including the nature of the specific work tasks that they are required to perform in their varied roles.


“I didn’t know it did that!”

Sure, everyone in the office might have been given a fully adjustable, Aus-standards approved, ergonomic chair but I can bet that not everyone knows how to adjust it appropriately, or even that it actually has the different adjustments built into it.

 

This one always surprises me as it can be such a simple thing to show a person that the seat base angle or height of the backrest is actually adjustable and make an immediate difference to their actual seated comfort. I might be doing myself out of some work by saying this but if you are engaged in a business as a WHS or HR manager one of the simplest things you can do to improve the seated posture of your staff members and reduce their risk of injury is to make sure that they all know how to adjust their equipment in the first place.

 

A huge source of satisfaction I get from my role is in educating people on things that they do not know about the human body and ways they can help to protect it from discomfort and pain. I love spending time with individuals to go over subjects such as anatomy of the spine, the importance of maintaining “good posture”(or what I prefer to refer to as the “natural spinal curves”), and how they can protect themselves from injury through some simple changes to their bodies alignment whilst performing their normal working practices. I probably shouldn’t say it is not “rocket science” given that it took me 4 years of university and 20+ years of practice to develop the knowledge that I have, but I try to make it seem like that by keeping my explanation simple and interesting to ensure that the ideal level of understanding is achieved and the commitment is there to make long-term changes where required.

 

There’s a solution to most problems

There’s an old saying that goes “You don’t know what you don’t know” and when it comes to ergonomic equipment most people probably do not realise the range of items available that can be used to address the many problems that can be encountered during the performance of computer-based working tasks. And to be honest there is no reason that most people should know – a standard keyboard and mouse are usually all that is required to operate the computer equipment and complete the work tasks that are part of their role.

 

But sometimes people have specific injuries or physical limitations which means we need to look at other options, and in most cases there is something that has already been designed specifically to help address the individual’s issues. Whether it is a laptop stand, an ergonomically shaped keyboard, an adjustable footstool, some type of document holder or a different input device, such as an ergonomic mouse, trackpad or rollermouse, I am generally able to make a recommendation that will improve that individual’s comfort whilst working.

 

If you would like to discuss any specific workplace concerns or arrange for Ergo Experts to attend your workplace and undertake an ergonomic workstation assessment please call on 0409 512 434 or email info@ergoexperts.com.au

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