Every day a large proportion of employees sit for hours on end at their workstation. Often times many of these people can suffer from a variety of posture related injuries like muscle strain or stress related injuries due to the work station or work environment not being tailored to their needs. As people work they tend to slouch or adopt poor postures. Over time it is an accumulation of these stresses that encourage regular back and neck pain that can reduce productivity and employee comfort.

The 2011 PRIME Study found that 35.5% of adults in Ireland suffer from chronic pain, with 12% of adults being deemed unable to work or being forced to work reduced hours. The cost per chronic pain patient was estimated as €5,665 per employee per year! An increase in physical issues at work means Health and Safety officers are called in like firefighters to deal with each individual scenario. Overall employee productivity levels will tend to drop and absenteeism rates will gradually rise also.

To remedy these issues, many organisations are looking to Ergonomics to save time and money while also enabling employees to be more comfortable and productive.

ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENTS

An Ergonomic Assessment or VDU Assessment by a trained individual helps to analyze a person’s workstation and their working habits. It is carried out to ensure they are setup to work with minimal risk of injury and in as much comfort as possible. Each Assessment looks at a number of key factors that can impact one's ability to work efficiently.

Such as:

• Posture at the workstation
• Working Habits
• Environmental factors such as temperature, lighting and noise
• Physical work demand
• Workstation setup and the equipment being used
• Mouse/Keyboard use
• Recommendations on workstation setup and worker habits are then made by the assessor to reduce stress and strain on workers thus making them more productive. If any specialist equipment is required this will be recommended by the trained assessor.

BENEFITS OF ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENTS

• Reduces risk of injury: A lower risk of injury means the Health and Safety personnel will have more time for other areas that require extra care.
• Improving comfort: Good posture with less exertion and strain will make it easier for employees to carry out their work, thus helping them to become more efficient without the risk of injuring themselves.
• Reducing operational costs:By improving ergonomics in a company, you reduce the amount of sick days and workplace injuries. Essentially, you will have a healthier workforce.
• Using ergonomics to promote a safer work environment will help to establish a culture of safety and one where employee's health is valued highly. Ergonomics shows a company’s genuine commitment to safety and health.
• Healthy, comfortable employees are a company's most valuable asset; creating and fostering an ergonomic-consciouergonomic-conscious culture at a company will lead to better human performance for the organization and an increase in time.

If you would like any further information on Ergonomic Assessments or if you would like to speak with one of our Ergonomic Consultants, please call 0504 43341