The Occupational Safety & Health Administration agency, which is charged with worker and workplace conditions, regulations, and enforcements, claims that nearly 2 million workers per year have a musculoskeletal disorder, resulting in 600,000 workers losing time from work. While most of the injuries keep the afflicted away from work for about seven days, some can keep them out for months and even cause permanent disability. That results in losses estimated at $15 billion to $18 billion per year in direct costs and extrapolated losses estimated at more than $45 billion.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the industries with the highest incidents of musculoskeletal disorders include transportation, health care, warehousing, wholesale trade, retail and construction. Such jobs as nursing assistants, janitors, registered nurses, stock clerks, production workers, retail salespeople, maids and housekeepers, and police and firefighters are among the occupations most vulnerable to musculoskeletal injuries.
In a 2011 survey, 33 percent of all worker injuries and illnesses could be traced to musculoskeletal disorders.
Ergonomics Saves
One of the ways that businesses try to cut down on work-related injuries is through the study of ergonomics, which is defined as studying work and fitting people to the job tasks they are bested suited to perform. By fitting the worker to the job, ergonomics can cut down on many work-related injuries. Such simple steps as adjusting the design of workstations, the location of controls and displays, the use of safety devices, and the creation of proper chairs with adjusted heights can go a long way toward cutting way down on musculoskeletal disorders.
Many workplaces, usually without anyone realizing it, offer a variety of ergonomic hazards. Simply having to sit too far away from the keyboard can cause wrist and hand injuries from reaching for computer workers, and the need for repetitive maneuvers or awkward postures can contribute to worker problems among other occupations. While these may seem like minor injuries, they can be extremely painful and debilitating for those afflicted with the conditions.
The key to successful ergonomic studies is improving efficiency, which usually increases productivity. While some companies complain that the increased costs of implementing ergonomic standards are severe and growth-stifling, others realize that the lost man and woman-hours from easily preventable injuries carry a far greater price.
Computer Issues
In our information-driven economy, many musculoskeletal injuries occur while office workers are sitting at their computers. Thus, it is imperative that a cubicle or workstation have the right furniture and equipment set at the proper height and provides maximum comfort that minimizes reaching, awkward postures, bending and the need for force. A good workstation should have the flexibility and ability to allow workers to adjust their posture to suit their individual physical needs.
That includes such computer basics as detachable keyboards that can be adjusted for height; brightness controls on the monitors and the ability to move them around and tilt them up or down as needed; copy trays that sit near where the material generated needs to be stored; and anti-glare filters that cut back on glare. It’s also suggested that harsh overhead lighting be softened to eliminate that stress.
A Good Ergonomic Chair
True comfort, though, starts with the chair. A typical employee will sit for about six hours or more in the chair, so it’s important that she or he be able to adjust the height and move it so that access to the work area doesn’t require a straining reach.
The so-called “popliteal” height is considered the goal of chair height. This is defined as the height from the floor to the employee’s crease behind the knee. The foot sole should be able to rest on the floor (or a footrest, if the person is short), and the back of the knee should be just a tad higher than the seat of the chair, permitting good blood flow in the legs.
Any armrests on the chair should support the lower arms but should not interfere with the chair’s position in relation to the workstation. In other words, make sure the chair isn’t blocking the access to the keyboard, causing the employee to sit in a strange position and potentially causing strain. The upper arms should remain close to the body. Of course, the armrests should be padded and not have sharp edges. Backrests on the chair should support the entire back, including the all-important lower back. This should permit comfortable postures that can be adjusted to suit and not be locked into place.
The seats should be able to be adjusted to suit the employee height and have a way so that the seat can be changed, either with a knob or by shifting weight. The seat should be comfortably padded and have what’s known as a waterfall edge, which gently curves into the floor. Obviously, in this age of obesity, make sure the chair is wide enough to support differing hip sizes.
Finally, make sure the chair has a strong base and casters that allow easy movement of the chair. It should be sturdy and the chair should not be easily rocked.
Management, Workers Unite
Preventing workplace injuries requires management and labor to work together to identify and solve issues that may affect worker safety. It’s important to emphasize that no one should ever exceed their limits of physical exertion in lifting or bending, and any pain caused by repetitive stress should be noted to find alternatives. Training in the proper ways to lift and perform tasks are an important part of the overall ergonomic process, and labor and management should perform frequent evaluations of the ongoing process to assess whether new issues have arisen or if old processes should re-examined.
Voluntary and cooperative solutions are much preferable to local, state and federal mandates. The law requires employers to maintain healthy workplaces and safeguards retaliatory actions. OSHA can provide an on-site consultation if requested.