Ergonomic Ignorance Pain In Workers' Backs

A whopping 37% of Australian employers incorrectly set up workstations contributing a back injury epidemic which is causing Australian workers to take more than 200,000 sick days per year, a new Health Works survey.

The National Occupational Health and Safety Commission says the most common type of non-fatal compensated injuries, which resulted in more than 10 days off work, were sprains and strains of joints and adjacent muscles, accounting for 54 percent of claims.

Back injury accounted for a further 25 percent and body stressing for 44 percent.

Over 185 Human Resource and Occupational Health and Safety professionals representing 93,000 staff from companies Australia wide responded to the Health Works survey.

Other survey results revealed that 80 per cent of staff use a computer and of those 22 per cent use a laptop. The health risks of working on a computer are alarming. In another recent survey of 124 white collar workers, Health Works found that 79 per cent of employees worked more than 6 hours a day on a computer and 41 per cent of employees reported elbow and wrist problems.

According to CEO of Health Works, Ken Buckley, the increasing trend to hotdesking can place staff at increased risk of suffering from repetition strain injuries or occupational overuse syndrome if the work desk is not set up correctly.

"If a workstation isn't set up properly, the body's tissues and tendons get stressed out from the repetitive movements. The use of laptops is often a contributing factor," says Buckley. "Companies which require their staff to work off site can spend up to 50 per cent of their time using a laptop."

"There is a general lack of awareness amongst employees and employers alike on the importance of ergonomics in the workplace. Employees should be not forced to work under conditions that endanger their health or wellbeing," says Buckley.

"Both staff and employers play a role in ensuring their working space is ergonomic but it all starts with education."

Health Works has released an 'Ergonomics in the Workplace' booklet which offers employees advice on how work stations should be set up, how to correctly position desktop computers and laptops. It also provides a checklist on the ideal way to sit at a computer so that elbows are bent at 90 degrees with forearms and wrists resting on the desk.

Health Works offers the following advice on how to sit correctly in an ergonomic manner:

• Feet are resting on the floor

• Knees are bent with hips slightly higher than the knees

• Both thighs and buttocks resting on the whole seat

• Lower up and back is supported

• The chair should be close to the desk at waist height

• Elbows are bent at 90 degrees with forearms and wrists resting on the desk

• Neck is relaxed, eyes are straight ahead with the monitor between 5-0-80 cm from the body

"Injuries related to ergonomics can be easily prevented if managed correctly," says Buckley.

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Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:35 EST