Ergonomics

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics, ‘ergon’ meaning "work" and ‘nomos’ meaning law, is the practical and scientific study of making the environment and its surrounding equipment fit people instead of asking people to fit the environment i.e. the work fits the worker.
With the demands of modern day life and a significant increase in IT within business and industry, most jobs nowadays require people to sit whilst working.  As a result, people work lengthy hours at their desks in uncomfortable chairs, adopting poor posture and using badly positioned equipment which can lead to discomfort, back and upper limb disorders such as Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
 
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common occupational illness in Great Britain, affecting 1.0 million people a year. They include problems such as low back pain, joint injuries and repetitive strain injuries of various sorts. In 2003/04 an estimated 4.9 million working days (full day equivalent) were lost due to back pain caused or made worse by work.  Therefore it is good ergonomic practice to ensure workstations are set up appropriately so that the worker can perform as safely, comfortably and efficiently as possible.

Ergonomic Assessments 

At Physio4Life our qualified Ergonomic Specialist carries out a workstation assessment on site, at home or in the office environment.  The aim is to identify any current problem areas or future risks that may impact on the worker carrying out their normal day to day job. Factors influencing these areas may be due to poor or prolonged working posture, inappropriate set up of the workstation, equipment design etc.
According to need, the assessment will take between 30 – 60 minutes and a written report will be produced on completion. This includes a comprehensive account of observations and dimensions between worker and workstation, problems identified, modifications made at the time of assessment (if appropriate), and recommendations for improvements e.g. chair, mouse, keyboard, VDU etc. Each client will also receive education on posture awareness and be issued with leaflets on relevant ergonomic information. Physio4life is able to offer both individual and company wide assessments. Physio4life is able to support a pricing structure to accommodate both types of assessment.

Benefits of an Ergonomic assessment are
• Increased knowledge on how to maintain good posture within your working environment
• Education on the principles of correct seating
• Confidence to adapt the work environment to suit your needs- maximising productivity by minimizing discomfort and fatigue
• Ensuring you and your environment have a good working relationship
• Taking proactive steps in preventing chronic health problems
• Meeting requirements stipulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 stipulate that it is the responsibility of the employer to carry out an assessment of their employee’s workstation.

Benefits of an Ergonomic assessment from Physio4life are
Physio4Life works as a multidisciplinary team giving the ergonomic specialist onsite access to Chartered Physiotherapists, Massage therapists and Fitness Consultants, as well leading surgeons and doctors in the field of back pain and sports injuries.