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Ergonomics Tips: Health and Safety Risks of Computer Work

Ergonomics Tips: Health and Safety Risks of Computer Work

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

Blog: Health and Safety Risks of Computer Work

“Evidence suggests that about 3% of women and 2% of men will be diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome during their lifetime…” – The New York Times 

One may not think a desk job or computer work would have many health risks, but according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), repetitive movements (including mouse or keyboard use), sitting in awkward or uncomfortable positions, or straining the neck to look at a screen that is too high or too low can cause musculoskeletal injuries. Additionally, eye damage is a big health concern due to frequent computer screen usage.

It is important to understand the health and safety risks of computer work and how to avoid and prevent workplace injury.

What are some of the risks?Ergonomics Consultants | Solutions Northwest Inc.

Repetitive movement on the computer can put employees at risk for musculoskeletal issues. Two common musculoskeletal issues workers face are carpal tunnel syndrome and tenosynovitis. Tenosynovitis is an “inflammation of the nerve and muscle sheaths where tendons on the fingers pass through. A person with tenosynovitis will suffer from wrist pain and pain on the back of the hand” as described by medi. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of the median nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel wrist bones.

In addition to hand and wrist pain, eye damage is a concern for employees that frequently use computers at work (as well as employees that use smart phones or tablets). Too much screen time can cause many eye-related symptoms such as discomfort, eyestrain, blurred vision, dry eyes, headache, fatigue, difficulty focusing, and shoulder and neck pain

What can you do to avoid workplace injuries?

Knowing the risks of computer jobs is just half the battle, it is also important to educate yourself and your co-workers on how to avoid work related injuries.

The easiest thing you can do is take a break. Rest is important when doing a repetitive job. Step away from the computer and visit the water cooler, grab a coffee, go eat lunch outside in the sun, or just restock the printer with some new paper.

Take a look at our ergonomics blog to learn easy stretches for your back, neck, or hands. Learn some desk exercises you can do while at your workstation to keep your body strong and take your mind off work.

Additionally, you may want to consider requesting that your office administrator or human resources manager order special peripherals such as a trackball mouse or ergonomic keyboard.

OSHA suggests “adapting tasks, workstations, tools, and equipment to fit the worker to help reduce physical stress on a worker’s body and eliminate many potentially serious, disabling work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).”

Be sure your office consults with ergonomics experts to provide a safe work environment and check out Ergonomics Blog for some quick tips.


In conclusion

As long as you remain proactive about your health at work, you should be able to avoid many workplace injuries. If you do suffer from an injury, be sure to always consult with your doctor first.

Hopefully these ergonomics tips can help keep your workplace a safe work place. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

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Ergonomics Tips: How to Work in Comfort

Ergonomics Tips: How to Work in Comfort

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

Ergonomics Tips: How to Work in Comfort and Avoid Workplace Injury
Ergonomics Tips: How to work in comfort

“A total of 5,190 workers died from a work-related injury in the U.S. in 2016, the highest annual figure since 2008. The fatal injury rate was 3.6 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, the highest since 2010.” BLS.gov

Whether you work in an industrial plant or retail store, it is important to understand how to avoid workplace injury. Musculoskeletal injuries such as, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and bone fractures can be the result of working in awkward positions instead of your best work zone.

In order to avoid injury, it is important to perform the majority of your work tasks in your best work zone.

What is your best work zone?

Your best work zone (sometimes called the “optimal zone,” “comfort zone,” or “hand shake zone”) is the zone (or area) in which you can perform your work task while maintaining a comfortable or neutral posture. Working in this zone is less likely to cause musculoskeletal injury because you won’t be straining in any awkward positions.Ergonomics Consultants | Solutions Northwest Inc.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created an illustration to show exactly where your preferred and best work zones are:

According to OSHA, “work is safest when lifting and reaching is performed in these zones. Working outside these work zones results in non-neutral postures that may increase the risk of injury. It is particularly important to perform heavy lifting tasks within the best work zone.”

In Conclusion

As you do your daily work, be sure that you are working in this best work zone. You can call it your “handshake zone” as an easy way to remember or print this blog out to be sure you’re working in your best work zone.

Additionally, if you work on a work bench, assembly line, or countertop that is not in your best work zone, then you should consult with your manager or supervisor about installing height-adjustable equipment to prevent workplace injury. You may want to refer your manager to an ergonomics expert for a workplace assessment as well.

Hopefully these ergonomics tips can help keep your workplace a safe work place. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Kent, Renton, Arcadia, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

 

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5 Ergonomics Tips for Assembly Line Efficiency

5 Ergonomics Tips for Assembly Line Efficiency

Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc.
(Ergonomics Experts serving Kent, Renton, Seattle, and Tacoma Washington, California, and Oregon.

5 Ergonomics Tips for Assembly Line Efficiency

In 2009 there were 30,790 repetitive motion injuries in the United States.” AssembleMag.com

Not all warehouse or industrial workplace injuries are instant or obvious. Some warehouse injuries occur over a long period of time, but these injuries are just as serious as any other warehouse injury. For instance, assembly line workers risk repetitive motion disorders (RMDs), such as tendonitis or bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, or arthritis.

Proper ergonomics in the warehouse or plant should be used to lessen the effects of the repetitive motion involved in assembly line work.

What causes repetitive motion disorders?

Most industrial plant assemblers will repeat the same motion for a long period of time, which can cause fatigue and muscle tendon strain, resulting in repetitive motion disorders. The effects of repetitive motion disorders can increase when assemblers use unnatural or awkward postures with forceful exertions.

Symptoms of RMDs include pain, tingling, numbness, swelling or redness of the affected area, and the loss of flexibility and strength. For some workers, there may be no sign of injury, but workers may find it hard to perform easy tasks. At some point, permanent damage may be done and expensive surgery may be required.

Applying ergonomics as a solution

Ergonomics experts work tirelessly to help reduce injury in the workplace by creating safe and efficient conditions for workers.

Here are 5 ways ergonomics can improve assembly line safety and efficiency:

1. Use an adjustable working height
To avoid hunched posture, craned neck, or injuries, try installing height-adjustable workstations that suite an individual assembler. Not only will this help prevent injury, but work efficiency will improve.

2. Keep everything easy to reach
Every work station is different, but the work area should be designed around the person instead of the other way around. Tools should be within comfortable reach of each operator. The less an assembler or operator needs to strain their body to reach tools, the better.

3. Allow enough room to move around
Standing for long periods of time can cause issues for the legs and feet, so it is important to allow for movement or sitting to relieve pressure.

4. Provide comfortable mats to stand on
Most warehouses have hard floors, so be sure there is a comfortable mat available to relieve any pressure from standing on hard surfaces, such as concrete.

5. Invest in better equipment
While it may be tempting to save money by using a manual lift system instead of an automatic lift system, for example, the long-term investment will pay off. Purchasing equipment that makes the job easier for employees will result in healthier and happier employees. Less workplace injury also means less compensation claims, more efficient workers, lower insurance, and usually a better product.

In conclusion

Every workstation is different, so be sure to consult with an ergonomics expert to assess your workspace. It is important to invest in the safety of your assemblers, the return on investment will save you money in the long run.For more ergonomics tips, visit com and subscribe to our blog.

SolutionsNW.com  provides work place and ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., an ergonomics assessment provider located in Seattle, Kent, Renton, Tacoma, Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

 

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3 Back Stretches for Desk Workers

3 Back Stretches for Desk Workers

Post By: Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Produced by: Solutions Northwest, Inc. (Ergonomics Experts serving Washington, Oregon, and California)

Ergonomics Tips: Back Stretches for Desk Workers

31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time. … Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010. Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work.” – GBD 2010

While every office admin should consult with an ergonomics consultant to ensure the workstation is properly set up, prolonged sitting at your desk may still lead to workplace injury if you do not properly care for your body.

Beyond making sure to take breaks by getting up and moving, try these 3 back stretches our ergonomics experts have collected from the CCOHS.

1. Middle-Upper Back Stretch

Sore back from hunching over a computer screen? Hold your left arm with your right hand, right above the elbow and gently push your elbow toward your right shoulder. Hold this stretch for 5 seconds and repeat with the right arm.

Middle Upper Back Stretch

2. Back/Side Stretch

This next stretch is great for your back and side aches: Interlock your fingers and lift your arms over your head, be sure to keep your elbows straight and slowly lean the left and then to the right. In a similar way, you can also bring your arms in front of your body, or behind to stretch the shoulder blades and chest.

Back and Side Stretch

3. Back Curl

A back curl stretch will stretch your mid back as well as your legs. To do this stretch, grasp your shin, lift your leg off the floor and bend forward (curling your back), reaching your nose to your knee. Repeat with the other leg.

Back Curl Stretch

In Conclusion

Be sure to print these out and post them near your workstation for yourself or your co-workers. Staying proactive by stretching at your workstation is a great way to avoid workplace injury. If you are in serious pain, be sure to consult with your doctor to see if it is serious. And for more tips check out our blog featuring advice from our ergonomics experts.

For an ergonomics consultation, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more detailed information.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California (Arcata), Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, Kent, and Portland.

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Ice versus Heat for Lower Back

Ice versus Heat for Lower Back

By Celeste McLaughlin, Ergonomics Manager
Solutions Northwest, Inc. – Arcata, California

Ice VS Heat for Lower Back Pain Relief

“More than half of Americans (54%) who experience low back pain spend the majority of their workday sitting.” TheGoodBody

Whether your workstation has been designed by an ergonomic specialist or not, constantly sitting at your work desk can lead to lower back pain. In fact, 54% of Americans with sedentary jobs experienced low back pain.

After a long day of sitting at work, you may want to treat your back pain, but should you grab the ice pack or the heating pad?

After Injury, Apply Cold Therapy First

If you injure your lower back, it is best to apply cold therapy during the first 24 to 72 hours. Cold therapy will help minimize inflammation and swelling, which reduces pain and can decrease tissue damage. While there are special ice packs designed for cold therapy, a frozen towel or even a bag of vegetables will do.

However, it is important to be careful when using ice packs as they can burn your skin. Try using a cloth between your skin and the cold source. Do not use cold therapy for more than 20 minutes at a time and do not use it more than 10 times during a 24 hour period.

Apply Heat After Initial Swelling and Inflammation has Subsided

After you use cold therapy to bring down swelling and inflammation, begin using heat therapy to encourage the healing process. Heat therapy increases the blood flow to your injury, bringing more nutrients to the injured area while flushing out the injured debris. Heat also increases tissue elasticity, which helps relieve tension and knots.

For minor back tension, 15-20 minutes of heat therapy may be enough. For more intense pain, 30 minutes to 2 hours of heat therapy may be needed.

Apply dry or moist heat (whichever you prefer) with over the counter heat pads, creams, saunas, or hot tub. An easy home remedy is to fill an old sock with rice or oatmeal, tie or sew it shut, and put it in the microwave for 1-3 minutes.

Use caution to avoid burns, as you should be experiencing warmth and not intense heat.

Ice vs Heat for Chronic Lower Back Pain

What if you don’t have a new injury, but just have chronic lower back pain from sitting all day at the office? In this case, there really is no right answer when it comes to hot versus cold. Everyone is different, so trial and error may be in order.

However, some experts suggest that you should use heat therapy to loosen up your muscles for the work day and use cold therapy afterward to help with any pain and inflammation.

In Conclusion

Remember, when it comes to any kind of pain or injury, always consult with your doctor first. Also, be sure to get up and walk around every 20 minutes while at work and live an active life to help avoid any workplace injuries. For more health tips, exercise ideas, and suggestions to keep your workplace a healthy environment, check out our blog featuring advice from our ergonomics experts.

For an ergonomics consultation to keep your workplace safe and healthy, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more detailed information.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California (Arcata), Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.

 

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