How ergonomic furniture can benefit you physically and mentally

Over 600,000 or so workplace injuries are recorded every year in the UK. Many of these injuries  can be traced back to outdated or unsafe office furniture.

This highlights how important it is to invest in modern ergonomic furniture, not only because it will decrease the risk of musculoskeletal disorder but also increase productivity in the workplace.

Ergonomic furniture is designed to make the working environment a comfortable one. Ergonomic chairs, for example, will keep the user’s body in alignment, and reduce stress and pressure on the spine, neck and hips.

Ergonomic chairs will usually have a comfortable headrest and a backrest to support the curve of the spine, all of which can usually be adjusted to meet the individual’s specific needs. You will also usually be able to adjust the height of the chair, this is important, as to make sure your body is in alignment, your feet should touch the floor, and your knees should be at a 90-degree angle, parallel to your hips.

Many old or basic  office chairs won’t be adjustable, this can massively increase the risk of workplace injuries.

Another piece of ergonomic furniture is a sit-stand desk, which is designed for users to stand up more. It’s really important that in your working day you don’t just sit down at your desk all day, and instead you get up and moving. A sit-stand desk helps with this, and it can also make users feel less tired and therefore they feel more productive at work.

There are also smaller ergonomic products too, for example, there are particular keyboards that can help increase typing speeds by reducing repetitive reaching and stretching. There are also laptop and monitor stands that allows individuals to adjust their screen at the right height and angle, this will reduce the risk of neck pain, eye strain and headaches.

These solutions will ensure employees feel comfortable at work, and will decrease the risk of injury. By investing in ergonomic furniture, employees will feel more productive and a higher quality of work is more likely to be achieved, all the while protecting their health and wellbeing.

If you want to invest in some ergonomic products, but you’re unsure what would be best for you, then getting a DSE workstation assessment is a good place to start.

DSE assessments include a full written report of the existing workstation which helps both line managers and ‘end users’ identify any issues with current setups as well as any specific products that may assist on a proactive basis with regards to Musculoskeletal Disorders.

For more information on how Vergo UK could help, get it touch here.

Reference https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/the-benefits-of-ergonomic-furniture/53340/