Tips to improve your office safety
Office work is widely considered as low risk, but that shouldn’t make office safety any less of a priority. There are still many hazards that office workers can be exposed to, that could cause injury or illness.
Ergonomic Injuries
Musculoskeletal Disorders are a common and costly cause of office worker injuries. These types of injuries include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and back, neck and shoulder strain. However, these types of injuries can be prevented easily if you have the right ergonomic workstation setup.
Preventing ergonomic injuries:
- Make sure chairs, desk and monitor stands are adjusted to fit your individual needs. Each of these items should be adjusted so that your body is correctly aligned. When your body is correctly aligned, you will be sat in the correct posture. This will decrease the risk of having any pain or pressure in your neck and back.
- The way you use office accessories such as a keyboard and mouse also pose a risk to your health. It’s important to keep your mouse and keyboard at the same level if you use your keyboard on a pull-out tray and your mouse is on your desk then this can lead to neck and shoulder pain.
Eye Strain
Digital eye strain is a common health issue that can occur from staring too much at a computer screen. This can create eye and vision-related problems.
Preventing digital eye strain:
- Simply take a break. It is easy to get deeply focused on work. This can be very damaging, so it’s important to take a break at least every 20 minutes to simply look out of a window or to get up and grab a cup of tea! This will give your eyes a well-needed rest.
- Make sure the lighting in your workspace is adjusted to your need correctly. Usually, it is best that the lighting isn’t too bright and that it is as natural as possible.
Slips, trips, and falls
Workers will often sustain injuries from slips, trips, and falls. But this can be easily prevented.
Preventing slips, trips, and falls:
- Keep floors and walkways clear of large objects and rubbish, these can be potential tripping hazards.
- Avoid slippery floors and always make sure that there are warning signs if there are any slippery surfaces.
- Make sure to hold onto handrails when walking on the stairs.
If you find that you are suffering from eye strain or back and neck pain due to your workspace set up, then getting a DSE workstation assessment could be worthwhile.
A DSE Workstation Assessment will identify any issues with current setups as well as any specific products that may assist on a proactive basis with regards to Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs).
For further information about how Vergo can help contact us here or view our ergonomic products.
Reference
https://ehsdailyadvisor.blr.com/2019/05/ways-to-improve-your-office-safety/