Ergonomic Workplace Practices That Reduce Repetitive Strain Injuries

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) was initially referenced in 1982 by the National Health and Medical Research Council in a document that suggested: "workplace injury" triggered by a strenuous pressure from repetitive movement, or by maintained postures.

By the mid 1980's a considerably broadly worded definition surfaced:

"Repetition Strain Injury (RSI), better known as Occupational Overuse Syndrome, is seen as a name for an assortment of conditions categorized by aches or consistent soreness in muscles and tendons... Repetition Strain Injury is commonly triggered or aggravated by work as well as being related to repetitive movement, continual or restricted postures and/or forceful movements."

By 1985, in excess of 4000 incidents across Australia had been announced inside of the public service and more than 80% of all workplace damages claims by females had been linked to RSI. 20 000 litigants had materialized and the Insurance Council of Australia estimated prospective claims for the next twelve months at over $1 billion dollars!

There are numerous factors, which can lead to RSI presenting, in particular:

* repeated motions for long stretches of the time;

* lengthy work hours

* working too fast

* keeping your muscles in the same stance for a very long time

* doing work on equipment not suited to your body

* not having rests

* absence of training

* absence of diversity in the work performed

* working in cold conditions

RSI may appear across a vast number of workplace environments. Jobs where extensive desktop computer use is required greatly increases the risks, mainly because of poor posture over an extensive length of time and repetitive actions.

Whenever muscle groups are used, tiny rips can potentially occur on the muscle tissues, and these muscles may be painful as the body system makes an attempt to mend the damage. Repeated movements over a long period of time may adversely threaten these muscles ability to mend itself.

Thankfully there are measures that may be taken to defend RSI from manifesting and these may also treat symptoms of early phase RSI. Listed below are a list of suggested preventative tips formulated on workplace ergonomics:

Always maintain your monitor approximately between 50 and 100 hundred centimeters away from your face. Helps reduce eye strain. Whenever the depth of your work desk doesn't permit this, shift your computer monitor to a corner, or use a flat screen monitor (if available), to attain a deeper working surface area;

Change your screen so that the middle of the screen is situated at eye level. The screen ought to always be directly in front of your face and at / or marginally below eye level. If you wear glasses and continually tip your head back in order to look down through them at the monitor, lower the monitor further (or heighten your seat) so the screen sits at 15 to 20 degrees below eye level. You could also tilt the monitor slightly towards your face;

Place your key board so that your upper arms can easily dangle vertically. Try to avoid placements where you are forced to stretch your arms too far forward or flex your elbows away from your body to type;

Keep your key board at a height so your forearms extend no greater than 20 degrees above a horizontal position (if sitting), or 45 degrees beneath a horizontal position (if standing upright).

Position your mouse near your key board soit possible for you to transition between typing and using the mouse with as little impact on your arm and wrists. If you have a numeric pad on the right side of your key board, you may want to use your mouse on the left side as this centers the part of the keyboard you use most. (You could also try alternating left and right-sided mouse usage to diminish the impacts of repetitive use).

Position all desk accessories within eyesight and reach. Place your phone, writing equipment, books and other equipment you use on a daily basis within grasp from where you sit. (You should not need to stretch to reach objects).

If you use a document holder, do not set it to one side of your computer monitor (unless you also use a 2nd one on the other side), twisting your head in one direction for prolonged periods fatigues the neck muscles. If possible, position the document holder directly beneath the monitor, angling it in the middle of the screen and keyboard set up.

Vary your chair elevation so your feet are flat on the floor. This should keep your knees and torso at somewhere around the same elevation. To find this level, stand up by the chair and increase or drop the seat edge to just below your knee caps. If the seat isn't adjustable, either put a foot rest below your feet or add a wedge pillow to the seat of the chair

Arrange your back-rest to press comfortably on your back. A good back-rest will press into your lower back and provide you with lumbar support.

Set up arm rests to retain elbows bent somewhere between 90 and 110 degrees horizontally. Take attention and care that your elbows are not winged out, but rather suspended at a comfortable, relatively straight angle. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor and your wrists in a natural, comfortable position.

Always maintain a neutral wrist posture. Avoid angling your wrist sharply upwards or downwards to type. Use a split or ergonomic keyboard; to assist your wrists "drift" over the key board, work with a wrist support;

Adjust your position frequently. Regardless of how healthy your work posture is, sitting in any single position for a prolonged period is not healthy. If you have an adjustable chair, switch in between the upright, reclined and declined positions, all of which will keep your pose natural and stress-free.

If you are in the process of setting up or refitting a workplace, there are significant choices available for workstations and ergonomic office chairs that have been designed to assist reducing the effects of RSI. Alternatively a good commercial interior designer will be able to recommend workstations and office furniture that is adjustable and built according to best practice ergonomics.

Office Space Design empowers Australian companies with productive, efficient workplace spaces that facilitate core business needs while promoting culture and identity.

Office Space Design delivers commercial architectural, design and construct services to Australian companies moving offices or involved in refurbishment, relocation and fit-out projects.

http://www.officespacedesign.com.au/

Original article

RiteTemp: A New Modality for Treating Occupational Injuries

Occupational injuries are one of the most important and preventable health problems that occur daily throughout the world. While preventable, they are a human capital issue to business and a disabling socio-economic factor to the injured worker. The concurrent impact reaches far beyond lost time, missed schedules and production delays. In years past, scores of today's aging workforce labored in non-ergonomic jobs, never to be inoculated to improved ergonomics as part of today's assessment of human capital costs. Improper height of work stations, non-electric hand tools and warehouse staging areas account for a multitude of simply avoidable musculoskeletal disorders (MSD's) the aging workforce faces today.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Editor's Desk 2005 Report, of the 1.3 million sprains and strains reported, often involving the back, 43 percent of these injuries required more than one day recuperation from work beyond the day of the incident. When you combine the simple sprain and soft tissue damage with bruises and contusions, lacerations and fractures, approximately two thirds of all these cases resulted in cumulative lost work time, not counting the day of the injury.

The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) of the Journal of American Medical Association's occupational supplement records and reports non-fatal work related injuries from U.S. hospital Emergency Rooms across the U.S. NEISS uses a stratified sampling of 67-70 hospitals' emergency rooms that monitor injury trends 24/7 to aid in prevention activities correlating monthly reviews out of 5300 hospitals to separate work related and non-work related injuries.

The U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) December 4, 2009 Report, where lower trunk (back) injuries being the most prominent, discloses a common denominator among other reporting agencies with like data - BLS, OSHA, CDC, to name a few. The underlying factor stated that resulted in the highest number of absences that directly correlates to the list below was overuse/overexertion (hyperextension) of muscles due to: (1) heavy lifting, (2) pushing, pulling or carrying heavy objects; (3) falls on the same level, (4) bodily reaction to avoid obstacle; (5) contact with object or equipment; (6) repetitive motion (tendonitis); (7) extremity or joint stress fractures; (8) carpal tunnel syndrome; (9) complex regional pain syndrome; and (10) fall to lower level. In a 2008 BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries, of the nearly 19 million state and local government workers with reported MSD injuries, firefighters and law enforcement personnel remain the highest among all workers with a 14.8 per 100 cases. Yet, this same report reflects that these state and local government workers ranked 1.5 times higher for the same injury than that of the private sector. While these statistics reflect high human capital costs for lost work time, medical costs and their ensuing socio-economic impact on the injured, OSHA and other organizations only collects data from a small portion of the private sector establishments within the U.S. or approximately 80,000 out of 7.5 million. Therefore the data does not effectively represent the majority of business, especially small business, where enumerating the data is impossible. Even state workman's compensation boards do not account for establishments with less than 15 employees so conclusions should not be drawn on this data alone.

The small business or self-employed injury affects the economic and social impact to a much greater extent where loss of time translates to loss of income for the self-employed. Numerous self-employed individuals interviewed stated they couldn't justify the cost-benefit ratio of workman's compensation insurance and choose to work 'at risk'. Drawing a parallel with a JAMA 2007 injury report and an Indiana Workers' Compensation report for that year, back injury accounted for more than 53% of all work-related injuries exacerbated by improper or repetitive motion-bending, twisting or lifting.

Succeeding to lower back injury, further data cites Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) as one of the highest maladies for absenteeism. A 1998 human capital cost reported three out of every 10,000 workers missed upwards of ten days at an aggregate cost of $30,000 per individual over a long time span. Surprised that CTS reported such high human capital cost, I decided to research this subject to clarify the misconception that CTS was a computer operator's nightmare. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a neuropathic malady in which the body's peripheral nerves become compressed or traumatized by injury within the carpal tunnel, a rigid passageway containing ligaments and bones surrounding the median nerve, usually at the wrist. This nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers, sans the little finger, as well as impulses to small muscles that allow the fingers and thumb to move.

Who is at risk for CTS? According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), women are three times as likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Another misconception, I assumed this was due to a higher percentage of workforce women in administrative jobs involving computer activity. Not true. In fact, a 2001 Mayo Clinic report found that heavy computer use (averaging 7 hours per day) did not increase a person's chances of developing CTS.

Dispelling the myth. According to Dr. Mark Souder, Family Practice Physician in Auburn, Indiana with an active patient roster of over 8,500 and voted Indiana Doctor of the Year 2010, states "Women may appear more prone to this ailment because their carpal tunnel is simply smaller in size. By no means is this a woman's disorder. I see plenty of assembly line personnel with neuropathic and tendon disorders caused by a host of underlying circumstances. Sometimes it's simply defined as new job misery having little time to adjust to motor function change. Many times it is short-lived and classified as repetitive motion disorder such as bursitis or tendonitis. First I rule out congenital disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, overactive glandular activity, cysts and tumors. Then I determine if excessive repetition, vibration or mechanical problems of the wrist itself exist. Last year, under co-sponsorship by InMed, a company that evaluates new technologies, I trialed a new therapeutic modality-RiteTemp Medical on workers experiencing work-related musculoskeletal disorders. RiteTemp employs anatomically correct optimum temperature cool therapeutic devices that are not cold like ice or gel. These devices effectively deliver continuous cooling in the mid 50's Fahrenheit so individuals can wear any of the RiteTemp devices without worrying about frostbite and its complications. It's a truly effective treatment coupled with conditioning and flexing the tendons and ligaments to accelerate healing and return to function of the affected area. What I discovered in my trial that's ideal about RiteTemp as a modality is higher patient compliance and a reduction of the need for pain medication."

The occupations at the highest risk for carpal tunnel were sewing machine operators and manufacturing assembly personnel requiring repetitive hand motion with intricate movements. Asking around I actually located a large U.S. based sewing operation, whose owner is proactive in thwarting workplace injuries. Hentz Manufacturing and Markfore's owner, Bob Hinty of Fort Wayne, Indiana is an advocate of preventative medicine and conditioning therapy for his workers. Hinty's facilities, one of the largest sewing, silk-screening and embroidery operations in the U.S. that offers exceptional quality, quick turn-around, specialized and custom sewing that from the high-end line of ladies handbags and computer cases to Disco Bed for mobile transport of military personnel in the field. Hinty, in his facilities, takes a personal approach daily to involve job conditioning, safety compliance and goes so far as customizing work stations to account for petite to the exceedingly tall worker, especially when workers rotate to different jobs.

"Human ergonomics has many facets and they all must co-exist harmoniously in a high volume production facility," states Hinty. "When cross-training is required, which involves atypical motor skill or non-ergonomic functions, my supervisors regularly employ the use of RiteTemp Medical therapeutic devices as part of body conditioning and training." His recipe for success is a mix of mechanical science and human ergonomics that produces a "work of art" in the high-end fashionable Cinda B line of specialized handbags and totes. Hinty is in the forefront overseeing implementation of a new production project on the Gerber Cutter with one of his employees wearing the RiteTemp Wrist-Forearm to thwart overexertion of using new muscles until the muscles become conditioned to atypical movement.

When it comes to addressing the baby boomer population that have been working for at least 3 decades, I was fortunate to have an orthopedic surgeon that is one of several doctors participating in a pain study involving the RiteTemp Medical cool therapy devices as pre- and post-surgical recuperative treatment. The perfect example below was echoed by Dr. Richard Steinfeld, Orthopedic Surgeon of Vero Beach, Florida who recently conducted arthroscopic surgery on a business owner, who is active on his feet daily, to clean out the torn ACL (acruciate ligament) and meniscus in his right knee joint. Removing the badly torn meniscus during the arthroscopy revealed the looming problem that faces this baby boomer and our aging workforce - arthritis and other degenerative joint diseases.

Presumed from excessive rotation or torsion of the knee joint during high energy exercise, in this case, the patient experienced prolonged aggravation of the knee joint due to the repeated pounding pressure on the joint. Upon completion of the arthroscopy, I was privileged to have the opportunity to view the patient's injury and post-surgical outcome with Dr. Steinfeld. While the operation was successful, what was not initially revealed by the patient's pre-op X-Rays was degenerative arthritis, diagnosed as common among the baby boomer population from trying to be 'too healthy'. According to Dr. Steinfeld, former Navy flight surgeon who operates a private practice in Vero Beach, Florida, "The patient described herein who now has arthritis reported to Dr. Steinfeld and thereafter to me in his pre-operative interview that in his more youthful days he regularly ran five or more miles a day in hilly country, played racquetball twice weekly and actively pursued baseball as often as possible. We're invincible in our twenties and thirties. We're not invincible in our fifties. We ply tremendous torque on our joints by running. This patient is like many I see who has finally succumbed to arthritis.... He will need a total joint replacement in the very near future as he has bone on bone rubbing together, creating friction and discomfort. It's like having a flat tire."

As a participant in the pain study, the treatment prescribed by Dr. Steinfeld for this patient recuperating after arthroscopy outpatient surgery was to utilize the RiteTemp Active Knee as a regimen at first opportunity and continue wearing the cooling device as much as possible over the upcoming weeks. Different than all ice or gel cold therapy devices, this medical device can be worn without interruption as it does not get cold like ice or gel. It is a two-piece device with a live-hinge to flex appropriately on all body types as the knee bends during normal ambulation. While I was not privy to obtain a picture of this new active knee cool therapy device being used by this patient, an informational video describing this new "active modality" for physical therapy can be viewed at the YouTube site and refer to RiteTemp Medical Active Knee.

After a 30 day follow up with Dr. Steinfeld about this patient, Dr. Steinfeld reported that this patient was religious in utilizing the cooling device as often as possible and that pre-cooling of this patient's knee for one hour with the RiteTemp device prior to surgery in his opinion aided in reducing the typical post-surgical pain and swelling. He noted the patient reported only using Ibuprofen occasionally and did not take the prescribed pain medication reaffirming a higher patient compliance throughout the recuperation period and faster healing attributable to utilizing the RiteTemp as a better modality.

For more information on this "active medicine" technology visit the ritetempmedical.com website or email me at kathryndoh99@gmail.com and I'll gladly share worthy health information.

Kathryn Doherty, Consultant. Kathryn has twenty years of publishing articles and conducting medical research on the subject of heat stress and thermal management as it affects both people and animals.

Original article

Eliminating The Menace Of Injuries Via Ergonomics

Long tiring hours in front of the office desk everyday could translate into back pain and more probably fatigue. Say to say even if yesterdays pain is still present we can't help but to attend another office day. If you desire changes in your office setting then that's where ergonomic would come in. An employee ho feels discomforted most likely cannot function well. His or her unproductive would be a big loss to the company. The ideal design for an office desk and desk should promote proper posture, which allows you to have maximum comfort.

Occupational health is the main reason for the development of ergonomic desk and chairs. Now people of the entire world know how valuable it is health wise. We can't deny the fact that computers would always be involved regardless of your occupation. Certified ergonomic equipment guarantees to resolve fatigue and any physical problem brought by work. Serious types of condition await people who practices sedentary lifestyle and the trend continues to grow yearly. More corporate offices are convinced with terrific result of ergonomic designed office equipments.

Attributes of an Ergonomic desk

The position of the monitor from the desk must be leveled to the eyes. In case the positioning of the neck is out-of-place neck pain and injuries is not far from happening. The design of an ergonomic desk centers to eliminate the pressure felt by the eye due to proper distance and height.

Height Matters

One common mistake of office workers is they sit in the manner by which their feet don't touch ground. By doing this you are disrupting the normal flow of blood, you might end up feeling cramps and pain in the process. Even in a sitting position your feet is not by any way spared from the pressure. The knee position must achieve proper angle to avoid strain and numbness.

Placing the desk

Placement of a desk is important if your line of work is in the office. Often times you could see workers position their chairs and desk in an awkward manner. In t hat way they are susceptible to various injuries.

Ergonomic inspired accessories

With the sudden success of ergonomic furniture's manufacturers have decided to expand their products through accessories. Despite the growing popularity of ergonomic science, people are still unaware of what they are. Injuries do not only happen in an office set up. Prolonged use of your cellular prone could provide pressure in your hands and fingers. Writing is another activity that could provide any one with unwanted strain and pain,

We work so hard to support our families, but in the process you often sacrifice our body to possible harm. You are grateful that such science existed to eliminate the risk of underlying injuries. People should be aware that ergonomics is no hoax and they are for real. In reality we all thought that working in the office is more advantageous compared to field work, however you saddened by the fact that behind close doors your health is in danger.

Ralph J. Greene enjoys writing for Uniformhaven.com which sells nurse scrubs and landau 8219 as well as a host of additional products.

Original article

Repetitive Stress Injuries: High Cost to Employers and Employees

The majority of the working population has heard of Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs), and it's no wonder why. These ergonomic disorders account for over 50% of illnesses reported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and are the fastest growing category of work-related illness. RSIs are the most common and costly occupational health problem in the nation. Depending on the source, it is estimated that employers spend between 20 and $80 billion annually on worker's compensation for RSIs. They spend another $100 billion on lost productivity, employee turnover, and indirect expenses. Employees suffering RSIs are subject to financial, physical, and psychological devastation. Clearly the body is vulnerable these injuries at work, but that doesn't mean they are not easy to prevent.

What RSI is

Repetitive Stress Injury is an umbrella term for several disorders and goes by many names. Repetitive Strain Injury, Overuse Injury, and Cumulative Trauma Disorder are common terms describing the same thing. They are cumulative traumas resulting from prolonged repetitive, forceful, or awkward positions, particularly those that use fine muscles (like in the hands and wrists.) A few examples of RSIs include: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, Tennis/Golfer's Elbow, and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

What Happens in the Body

Each body - male or female, strong or weak, large or small - responds to physical stimuli the same way. Fine muscle movements (that are repetitive, forceful or awkward) put strain on muscles and tendons, which eventually cause microtears in the tissue. The body's response to the tears results in muscle contraction, minimizing the range of motion of that muscle/joint. Without time to rest, the sheaths covering the tendons lose lubrication and are therefore chafed with activity. The body's response to this is inflammation which may cause the neighboring nerves to become impinged. Very simply, as the body tries to adapt to the stress placed on it, it is more vulnerable to injury unless given sufficient time to rest and recover.

Additionally, it has been found that there are tissue-level changes associated with repetitive stress. Studies are currently being conducted to determine whether the chemical reaction involved in repetitive stress leads to damage of the muscle fibers through activity-generated free radicals.

The result is pain, numbness, tingling, hypersensitivity to touch, weakness, and/or limited range of motion. The sensations can range from annoying to debilitating; the latter being likely if nothing is done to alleviate the pain and eliminate the cause.

How Bad is it?

The median amount of lost work time per injury is 18 days. Consider the severity and cost of something that would keep a person from working for 3-4 weeks. By the time physical symptoms of RSI surface, there is already significant damage to tissues. Continuing to injure the area not only affects a person's livelihood, but also daily functions. Carrying, grasping, chopping, bending, and manipulating objects become painful and lead to feelings of frustration and helplessness. Chronic injuries can lead to depression and quality-of-life issues as well. RSIs may seem insignificant but actually impact many areas of life.

Risks and Prevention

The physical stresses that place people at risk for developing RSIs are looked at in conjunction with other risk factors. This is considered an ergonomic issue; workstations are commonly found to be the cause of RSIs. In addition to performing forceful, repetitive or awkward movements, other risk factors include:

Poor posturePoor body mechanicsInfrequent breaksLack of regular exerciseHigh-pressure work environmentsStressful, sedentary, or otherwise unhealthy lifestylesOverweightLack of sleepLack of awareness (Not paying attention to or dismissing signals from the body that there is a problem.More

Preventing RSIs should happen immediately, even if problems don't yet exist. As mentioned earlier, by the time physical symptoms arise, the damage is already significant. Ensure that posture is neutral and not strained, workstations are set up according to the height and capabilities of the individual worker, and allot enough time for breaks. Outside of work, maintaining as healthy a lifestyle as possible will help the body recover and be fit enough to perform and heal at its optimum potential. Failure to prevent RSIs can become financially and physically disastrous very quickly. In some cases, the injury is severe enough to force an employee to leave his job. Even if he is awarded compensation for the injury, this situation can be devastating.

Given the frequency of RSIs reported and paid for each year, it is obvious that an astounding number of jobs pose risks for developing a Repetitive Stress Injury of some kind. While employers and insurance companies prefer to avoid the cost of these situations, employees themselves have a lot on the line. This all sounds like common sense, yet RSIs remain the most common job-related health issue in the U.S. What will you do to spare yourself from being a part of this statistic?

Jacob Cummings is the National Sales Manager for PHS West, Inc. He has been with the company for 11 years. PHS West Inc manufactures customized material handling carts and electric tugs for a variety of applications including medical supply carts, cart movers and endoscopy carts. Jacob has written a variety of articles on work related injuries and ergonomics. More articles on Work Place Injuries.

Original article

Selecting the Right Ergonomic Computer Chair to Prevent Low Back Pain Injuries

It is always important to select a computer chair that is suitable ergonomically to sit on that chair for quite a long time for working on computer, and sitting on the wrongly chosen chair can cause severe low back pain injuries. These injuries can sometimes become severe and the only solution to prevent these is to purchase a computer chair that ergonomically maximizes your utility. The purpose of this article is to guide the reader about which criteria has to be followed in order to purchase an ergonomic computer chair.

The use of the computer is extensive in the modern world and everyone is using them. Additionally, everyone needs a perfect environment where he can sit and conveniently work. The importance of choosing an appropriate chair is increased when a low back pain or even injury is at stake. Therefore you must purchase a chair that has proper seat height, which is adjustable up to the finest height. The second most important criterion is to check the width and depth of the seat. The width should definitely fit you in which you are not squeezing, whereas the depth should fit your back resting against the back of the chair. Also, the ergonomic chair must provide you a perfect support from the back. The lower region of the back is the mostly affected part when you are not sitting on to the computer chair correctly. Additionally, the back of the chair should be such that it is adjustable by moving upwards or downwards. Other features you must look for are concerning with the support provided to your arms and head. The final thing you should look for is the topper that covers the chair. You must look for the one that is covered with fine leather or a similar type of fabric for utmost comfort. Not only can a bad chair cause severe back pain, but it can cause neck pain as well and that can become a very serious threat to your overall health and productivity.

The above tips and criteria will definitely help you out in choosing ergonomic computer chair that provides you comfort while working. Many corporations and large business that employ office workers give work benefits such as a number of free chiropractic visits each month. Be sure to use these as much as you can because a chiropractor will realign your spine with your neck and rest of your body, enabling you to be even more comfortable in your office chair and ultimately be a lot more productive.

Read my Hubpage review to find even more useful tips about the ergonomic computer chair.

Original article

Solutions for Potential Work-Related Neck Injuries

Many workplace injuries occur over time rather than in one event. While that might make it take longer to recognize the risks, it also gives companies a little time to fix the problems that cause injuries. With a little knowledge of what can help and why, preventative measures are both plausible and economical. One key factor of preventing injury, however, is identifying all the body parts that can be affected by repetitive and stressful movement. This article will look at solutions for potential neck injuries.

Work-related injuries to the neck can be hard to detect. One reason is that the neck is exposed to so much stress from daily activity that people learn to ignore neck pain. By the time the pain is severe enough to take notice, the injury may be significantly more difficult to treat. A bigger reason neck pain is difficult to detect is that pain in the neck can affect the shoulders, arms, and hands. In these cases, the body part where pain is felt may be addressed, leaving the actual source of pain untreated. This can lead to chronic pain. Some typical injuries and problems in the neck include: arthritis, strains, sprains, herniated discs, headaches, impinged nerves, shoulder-neck-strain-syndrome, tension neck syndrome, and tingling and numbness in the neck, shoulders, arms, or hands. Ideally, employers would solve injury-related problems before they occur. Here are some ergonomic engineering controls that can be managed to save the neck:

Create a proper working height. This includes not only adjusting the height of anything the employee looks at (using neck muscles to look up, down, etc), but also anything the employee has to reach for. The neck and shoulder are closely related. Adjustable chairs and a revamped desk are easy ways to help a person sit at a desk correctly. For more laborious work tasks, carts with adjustable handles (keeping elbows close to the body during transportation) will keep the neck and shoulders neutral. Carts that carry equipment and act as a workstation may also have adjustable components to ensure a proper work space for each user.
Reduce far reaching. Reaching can stress everything from the neck down through the back. Conveyors, racking, and anything with adjustable heights (ie: cart handles) will help minimize reaching. Be very careful that the workstation does not require reaching behind the body. If reaching also involves handling or carrying a heavy object, an automated solution may be best to eliminate both risk factors.
Reduce repetitive movements like neck bending and twisting. Any part of a workstation that can move with the employee to prevent a back-and-forth between tasks will help here. Additionally, ensuring the height of every repetitive task keeps the neck neutral can help. Depending on the job task, automating a repetitive task may be the safest and most productive option available. Bending and twisting the neck can also occur because of poor lighting. Reduce glare where possible.
Minimize static work postures. In addition to repetitive movement, no movement - especially in an awkward posture - can stress the neck as well. Here again, adjusting the height of tools and workstations, and implementing mechanization are very effective.
Minimize forceful exertions and heavy carrying. Whether a person is pushing and pulling, manipulating a tool, or carrying a heavy object, forceful exertions can be very detrimental to the body. Power tools with torque reduction or automatic shut-off, mechanized tasks, tools with clamps, and automated carts can all eliminate unnecessary exertion. Heavy objects should be transported by a cart, conveyor belt, or lift to reduce the chance of sprain or strain.

There are many more specific problems and solutions in the workforce, but some common ones were covered here. Saving the body from injury not only keeps the employee healthy and working, but saves the employer time, cost and production. Ergonomic solutions to reduce work-related injury are very effective, especially for the neck. Consult an expert to find the best solutions for you.

Carol Olin is Vice President of Americarts USA, a manufacturer of motorized carts such as platform carts used for hospitality and commercial industries. Americart USA features high quality carts price to compete with imported products. Carol has been in the material transport equipment industry for over 11 years and has written a number of articles relating to work place injuries.

Original article