Benefits of Workplace Ergonomic Assessment for Employer and Employee

Workplace ergonomic assessments

To describe what ergonomic assessments are and why they have become so popular in workplaces (home offices included), we must mention the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work act 2005. It obligates employers to ensure that employees are provided with a safe working environment at all times. In order to achieve that, Employers must:

1. Evaluate the Health and Safety of workstations.
2. Provide safe systems of work.
3. Provide a safe place of work.
4. Provide training and supervision on the subject.

The Act obliges Employers to do everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety, welfare and health of his/her employees.

Certain jobs or work conditions cause a higher rate of worker complaints of undue strain, localised fatigue, discomfort or back pain that does not go away after overnight rest. These jobs can mainly occur in the office environment, where it doesn’t appear that people are under strain from their work.

Ergonomics in the workplace is all about the fit between people and their work. It aims to make sure that the tasks, equipment and environment fit each worker. A well designed workplace that uses ergonomic principles will allow a person to carry out their work without being made ill or injured in the process.

Therefore, it is important to gather data to identify jobs or work conditions that are most problematic, using sources such as injury and illness logs, medical records, and job analysis. From this there has been substantial evidence that ergonomics programs can cut workers’ compensation costs, increase productivity and decrease employee turnover.

An ergonomic assessment of the workplace includes analysis of:

• Seating
• Layout of desks
• Height of monitors
• Reach values
• Lighting
• Noise Levels
• Productive Colour Schemes

QUICK SUMMARY OF BENEFITS:

• Deter Repetitive Strain Injury: prevent repetitive strain injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders.
• Attractive Place To Work: proper workplace ergonomics gives your organisation an advantage over your competitors when recruiting top talent.
• Increase Staff Productivity: the design and arrangement of the workplace and equipment has a profound impact on productivity.
• Reduce Staff Absenteeism: poor ergonomics can often result in persistent pain, loss of functional capacity, illness, and increases in absenteeism.
• Reduce Employee Turnover: poor ergonomics can lead to long-term disability results in an increase in employee turnover.
• Commit To Workspace Safety: investing in workplace ergonomics shows your employees that you care and are committed to their safety at work.

Workplace ergonomics