In today’s fast paced world, technology is at our finger tips and this has proved to be very advantageous for our society. However, these days people are spending longer periods of time working on machines without knowledge about the effects of machine use on their bodies. Working with machines has led to the new health related issues such as carpel tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, which were unheard of in the past.

Some of you may think that ergonomics is related to spending long periods of time on the computer or a specific medical condition such as carpel tunnel syndrome. In reality, ergonomics is a complex yet universal approach applied to the way of completing activities. Maintaining proper joint alignment and regularly changing the loads taken by different muscle groups form the basis for completing ergonomic assessments. During ergonomic assessments, workplaces are designed to fit the workers.

Ergonomic principles can be applied to workers in various industries including computer users, bank tellers, retail industry workers, and labourers.

As a computer user, you may want to look at the layout of your computer desk with respect to the computer chair to determine the risk factors for potential injuries. If you purchase a supportive and a comfortable computer chair, you would have a neutral sitting posture and your risk of injury would decrease. The type of injuries that you would experience with a non-supportive chair would be low back pain or shoulder aches. A chair with adjustability features would also promote proper joint alignment and increase your ability to work longer as well as safer. Some of the other products that you may find useful include monitor risers, footrests, drop down keyboard trays, ergonomic keyboards and ergonomic mice.

If you are a bank teller within the Lower Mainland, equipment such as an ergo easy sit and stand stool would be very useful for you as you would be able to use it to change positions throughout your workday. Another important thing to consider for you would be the computer monitor setup at your workstation. You have to ensure that it is placed at a safe viewing distance and at an appropriate height with minimum glare to prevent eye strain. Please contact our trained staff at Complete Rehab Solutions and ask for our Employee Wellness Package for more details.

For retail workers, items such as anti-fatigue mats and height adjustable cash registers are extremely helpful in completing work tasks safely and efficiently. A hallmark of people working in retail industry is the amount of time they spend standing or walking. An individualized stretching routine can go a long way in decreasing muscle strains and body aches.

While working as a labourer, you should maintain proper joint alignment particularly while lifting. A job demands analysis assessment which includes a thorough review of the physical, environmental and perceptual requirements of the job is tremendously helpful in ensuring a safe working environment.

Within Vancouver, each industry and each workplace require different practices to ensure the safety of their workers. Please contact the trained Occupational Therapists at Complete Rehab Solutions to see if an ergonomic assessment is suitable for you or your workplace. We can provide recommendations for safe working practices to ensure that you work healthier for much longer.