Ergonomics: Work Environment Health

Many people do not realize that a poorly designed computer workstation and/or bad work habits can result in serious health problems. Common symptoms associated with poor design or habits include discomfort in the back, neck and shoulders, hands and wrists, as well as headaches and eyestrain.

Fortunately, the solution can be quite simple. Proper workstation setup and work practices can eliminate discomfort and even prevent it from occurring in the first place! Simple adjustments to office equipment can work wonders, making work more comfortable and more productive.

More and more we’ve been hearing the term “ergonomics” Especially in how it relates to the workplace. Basically, ergonomics in a work environment looks to prioritize the worker’s well-being and the overall performance of the work system – simply put “fitting the job to the worker.”

This is done by looking at how employees interact with their work environments, and the tools they use to complete their jobs.

With the increasing focus on injury prevention at work, ergonomics is becoming a practice adopted by many top business leaders who invest in risk and hazard assessments and look to their employees to provide them with feedback on how they can complete their tasks more comfortably and ultimately, more safely.

Ergonomics also refers to the ease of use of software to perform daily tasks. It is necessary that the employee finds his way quickly and does not expose himself to display or comprehension problems due to the difficulty of certain software.

The brightness of the workstation is also important. The employee must not be blinded, neither should he be plunged into total darkness!

There should be no noise pollution in the work environment, as this could have a direct impact on the employee’s ability to concentrate.

The temperature is also essential and should ideally be between 21 and 26°c depending on the season.

The characteristics of the furniture play an important part in creating an ergonomic environment. For example, the choice of the chair should be made according to the user and according to specific criteria such as the height and inclination of the armrests and the depth of the seat, …

The same is true for the work surface, which should allow the user to alternate standing and sitting work. Concerning the screens, several criteria are important: The size, the height, and the distance from the eyes.

Working in an ergonomic environment contributes to the employee’s well-being and reduces the impact on health, which is mainly physical. For example, one of the consequences of working in a seated position in the office is a misalignment of the neck, shoulders and spine, the appearance of stiffness and hernias in the back, and also chronic damage to organs and muscle degeneration.

In order to avoid these various health problems, it is necessary to ergonomically adjust the work environment.

Here are some recommendations from to promote ergonomics:

1. Have a perfectly adjusted seat and screen,

2. Use “ergonomic” Accessories such as adapted document presentation systems. Using a display system where your important documents are stored between your computer screen and your keyboard this will reduce the strain on your neck.

3. Adjust your seat so that your feet are flat on the ground. Shoulders should not strain the neck.

4. Adjust the screen easily according to the different postures that you adopt. Strain on the cervical spine due to poor posture should be avoided.

5. Use accessories such as an ergonomic mouse and keyboard with specific operating modes and orientations to limit hand rubbing and wrist breakage.

The impacts of ergonomics at work are not only physical but also mental. Indeed, an ergonomic space can directly and positively impact an employee’s performance and morale.  It will also have a direct impact on the company’s image as it will be considered as a company that takes care of its employees.