| Health and safety in the workplace has never | | | | rendering many people completely immobile. So it's |
| been so stringent, as companies strive to | | | | worth having a work-station assessment done to |
| minimise the risks that are inherent in any work | | | | pre-empt any underlying issues. Most employers |
| space. From the employer's point of view, not | | | | will be more than happy to arrange for such an |
| only do they want a healthy and happy | | | | assessment, and any proposed changes are likely |
| environment for their staff, but should an | | | | to be no more than adjusting the height of a seat |
| employee fall victim to any of the countless | | | | or investing in an ergonomic keyboard or riser for |
| hazards they may face on a daily basis, the | | | | the computer monitor. |
| employer will ultimately be held responsible. | | | | Furthermore, it's estimated that some 7 million |
| One of the most common work-related injuries is | | | | adults in the UK have long-term health problems |
| back pain. And despite all the precautions and | | | | due to arthritis and other related conditions, and is |
| procedures that are taken, 8 out of 10 people still | | | | the second most common reason for being |
| experience some kind of back problem during | | | | absent from work in both men and women. |
| their working lives. Although technology has helped | | | | Again, workers in certain occupations seem to |
| alleviate much of the manual labour that has | | | | have a higher risk of developing arthritis, |
| traditionally lead to back injuries, it may surprise | | | | particularly those who are in high-demand jobs |
| some people to discover that one of the chief | | | | such as assembly line workers or heavy |
| reasons for back pain is actually desk-based, with | | | | construction. |
| poor ergonomics the root cause. | | | | Fortunately, with advances in medical science, |
| Anybody who has ever suffered from any kind | | | | such ailments are becoming increasingly more |
| of back injury will verify how debilitating it really is, | | | | treatable without the need to resort to drugs. |