| The idea is simple. | | | | being provided with the adjustment." says Josh |
| An employer invests a few hundred dollars on | | | | Kerst, an ergonomist and Vice President of |
| ergonomic equipment for each employee. That | | | | Humantech. He cites an example where a |
| investment prevents costly disabilities from | | | | company had spent a great deal of money on |
| occurring. The employer saves money over the | | | | equipment for a shipping department, but the |
| long run, and the employees are happier and | | | | attitude of supervisors encouraged workers to |
| healthier. Sounds great, right? | | | | avoid taking time to make re-adjustments every |
| Except it just doesn't happen. There are two | | | | time a different worker used a work-station. |
| major problems with this scenario in the real | | | | Once some minor changes were made, |
| world. The first is that most managers are not | | | | supervisors were asked to support the notion |
| motivated by long-term payback. Many are | | | | that each worker should take time to make the |
| managing from month to month, or quarter to | | | | adjustments before using a packing station. The |
| quarter. Even if their company offers them a | | | | newly empowered workers now make |
| performance-based bonus on an annual basis, | | | | adjustments for themselves, and supervisors |
| anything that takes multiple years to show a | | | | have the responsibility to verify the adjustments. |
| payback is out of the question. Many of them | | | | The result? Not only are injury rates down, but |
| know they won't be in the same job three years | | | | orders are processed faster than ever before. |
| from now, so the long run is somebody else's | | | | Many managers still don't want to spend this |
| problem. | | | | month's budget in exchange for possible savings |
| The second problem is even stickier. The money | | | | at an unspecified future date. That will probably be |
| they do spend is frequently wasted. | | | | somebody else's problem anyway. "Besides," says |
| "Many people who buy a computer just use the | | | | one manager who asked to remain nameless, |
| keyboard that comes with the computer and | | | | "any new equipment gets charged directly to my |
| never think much about it", says Jon Simkovitz of | | | | department, but doctor visits and prescription |
| Solutions for Humans. "When they go to their job, | | | | costs don't." |
| if they use a computer, they just use the | | | | While these challenges linger, thousands of |
| keyboard the employer has laying in front of the | | | | workers every year are disabled by Repetitive |
| monitor." In almost every case, that would be the | | | | Stress Injuries (RSI) including Carpal Tunnel |
| one that came by default with the computer | | | | Syndrome. In the U.S. and Canada, the cost is in |
| system. A salesperson who was putting together | | | | the billions of dollars. In Europe, there are |
| a cost-saving bid proposal did the actual selection | | | | countries where the percentage of workers |
| of the keyboard. By adding a hard plastic | | | | affected is even higher. |
| wrist-rest attachment, at an additional | | | | It's not fully known why there are major |
| manufacturing cost of perhaps 40 cents per unit, | | | | differences in injury statistics from one country |
| they can call it 'ergonomic'. In fact, they could call | | | | to the next. The incidence of such disabilities in |
| it an ergonomic keyboard without changing | | | | most Asian countries is startlingly low. While it is |
| anything at all. | | | | clear that there can be some genetic |
| Ergonomic, but it may not be what you think. | | | | pre-disposition to be more prone to this type of |
| Most people think that if they buy a product that | | | | injury, it's not clear whether cultural values play |
| is 'ergonomic', it is designed so that their natural | | | | perhaps an even greater role. In most Asian |
| range of motion is utilized without stress or strain | | | | cultures, stoic suffering is acceptable, whereas |
| and that it will not injure them. But the word | | | | suing one's employer for compensation is not. |
| ergonomic technically applies to designing and | | | | What can be done? |
| arranging things for interaction between people | | | | Workers are needlessly becoming disabled. Medical |
| and the things or machines they use. There is no | | | | expenses mount. Products that don't adequately |
| objective measure in most cases of how well any | | | | address the problems they are intended to solve |
| design performs, particularly with regard to | | | | rake billions of dollars off the economy while |
| long-term injury avoidance. Even a product that is | | | | providing little benefit. These are expenses borne |
| an ergonomic nightmare can be marketed as | | | | by all of us. How can we change this situation? |
| 'ergonomic'. | | | | Here are a few suggestions: |
| The number one feature that most buyers of | | | | 1) Focus on productivity, health, safety and |
| office chairs look for is 'good lumbar support'. The | | | | prevention instead of lagging indicators such as |
| notion of the need for such support arose quite | | | | injury rates. Reaction to injury leads to poor |
| by accident. A chance discovery by a physical | | | | choices that get rationalized as sensible, but show |
| therapist in New Zealand in 1956 showed that | | | | little benefit. Providing hearing protection only for |
| when a patient with compressed discs was placed | | | | workers whose hearing is already damaged would |
| in a position that 'opened up' the front of the | | | | seem like foolishness to most of us. Yet it is |
| vertebral spaces, there was a therapeutic | | | | actually the policy of most companies to consider |
| improvement. Since the cost of the 'treatment' | | | | alternative computer keyboards only for injured |
| was negligible, word of its effectiveness in this | | | | workers. This is like closing the barn doors after |
| case and others spread like wildfire. The problem | | | | the horses have run away. Encourage your |
| from a chair buyer's standpoint, however, is that | | | | employer to be proactive about prevention. (You |
| most chairs are not purchased for a user who | | | | could suggest that your managers read this |
| has a clinical disc compression. Hospitalization and | | | | article.) |
| bed-traction may be indicated for certain other | | | | 2) Insurance companies who write coverage for |
| types of disc compression, but that doesn't mean | | | | Worker's Compensation need to become |
| that it would be beneficial for everyone. As it | | | | proactive in establishing incentives for companies |
| turns out, 'good lumbar support' may be the | | | | who will invest, not just in any product that says |
| wrong feature for most people. | | | | it is ergonomic, but in products that can be |
| At a recent ergonomics convention in Las Vegas, | | | | demonstrated in scientifically sound studies to |
| there were literally dozens of different designs of | | | | show promise, and in paying for independent |
| ergonomic chairs. Only one design on display | | | | ergonomists (those who don't sell the ergonomic |
| provided back support all the way up the spine | | | | products they recommend) to help make sound |
| and also allowed the elbows and shoulder-blades | | | | decisions. It takes a small leap of faith, but any |
| to move backward. According to Kirsten | | | | insuror who does this will be at a competitive |
| Liegmann, of Soma Ergonomics, "If you stand up | | | | advantage in the years to come by having a |
| straight, with good posture, you can see that | | | | lower claims rate and offering lower premiums. |
| your shoulder blades stick out farther than your | | | | 3) Standards need to be established. Many |
| spine. Most chair backs, in order to support your | | | | 'ergonomic' products are designed by marketing |
| spine, are going to force your shoulder blades | | | | or manufacturing people with no clear |
| forward! How can you expect to sit with your | | | | understanding of the ergonomic problems that |
| shoulders forced forward all day long and then go | | | | need to be solved. New initiatives like the |
| home without tension in your neck and | | | | ErgonomicStar™ program, and other evaluation |
| shoulders?" Why, then, do so many chairs do | | | | procedures or rating systems need to be |
| exactly that and their makers still call them | | | | developed as buyers' guides so money isn't |
| ergonomic? | | | | wasted on products that don't accomplish the |
| A 'little bit pregnant' | | | | buyer's purpose. |
| "You have to ignore the term 'ergonomic' when | | | | 4) Don't waste energy on government regulation. |
| you're buying equipment for a computer | | | | Even if the OSHA standards put in place at the |
| workstation." says Marcus Walker of SafeType, | | | | end of the Clinton administration had remained, |
| Inc. "Every keyboard is ergonomic, in the sense | | | | there would not have been sufficient funding to |
| that it provides an interface between a human | | | | ensure across-the-board compliance. Why start |
| and a machine. Most of them require the hands to | | | | over on a losing proposition? There are very real |
| be pronated (palms turned downward), which any | | | | and tangible benefits over the long run to |
| physiologist will tell you is not a relaxed position. | | | | implementing sound ergonomic choices. If |
| So even if they help straighten the angle of the | | | | government offices at all levels would invest in |
| wrist, they leave the hands pronated, which | | | | the best ergonomic consultants and equipment |
| produces pressure in the forearm and wrist." | | | | currently available, it would stimulate the economy |
| Says Walker, " Having a little bit of pressure is | | | | and protect a large body of workers all at the |
| kind of like being a little bit pregnant. A keyboard | | | | same time. The best role of government is to set |
| either eliminates pronation, or it doesn't! " | | | | an example rather than create regulation. |
| So what about those gel pads, and all the other | | | | 5) Look for the obvious targets of opportunity |
| wrist rests? Those can help, right? According to | | | | within your own company. Computer |
| Michael Abramson of HealthyComputing, not | | | | workstations are certainly not the only only area |
| necessarily. "Wrist rests should only be used for | | | | of concern regarding ergonomics. They do |
| resting. What we actually see in practice is that | | | | present an easy opportunity in many companies |
| people get wrist rests and then rest on them the | | | | to make a lot of difference, however. Every |
| whole time they are typing." What this does, of | | | | manufacturing environment can present different |
| course, is over-extend the angle of the wrist and | | | | challenges. Every computer workstation shares a |
| then, additionally, there is the external pressure on | | | | large number of similarities with most others. |
| the carpal gap from the wrist rest! Of course, as | | | | Identify those types of opportunities within your |
| Walker at SafeType points out, your wrist | | | | business and suggest a task force be formed in |
| probably shouldn't be turned that way in the first | | | | the interest of greater productivity, as well as |
| place. | | | | better health and safety. |
| Non-computer ergonomics | | | | With the proliferation of home computers and |
| For people whose work-station is more | | | | relatively inexpensive internet access, more |
| complicated than just a computer and desk-work, | | | | people are spending more hours at the computer. |
| there is good news. Adjustable-height work tables | | | | Children are beginning to use computers at an |
| and adjustable rack and shelving units have | | | | earlier age than ever before. If you use your |
| improved the options for many workers. Mats | | | | imagination, it's not difficult see that we could find |
| that help prevent fatigue and shin-splints are | | | | ourselves dealing with young people who are |
| available from several manufacturers. However, | | | | disabled before they ever have a chance to begin |
| the more complicated a work situation is, the | | | | a career. A general awareness of ergonomic |
| more difficult it is for an untrained person to | | | | issues has never been so important. |
| know how to best organize all of this adjustable | | | | Ideas are very real things. Powerful ideas have |
| equipment. | | | | always shaped the future of nations. What ideas |
| That's where a professional ergonomist can help. | | | | will shape the future of your workplace? Good |
| "Failure to use an adjustment is the same as not | | | | ergonomics is an idea whose time has come. |