November 9, 2014
When discussions of workplace injuries arise, it’s common for people to immediately think of workers who perform physical labor and/or who regularly interact with heavy machinery. However, sedentary office workers who regularly work on computers (rather than performing physical activities) can be susceptible to some unique workplace risks and injuries, especially when considering the possibility of repetitive stress injuries – like carpal tunnel syndrome.
The good news for these workers, however, is that there may be some easy things they can do to improve their workplace ergonomics, reduce their risks of developing workplace injuries and, in turn, promote their overall wellbeing.
In this three-part blog series, we will highlight some tips for easily incorporating office ergonomics into your workspace or workplace. If you do end up developing repetitive stress injuries or any other workplace injury, don’t hesitate to contact Denver Workers’ Compensation Attorney Jennifer Bisset.
Workplace Ergonomics: How to Ease Your Physical Stress
Tip 1 – Sit in the right chair.
One of the primary things sedentary office workers can do to vastly improve their workplace ergonomics is to make sure they are sitting in a chair that is at the right height and that has adequate
lumbar (back) support. To this end, people should make sure that:
- Their feet can easily rest flat on the ground when sitting in the chair.
- The back of the chair meets the curvature in their lower back to properly support it.
If your office chair is older, is broken or is just simply not providing you with the support you need, bring this to the attention of your employers and specifically request an ergonomically friend chair. Having the right chair to sit in day-to-day while your work can be pivotal to minimizing the risk of potentially serious back and neck injuries (among other possible injuries).
Tip 2 – Make sure your arms and feet have support.
It’s not enough to have back support if you primarily sit while working – especially if you are regularly typing on computers. You also need to ensure that your arms, wrists and feet have the proper support so that you can maintain good posture and avoid putting excessive stress on your body as you sit and work for extended hours on end.
With this aspect of workplace ergonomics, you can do the following to make sure the rest of your body is properly supported while you work in a seated position:
- Use ergonomically friendly keyboards and mice so that your wrists are supported while typing or otherwise using the computer.
- Use a footrest as you are seated to ensure that your feet, knees and legs are in their optimal resting position.
We will resume this discussion in two additional parts of this blog series that will be posted soon – be sure to look for them!
Denver Workers’ Compensation Lawyer at the Bisset Law Firm
Have you been injured at work? If so, Denver Workers’ Compensation Attorney Jennifer Bisset wants you to know that she is here to aggressively advocate your rights and help you obtain the benefits you need and deserve.
You can contact Jennifer Bisset by calling (303) 894-8900 to learn more about your rights and receive a professional evaluation of your case. You can also email her using the contact form on the side of this page.
