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Good ergonomics can help make workplaces healthy

Staff Development Weekly: Insight on Evidence-Based Practice in Education, August 25, 2006

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Healthcare workers who lift or move patients are not the only ones susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD)-ergonomic injuries of the muscles, nerves, or joints. Office personnel (e.g., receptionists, coders, managers, etc.) risk injury by working in an ergonomically unsafe environment.

Repetitive motions and awkward positioning at desks and workstations can lead to MSDs. Mary Matz, IH, MSPH, patient care ergonomics consultant for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Kenneth Weinberg, PhD, principal consultant and owner of Safdoc Systems, LLC, in Stoughton, MA, recommend that facilities pay attention to

• Posture. When sitting in front of a computer, an employee's neck should be upright and in line with the torso. Position computer monitors so the top of the monitor is at or below eye level.
• Seating. Chairs should have comfortable armrests and a backrest that supports the lower back. Seat width and depth should accommodate the specific user. Feet should rest flat on the floor or on a stable footrest.
• Lighting. Attach a glare screen to the monitor or adjust the lighting so it doesn't reflect off the screen. The work area should also have sufficient lighting for reading and writing, whether on paper or at a monitor.

To get more tips, go to Briefings on Hospital Safety (BHS). For the cost of just three stories, you can get the entire September issue of BHS. Click here to choose between the PDF and HTML versions for just $30. Subscribers to the online version of BHS have free access to this article. Subscribers to the print newsletter can find this article in their August issue.

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