Industrial Furniture and Storage Products for Production and Technical Environments

How Ergonomic Workstations Increase Profits

Ergonomics is the scientific approach to designing equipment so it maximises productivity and limits discomfort to the user.¹ Providing your employees with ergonomic workstations can not only increase their output, but also limit the risk of injury, tiredness and absenteeism. This in turn can increase profits.

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is one of the fastest growing desktop related injuries in the UK. It’s estimated to affect 200,000 people and cost British industries £1 billion/year from absenteeism and lost productivity.² These startling statistics are largely due to the changing nature of the modern workplace.

Many people now spend the majority of their days sat at a desktop using a computer. Injuries occur because they aren’t sat comfortably, but are straining to view their monitors or reach for their keyboard. This repeated strain increases the chance of them developing an injury, which can lead to lowered productivity and absenteeism.³ However, these problems can be prevented with ergonomically optimised workstations.

It’s essential that workers are able to sit with a good posture; not arching their backs, having to strain to reach objects or cradling to view their screens. This means workstations need to be height adjustable to accommodate different body sizes.

Employees should be able to sit upright with their elbows rested comfortably on the table, the top of their monitor screen 2-3” above eye level and at arms length.⁴ An adjustable, ergonomic workstation enables every worker to be able to sit with the desktop optimised for their own height. This means they can perform their jobs without straining or getting tired as quickly, and will therefore be more productive.

A workstation that can be raised to standing waist height also enables your technical lab or manufacturing plant to be more flexible in the range of tasks that can be performed.⁵ A suitably raised workstation can allow standing workers to use the worktop without having to strain their backs to pick up objects or write things down.

Ergonomic workstations typically use one of three systems to adjust their height: an Allen key, a retractable handle or a hydraulic electric motor. If a workstation is to be used by numerous employees, or for a variety of tasks, then an electric motor is the most efficient solution for limiting the exertion and inconvenience to workers. If height adjustments are rare then a manual system might be adequate. 

Investing in ergonomic workstations will help to prevent your employees joining the thousands already suffering from desktop related injuries. Limiting the stain they place on their necks and backs will also enable them to work comfortably and efficiently for longer periods.⁶

So, ergonomic workstations can not only increase productivity, but will also help increase profits from having a fit, healthy workforce.

2.2.2008 (ergonomic, workstation, RSI)

¹http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ergonomic
²http://www.omniquad.com/omniquad_ergosense.htm
³http://www.ncsu.edu/ehs/www99/right/handsMan/office/ergonomic.html
⁴http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/ergoguide.html
⁵http://www.ergoindemand.com/ergonomic-computer-workstation-guidelines.htm
⁶http://www.ergoindemand.com/ergonomic-computer-workstation-guidelines.htm