Make Your Office Ergonomic

In recent years, workers, employers and regulators have come to recognize the importance of making offices ergonomic. An ergonomic office is essential to helping prevent injuries due to cumulative trauma from repetitive tasks such as typing.

Buying ergonomic furniture or other equipment and hiring consultants to teach your workers how to protect themselves against injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome can be expensive. But the costs of not making that investment are much higher -- and sometimes ruinous. Employers often must pay for medical treatment or workers´ compensation for employees injured by repetitive work. In extreme cases, workers with serious workplace-related cumulative trauma injuries have sued their employers under OSHA regulation 51(a), which requires employers to provide a safe environment for their employees.

The hidden costs of cumulative trauma injuries are even more damaging. Avoidable injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and back strain cut into workers´ productivity, sometimes forcing employees to miss work or change careers altogether. In fact, experts estimate that the hidden costs of cumulative trauma injuries are two to seven times as great as the visible costs.

Before your employees complain of sore forearms or wrists or lower back pain, invest in making your office ergonomic. Think of it as an investment in your employees. The fact that you are willing to invest in their well being can also help build loyalty, boost morale and improve employee retention. And if that´s not incentive enough, consider this: OSHA has proposed standards to force employers to make their offices ergonomic.

With that in mind, try these five ways to improve the ergonomics of your office:

• Set up computer stations properly. Desks are made for writing, not for computing. Standard desk height is 30 inches; consultants recommend 27- or 28-inch work stations for people who spend at least half of their work time at a computer. The wrong keyboard height can lead to wrist, back, neck and shoulder strain. Monitors should be set up so that the top line of type is between eye level and 15 degrees below eye level. Proper positioning can prevent neck and back problems.
• Buy adjustable chairs. Make sure your chairs have adjustable height, rotating five-wheel bases, tiltable seats and adjustable back rests. Employees should familiarize themselves with their chairs´ features so they can position the chairs for maximum comfort. Knees, hips and elbows should be kept at right angles when sitting. If your employees share workstations or are frequently moving to different desks, encourage them to always adjust the height and backrest of whatever chair they are using that day.
• Keep muscles fresh by providing support and adjusting position. Proper support for sensitive body parts encourages blood flow, which carries oxygen to muscles and carts away waste. Consider buying forearm rests and wrist cushions to use while typing or footrests for employees whose feet don´t rest squarely on the floor. Tell everyone to adjust their position repeatedly throughout the day so that they don´t continually fight gravity with the same muscles.
• Set up desks so that workers can avoid repeating difficult tasks. For example, a worker shouldn´t have to make an awkward reach for a frequently used folder.
• If you or an employee experiences physical discomfort at work, act immediately.Even a small delay can turn a small problem into a major one. And don´t hesitate to call a consultant: A single appointment could prevent a serious injury.

6 Home Office Furniture Essentials

Worried about the cost of tricking out your home office in a down economy? Don't fear - we've boiled down your home office furniture needs for you so that you'll only be spending money on essential items that will provide comfort, enhance productivity and just plain look great. Let's get to the big six!

1. An adjustable office chair - In terms of comfort and productivity, it all starts with a great office chair. Executive office chairs have the power to transport you - even if your home office is filled with distractions. Be sure and choose a chair that is adjustable and features good ergonomic design to provide support for arms, shoulders and the lumbar area of the spine.

2. An executive desk - The center point of your home office, the executive desk is a place to start your day, get organized and set the stage for all your business dealings. Try to purchase a desk that gives you ample room to do your work but does NOT dominate the entire home office area. You need to be able to get up and move around during the course of the day, which is hard if you desk has you pinned in a corner of the room.

3. A reliable file cabinet - Papers flying around without a filing system can lead to all sorts of problems - especially in a home office where there are complicating factors such as kids roaming wild and hungry pets around every corner. That's why a good, heavy-duty filling cabinet made our list of home office essentials. It doesn't have to look great - but it needs to be functional (and if possible, expandable to grow with your business).

4. Ergonomic computer accessories - Your computer is going to be your small business lifeline. You will be spending many, many hours there every week. As such, it is a good idea to buy ergonomic keyboards, mouse devices, and anti-glare monitor covers to insure that you avoid workplace illnesses such as eye strain, repetitive stress disorders and back pain.

5. A good desk lamp or lighting system - Proper lighting is a must, but not always a no-brainer for the home office (because the space was built to house people and not working people). With that in mind, buy a couple of nice desk lamps and position one of them behind the computer to cut down on glare. Use the other in the vicinity of your file cabinet so you don't need to strain in order to locate the paperwork you seek.

6. Inspirational artwork - You don't need an original Picasso gracing your walls to be inspired by art. For most people, the latest crayon masterpiece by a son or daughter provides plenty of peace and motivation throughout the course of a day. Whatever type of art is inspiring to you, try and feature it in your home office space. Remember, it needs to be an expression of who you are and where you are going!