Improving Ergonomic Conditions Reduces Workplace Injuries and Cost

Many Americans spend the majority of each day sitting at a computer workstation. Often overlooked as a source of workplace injuries, working on a computer and sitting at a desk for extended periods can result in painful symptoms such as:¹

• Headaches
• Neck strain
• Backaches
• Wrist pain
• Eye strain
• Blurred vision
• Dry eye

Injuries to the shoulder, arm, wrist, and hands can also result from repetitive movements, awkward positions, and forceful extensions.²

Why Employers Should Care:
In 2007, there were 333,760 ergonomic-related injuries affecting the connective tissues of the body such as muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, or spinal discs. These injuries required a median of nine days away from work, two days greater than all other workplace injuries such as sprains, strains, and falls.² A study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that U.S. employers lose between $13 and $20 million dollars each year from lost productivity and health claims due to ergonomic-related injuries.³

What Employers Can Do:
Modifications to the workstation may be necessary to prevent pain and injuries associated with desk work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the following improvements to help prevent vision problems and injuries:⁴

• Reduce light intensity and glare on the monitor screen to reduce eyestrain, blurred vision, and burning or itching eyes.
• Clean the screen regularly of dust that can degrade the monitor's contrast and viewing conditions and cause eye strain.
• Rest the eyes by looking at distant objects, stopping and blinking at regular intervals, and by alternating computer time with other duties to reduce eye fatigue and dryness.
• Place document holders next to the monitor and at the same height to reduce frequent eye shifts between the screen and documents.
• Move often to avoid sitting in one position for extended periods. Sitting for long periods can be hard on the spine, legs, and feet.
• Create lumbar support with a cushion and adjust the height of the backrest to support the curve of the back.
• Place the monitor 18 to 20 inches in front of you at a right angle to reduce glare. The top of the monitor should be at or slightly below eye level so that the entire visual area is located at a downward viewing angle.
• Position the keyboard directly in line with the body and at a height where the shoulders can relax with the forearms parallel to the floor.

For more ergonomic tips for different workplaces, visit the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) page on Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Additional Resource:
Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA): e-Tool on Computer Workstation

References:
¹ American Optometric Association. Save your vision month: Healthy vision at the computer. Available at: http://www.aoa.org/x5072.xml. Accessed March 23, 2009.

² U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work, 2007. Available at: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh2.nr0.htm. Accessed March 23, 2009.

³ National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. A critical review of epidemiologic evidence for work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, upper extremity, and low back. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/97-141/. Accessed March 23, 2009.

⁴ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Computer workstation ergonomics. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/Ergonomics/compergo.htm. Accessed March 23, 2009.