Creating a Happy and Healthy Workplace – Start With Your Office Ergonomics

Please find in this article our tips, expert advice and our recommended products to help you create a happy and healthy workplace, starting with your office ergonomics.

Working together as a global village, offices and factories around the world are designing brighter, healthier and eco-friendlier futures, utilising and also creating the latest technologies, ergonomic furniture and essential office supplies that make your days in the office go swiftly without a hitch.

We exist to make the office a place where inspiration turns into action, giving you the tools to take the Initiative to make that ground-breaking idea work or to reach an incredible goal.

After all, without a well-equipped office none of this would be possible. The office in some cases, is where decisions on our futures are directly shaped, so spend the time to re-shape yours so that you can think clearly, work proficiently and reach the goals you’ve set, big or small.

Create an environment around you that inspires you to achieve your goals. Your office should be a place that you look forward to coming to. If you start to search our web site or visit our local stores you will soon find we have a huge range of useful products and tips to make your office a happy and healthy workplace that inspires positive changes in you and the people around you.

It’s time to step up your set up and commit to a happier, healthier new you, what better place to start then your office ergonomics!

Office Workplace Design

Thinking of re-designing your workstation, setting up a home office, small to medium office or a corporate office? If so then you have come to the right place. We have a huge range of furniture, desking, seating, storage solutions, office supplies and most importantly ergonomic solutions for every space, every size and every style.

Take the stress out of choosing furniture and design your new office workplace with ergonomics in mind. Working with ergonomic furniture helps to reduce common overuse injuries in the office such as pain in the neck and shoulders, carpel tunnel, lower back pain, hand and wrist pain as well as other more adverse side effects like poor performance, stress and even depression.

We find that a poorly designed workstation can lead to stress, discomfort, poor performance and can often even develop into costly and painful musculoskeletal (soft tissue) injuries and disorders (MSDs). Workers with a poorly set-up workstation are rarely the most productive and can be potentially costly for the overall performance of the office.

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, we are here to help. With the support from Shane Rose, Injury Prevention Specialist and Managing Director at Prescribe Australia; a company that completes hundreds of ergonomic assessments every year we were able to define the perfect checklist for creating a happy and healthy workstation. Lets get started with this simple and easy to follow ergonomics checklist that you can print off at home or put in the office to remind yourself to work happier and healthier. Your health matters.

Ergonomic Assessment Checklist:

Seating

• Is your chair vertically adjustable and on a five-point base?

• Does your chair have an adjustable lumbar (low back) support?

• Does the backrest provide adequate support for your back?

• Does your seat pan width and depth provide for good fit and comfort?

• Does your seat pan have tilt adjustability?

• When seated, are your knees at or below the level of your hips (knees not higher than hips)?

Keyboard and Mouse

• Does the keyboard location allow you to keep your upper arms and elbows close to body?

• Does the keyboard position and angle allow for a neutral wrist posture so hands are in a straight line with forearms (not bent up/down or sideways toward little finger)?

• Does the mouse location allow you to keep your upper arm and elbow close to body (arm not extended outward beyond 45 degrees)?

• Do your arms and wrists rest upon surface areas (arm rests, wrist rests, desktop) absent any sharp or hard edges?

Monitor

• Is the screen directly in front of you (no twisting of your head or neck)?

• Is the monitor in a location that eliminates glare on the screen, which might cause you to assume an awkward posture to read screen?

• Is the monitor located at least arm’s length away from you?

• Is the screen placed at right angles or away from windows and task lights to avoid glare and bright light directly behind the screen?

• Is the top line of screen at or slightly (0-30 degrees) below eye level?

Other

• Is there adequate desktop space available to perform job tasks?

• Is there enough clearance for your knees, and legs?

• If you frequently use the telephone, is a headset provided to use when phone communication is combined with hand tasks such as typing or writing?

• If your job requires frequent viewing of documents, is a document holder provided to hold documents?

If you’re an office worker, arranging your computer workstation correctly is an important first step to care for your overall health and wellness. If you would like more information or feel that you could benefit from an ergonomic assessment, give the team from Prescribe Australia a call today on 1300 798 771.

Remember - Don’t slouch!

Slouching puts more pressure on the discs and vertebrae of your back. Move your chair as close to your work as possible to avoid leaning and reaching.

Preventative Exercise, Stretching and Rest Breaks.

One of the most important and overlooked pieces of creating a happy and healthy workplace is to take adequate rest breaks, stretch, and complete the right preventative exercises. Using these self-care techniques will empower your workers to maintain high levels of musculoskeletal health, leaving them feeling better at the end of each workday.

If you have any further questions regards creating a happy and healthy workplace, please feel free to contact your local store or reach out to Shane Rose for further ergonomic assessment and advice.

Shane Rose Prescribe Australia

T: 1300798771

E: shane@prescribeaustralia.com.au

W: www.prescribeaustralia.com.au