Ergonomics

In the present day new health problems especially in service sectors like IT, are cropping up like musculoskeletal disorders, repetitive strain injury. These disorders arise due to excessive use of keyboard and mouse. These injuries are usually caused due to repetitive tasks, incorrect posture, stress and bad ergonomics.Illness, accidents, injury at workplace not only hampers the smooth flow of work but makes one less efficient and productive. In one study, over half of employees who used computers for at least 15 hours a week reported musculoskeletal problems in the first year of a new job. Office ergonomics focuses on your workstation arrangement—the placement of equipment such as your desk, computer monitor, chair, computer keyboard, mouse, and telephone. Worldwide, ergonomics is becoming increasingly important in the design and use of computer peripherals. Health and computer-related health issues are treated seriously in countries like the US where nearly every company has a formal ergonomics programme that focuses on musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace. For instance, the US has a body called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In India, the number of injuries may be much less since PC penetration is lower, but the issue is important as the number of computer-related disorders has been increasing in line with the rate of PC adoption in the country.

Now days due to excessive use of keyboards and mouse employees suffer from muscle-skeletal disorders. MSD affects muscles, joints, tendons. It has been recognized as occupational diseases by International Labor Organization. Different organizations all over the world have adopted a formal ergonomics program. For example US have a body called Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. Its mission is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths by issuing and enforcing rules (called standards) for workplace safety and health.
Before having an elaborate discussion first of all let’s understand what is Ergonomics? Why these days organizations all over the world are designing their workplace to have an ergonomic workplace. Ergonomics is the study of how our body interacts with our environment when we perform a task or activity. Ergonomics often involves arranging our environment—including equipment, tools, lighting, and how we do a task—to fit us and the activity we are doing. Office ergonomics focuses on arranging your work environment to fit our needs while we do our job. If the environment or workplace is designed properly, it may help us to reduce the eye-strain, headaches, neck or back pain.
Ergonomics is related to simplification of work by designing the work place so that job could be done without or no physical exhaustion. In an ergonomic workplace, tasks and tools are designed to fit individual capabilities and limitations so that people can do their job without being injured. Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with designing according to the human needs, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance. For example assume that a person is having spondilites. And his office table is such that for eight long hours he has to bend his neck for doing his paper work as the table is below the appropriate height. What will be the consequence? He will have tremendous pain in his neck as well as in his back. For such situations ergonomically designed board, which is having adjustable height is suitable.

In United States cost of man days lost due to job related back pain has been estimated to the tune of $20 to $25 billion a year. Cost of compensation due to RSI (Repeated Strain Injuries) and WMSD (Work Related Muscular Skeletal Disorder) is ever increasing. In India, number of injuries may be less in comparison to US since PC penetration is lower. But still in knowledge related industries like IT and communication sector problem is markedly high.
Outside of the discipline itself, the term 'ergonomics' is generally used to refer to physical ergonomics as it relates to the workplace (as in for example ergonomic chairs and keyboards). Ergonomics in the workplace has to do largely with the safety of employees, both long and short-term. Ergonomics can help reduce costs by making improving safety. For example, over five million workers sustain overextension injuries per year. Through ergonomics, workplaces can be designed so that workers do not have to overextend themselves and the manufacturing industry could save billions in workers’ compensation.
Now one question arises, that what is the purpose of office ergonomics. Why it is hot topic of discussion in different companies? What is the purpose of office ergonomics? Illness, accidents, injury at workplace not only hampers the smooth flow of work but makes one less efficient and productive. In one study, over half of employees who used computers for at least 15 hours a week reported musculoskeletal problems in the first year of a new job. Most job-related injuries are caused by repetitive movements, awkward postures, bending over, applying pressure or force, or working with vibrating tools. Office ergonomics can help you be more comfortable at work while reducing stress and injury caused by awkward positions and repetitive tasks.
Office ergonomics focuses on your workstation arrangement—the placement of equipment such as your desk, computer monitor, chair, computer keyboard, mouse, and telephone.
These injuries at workplace can cause stress and strain on muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, blood vessels, or spinal discs. Symptoms include fatigue and hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, neck, or back pain. You may be at greater risk for workplace injuries if you have other health conditions, such as arthritis or mental or emotional stress.
Ergonomics risks are the most far reaching occupational risks, as now more number of employees uses laptops in their everyday work. Some organizations are providing an e-learning Ergonomic training and self-assessment program that helps identify educate and reduce ergonomic risk factors associated with jobs, work areas or job behaviors
Some of the injuries caused at workplace due to repetitive strain at a particular body are:
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is used to describe the prolonged pain experienced in shoulders or hands or neck or arms. Repetitive Strain Injury is the common word used for referring the types of soft tissue injuries like the nerve spasms, trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome. They are generally caused by the work-associated activities such as using keyboards and mouse. It is caused due to overusing or straining the body part.
The Repetitive Strain Injury is a common term, which covers other disorders such as the carpal tunnel syndrome, Upper limb disorder, Work-related upper limb disorders, Musculoskeletal disorders, Computer vision syndrome and Cumulative trauma disorders. The term Repetitive Strain Injury is generally used to describe the overused syndrome associated with particular repetitive activity. Repetitive Strain Injury usually caused due to repetitive tasks, incorrect posture, stress and bad ergonomics. The main cause of this main are the repetitive activities, forceful activities of arms and hand and awkward postures. The other causes of Repetitive Strain Injuries are sitting in a fixed posture and poor workplace ergonomics. As Repetitive Strain Injury recovery is being a slow process, it is better to take treatment at early stage itself.
Some of the symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injury are:
The users experience constant pain in the hands, elbows, shoulders, neck, and the back. Other symptoms of Repetitive Stain Injury are cramps, tingling, and numbness in the hands. The hand movements of the user may become clumsy and the person may find it difficult even to fasten buttons.
The common diagnoses seen in Repetitive Strain Injury are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tenosynovitis, Bursitis, White Limb, and Shoulder pain.
In order to prevent all these one should learn to do work in breaks .It is high time that organizations realize the importance of ergonomically designed components such as key boards, mouse, computer screen, office chairs, tables etc.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a disorder caused by repeating the same action that can result in inflammation of wrist. It causes pain in wrist and hands. Actually carpal tunnel is a small canal or tunnel runs from the forearm through the wrist. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also categorized as repetitive stress injuries, cumulative trauma disorder, overuse syndromes, which are all associated generally with repetitive and forceful use of the hands that damages the muscles and bones.
Ergonomics keyboards are designed such which allows an individual to comfortably rest his palms and wrists while typing. These keyboards are split down the middle.
The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be avoided by doing simple Carpal Tunnel exercises. It just takes five minutes to do these exercises. The exercises include exercises for wrist, neck and shoulder, forearms, fingers, hand and some simple general exercises.

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) can range from general aches and pains to more serious Problems. Some of the symptoms of Musculoskeletal Disorders are burning sensation in the hand ,Reduced grip strength in the hand ,Swelling in the joints ,Pain in wrists, forearms, elbows, neck, or back ,Dry, or sore eyes, double vision ,Weakness ,Tension stress headaches .
It is always better to take precautions to avoid Musculoskeletal Disorders than to treat them after you get affected. Some general precautions include:
Taking regular breaks from working at your computer - a few minutes at least once an hour
Alternating work tasks like mixing computer tasks with non computer tasks alternately to avoid strain
Regular stretching to relax your body
Using comfort equipment such as footrests, wrist/palm rests, and document holders if required
Keeping the mouse and keyboard at the same level
Avoiding gripping your mouse too tightly – it is always recommended to hold the mouse lightly and click gently
Familiarize yourself with keyboard shortcuts for applications you regularly use like Ctrl+S to save and Ctrl+P to print (to avoid overusing the mouse).

Ergonomic Problems of Eyestrain is the most common that most computer users all over the world experience. Some of the symptoms related to vision are visual fatigue, blurred or double vision, burning and watering eyes, headaches and frequent changes in prescription glasses .This is also called computer vision syndrome or C.V.S as it starts due to prolonged viewing of computer screens
It generally starts due to prolonged viewing of computer screens. Another cause of Ergonomic problems is that the average person blinks approximately 4 times per minute, far less than the natural rate of 22 blinks per minute. This lower blink rate causes eye moisture to evaporate, resulting in a "dry eye" condition. The symptoms of dry eye are sensations such as itching, burning, blurring, heavy eyelids, fatigue and double vision.
It may not result in permanent eye damage but the temporary discomfort created by it causes loss of work time, reduced productivity and self-confidence, lack of concentration, stress. In most cases eyestrain results from glare from bright windows or strong light sources, light reflecting off the display screen, or poor display screen contrast.
In order to avoid ergonomic Problems of eyestrain give ample exercise to the eyes , as lower blink rate causes eye strain blink the eyes regularly , adjust the screen height/seating so that while you are comfortably seated, your eyes are in line with the top of the monitor screen ,adjust the brightness control on your monitor for comfort. , adjust the contrast on your monitor to make the characters distinct from the background, position monitors in order to avoid glare (e.g. Not directly in front of windows), Keep your monitor screen clean to avoid ergonomic Problems , do regular eye testing at least once every 2 years and more frequently if necessary - especially if you are experiencing eye Problems related to using display equipment. Wear rigid rather than soft contact lens .We can reduce our eye strain by adopting 20-20 formula. According to this formula one should take rest for 20 seconds after working continuously for 20 minutes in front of the computer screen. Sometimes when there is no computer work, one can close the monitor to avoid strain on eyes.

Some of the symptoms of ergonomic problems of eyestrain are jerky eye movements, excessive blinking or blurred vision, double vision, headaches, dizziness, nausea, or fatigues easily after reading, head tilting, closing or blocking one eye when reading, skips lines or loses place when reading, misaligning letters or numbers, unusual posture or moving head closely to see book or paper, difficulty in concentrating reading material.
Ergonomics risks are the most far reaching occupational risks, as now more number of employees uses laptops in their everyday work. Not only employees are getting injured by continuous use of laptop, now day’s different institutes are also providing laptops to their students. Students are also facing several eye related problems and neck or back injuries due to prolonged vision of laptop screen and incorrect posture The main cause of Laptop Ergonomics disorders is that, if you're looking down at a laptop screen day in and day out, you'll develop upper back and neck injuries in due time. Laptop Ergonomics disorder, repetitive stress injuries (RSI for short) stay with you for a long time and can take months or years of therapeutic massages to work out. The general Laptop Ergonomics exercise is that, during rest breaks do stretches and exercises. These exercises can be done in your work space.