Why Ergonomics is Important for Workplace Safety

In order to create a safe work environment and prevent workplace injuries, every health and safety manager should recognize the importance of workplace ergonomics.

What Is Workplace Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the science of creating products and processes designed for human comfort and safety. This can apply to numerous areas and activities, from an employee’s posture while standing at a workstation to ensuring workers take necessary breaks to prevent physical and cognitive fatigue.

Ergonomic solutions can be used to improve four main areas in the workplace:

1. Objects employees use.
2. Processes employees perform.
3. How employees move objects.
4. Spaces workers reside.

By using ergonomic solutions, company leaders can protect the health of their workers while improving productivity and job satisfaction.

How Ergonomics Becomes Crucial for Workplace Safety

Health and safety managers are concerned with many aspects of their employees’ well-being. After protecting workers from significant safety concerns like fire, machine malfunctions, and other disasters, it can be difficult for managers to prioritize and budget for ergonomic solutions.

While ergonomics doesn’t stop major disasters, it can prevent numerous workplace accidents that are more common and more likely to cost companies money in lost wages and productivity.

Most jobs require workers to perform repetitive tasks day after day. Over months and years, these jobs can cause serious harm to workers without the proper preventions in place. For instance, workers who stand or sit for long periods of time can gain poor posture, leading to chronic neck, back, and shoulder pain.

Fortunately, these injuries are preventable. Health and safety managers can prevent common workplace injuries and improve the lives of their employees by using ergonomic products like folding table risers, ergonomic office chairs, and anti-fatigue mats.

Preventing Workplace Injuries Through Ergonomics

Prevention begins with education, from company executives to entry-level employees. By adopting ergonomic solutions and frequently reinforcing them, companies can save money and their workers’ health.

By addressing these four areas, managers can determine where they should invest in ergonomic solutions.

Objects Employees Use

Companies should ensure workers’ tools and equipment are easy to handle, allowing for natural movement. Ask yourself these questions:

• Are tools easy to grip?
• Are the tools a reasonable weight and size?
• Are the tools and machinery up to modern safety standards?

Processes Employees Perform

This looks at the way employees perform various job tasks. Warehouse and factory workers are common examples. Double check with these questions:

• Do workers have all their tools and materials in easy-to-reach locations?
• Are workers required to complete tasks in a natural and efficient way?

How Employees Move Objects

It’s up to managers to train employees to properly manage objects required for work. Employees should understand how to properly lift, push, and pull objects to prevent the most common workplace injuries.

Spaces Workers Reside

Managers should consider how employees sit, stand, or move at work. Ask yourself:

• Are your workers hunched over a folding table set at the wrong height?
• Do your workers that make calls all day have proper headsets?

Creating Safer Workplaces Through Ergonomic Solutions

Ergonomic solutions are crucial for creating safe working environments for companies of all sizes and industries. Investing in ergonomic products, systems, and solutions have been proven to significantly reduce costly workplace injuries.

For instance, businesses worldwide require workers to use folding tables at their workstations. While folding tables are widely used for their durability and adaptability, folding tables are manufactured at seated height, which is too low to work behind while standing, creating unsafe work environments. With Lift Your Table® folding table risers, employees can raise their folding tables to the proper height and prevent fatigue, injury, and loss of productivity.

To create a safer workplace for your employees, check out our website to learn how our folding table risers can help your business.

With our folding table risers, you can…

Lift Your Table® & Save Your Back!