Pen To Paper - Spring 2018

20 | P2P Magazine | Spring 2018 01732 759725 ERGONOMICS Ask the experts: ergonomics Katharine Metters , lead consultant, Posturite Yes, for moral, legal and business reasons. However, it does require thought and often a change in the relationship between employer and employee.  Employers can no longer supervise and enforce working positions and practices. Their role needs to be to consider and match the requirements of work with the technology and environments available to employees. As well as identifying and providing the most appropriate technology and workspaces, employers must educate and advise employees on the decisions they make so that they can work effectively while controlling health risks. Health risks associated with technology aren’t just work-based; they now permeate and affect all aspects of our lives and the information provided should reflect this. Many employers have already started down this road by providing training that includes, but is not limited to, work planning; posture; breaks; movement and exercise; and sleep and relaxation.  www.posturite.co.uk Stephen Bowden, chartered ergonomist at Morgan Maxwell and advisor to office product specialists Fellowes Modern technology helps employers to improve many parts of their employees’ work life, including productivity, by giving them flexibility and the opportunity to work away from the ever-distracting open plan office. However, employers and employees need to be aware of the negative aspects of this and how to manage them.   Under the Display Screen Assessment (DSE) Regulations, employers have a responsibility to assess and manage the risks of using multiple device types. Mobile phones and tablets were not common in 2002 when the DSE regulations were amended, but they refer to ‘any alphanumeric or graphic display Employers have a legal responsibility to provide staff with a safe, ergonomic workstation. But with employees increasingly working remotely and with more of their leisure time spent using smartphones, laptops and tablets, is protection against RSI and other conditions beyond the employer’s control? We ask the experts whether, in an age of mobility, ubiquitous technology and multiple device types, employers can realistically help protect workers from technology-related conditions. screen equipment regardless of the display process involved’. That includes tablets and smartphones. As well as following these guidelines, businesses can help improve employees’ posture at work by introducing ergonomic tools, such as foot-rests, back supports, wrist- rests and screen risers. Businesses must also look to invest in education programmes to ensure their employees understand the risks of technology- related conditions including sitting for long periods at their desk or when working remotely. www.fellowes.com/gb/ Sukhneet Assee , associate ergonomist UK & Ireland, Humanscale Employers can help protect workers in two ways. The first is to provide them with equipment that they can adapt easily to fit different postures. Technology is an issue when a monitor is at the wrong height and position, causing you to lean forward at your desk. Optimise viewing comfort with a monitor arm that allows you to position the screen so that the top line of text is at, or slightly below, seated eye height. Equipment is just part of the solution. Staff also need to know how to make the right adjustments and why they are needed. In order to protect their workers, employers need to educate them about the benefits of making these adjustments. Alternating between sitting and standing postures throughout the day, for example, has been shown to lower blood pressure. Employers should engage with and educate workers from the beginning instead of adopting a reactive approach to technology-related conditions when they arise.  www.humanscale.com Guy Osmond, managing director, Osmond Ergonomics Back in the days when everyone had a desktop computer, a DSE workstation assessment was the best way to address employees’ posture and ergonomics needs. Today, with laptops, tablets and smartphones, it can be hard to identify which device is used the most. The workplace may not even be a physical location since many workers need only a Wi-Fi connection to do their work. The priority for employers must therefore be to place a greater focus on training and awareness. Education becomes the key as personnel take more responsibility for their own welfare. This is most effective as part of a holistic corporate programme and provides an opportunity for professionals from HR, Health & Safety, Occupational Health, Wellbeing and Facilities Management to collaborate. Providing employees with knowledge, programmes and resources to support their physical and mental wellbeing is the most effective way to include ergonomics within a broader context. www.ergonomics.co.uk Annick Van Mil, PR and communications marketeer, BakkerElkhuizen Digitalisation of work has created demand for increased production output per employee, resulting in lack of physical exercise, excessive pressure of work and longer hours spent working on a computer. Flexibility in the hours and location of work provides cost savings for the organisation and increases productivity per employee, as converting a large proportion of commuting time into working time increases the number of working hours per week.This puts pressure on employees, both in their work and personal lives. The answer, for organisations and employees, is to encourage a way of working that leads to increased creativity, higher productivity and the safeguarding of free time. Important elements of this are the use of active recovery intervals after every hour of work, the use of performance enhancing tools and the acquisition of basic digital skills. To persuade management to invest, it is essential to dovetail employee welfare with strategies for cost savings and innovation. If successful, employees can then remain active until pensionable age. Fellowes Lotus sit-stand workstation Katharine Metters Stephen Bowden Guy Osmond