Chairs for the advice!

Sitting at a desk for hours on end not only puts people at risk of back and neck pain but can lead to serious health risks such as diabetes, heart and vascular disease, depression and even mortality.

That’s according to the latest research from the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work which says that switching between sitting, standing and moving about is crucial for healthy work practice.

According to surveys undertaken by the agency, 28 per cent of EU workers report that their job involves sitting almost all the time, with 18 per cent saying they sit for more than 7.5 hours a day.

While modern offices and workplaces are largely designed with ergonomics and functionality at the forefront, the average home may not be.

With so many people now working from home due to Covid-19, experts are urging the public to ensure home workstations are well set up and to be conscious of the considerable risks associated with poor home ergonomics.

Managing Director of Leyden Consulting Engineers (LCE), Ita Leyden told the Cork Independent that technology has contributed largely to the risks faced by workers.

“The risks are the same – poor posture, excessive forces, high repetition, long durations – however, technology has resulted in us being exposed to these risks more frequently,” she said.

Ita, who has worked in the field of ergonomics and workplace safety for over 25 years, said ergonomics is all about ensuring a workstation is set up to suit how the human body is designed to work.

She said, while most people focus on their chair, it is the location of the monitor that has the most impact on posture.

“If the screen is too far away, we will lean forward to see the screen, and if you do this, no matter how good the chair is, your back is not going to be getting any support from the chair.

“I always recommend starting by placing your screen within arm’s length when sitting comfortably on the chair. Then, adjust the chair height so that your elbows are slightly above the desk.

“If your feet are not touching the ground when the chair is at the right height, get a foot rest!”

According to Ita, ergonomics plays a huge role in performance at work and she says her clients at LCE see real financial bottom line savings, fewer accidents, less absenteeism, increased productivity and improved quality of work through her guidance.

“It is my experience that good ergonomics makes good business sense. If an employee is comfortable at their workstation, and their workplace is set up to suit how the body and brain are designed to function, this naturally affects productivity and quality,” she said.

Having been an expert in her field for so long, Ita says she is “never off duty” and that the same risks that existed a century ago still exist today.

“Over 100 years ago there was a repetitive injury associated with the thumb called ‘washer woman’s thumb’. Today we are seeing a similar injury associated with texting!” she said.