There are a number of trends when it comes to effective workplace safety and design, particularly in ergonomics.
"The most significant issue at the moment for ergonomists is emerging technology and therefore what constitutes a workplace. Workers, through the evolution of technology, no longer work in a traditional environment, rather their workplace can now be a café, a client’s office or their home,” says Brabender.
An emerging issue for ergonomists is the effect of psychosocial aspects in the workplace, and Brabender says this concern may be driven by the efforts of the regulators and their recent focus on bullying and harassment in the workplace. “This also relates to the organisational aspects of the workplace – that is, how the demands of the job, the level of control for individual workers in their job, and the support afforded to workers by management affect the mental health of workers,” he says.
Common Challenges and Issues
The advent of non-traditional workplaces through new technology can potentially cause a sense of isolation and disconnection and/or further exacerbate musculoskeletal disorders. Stress, and stress-related workers compensation claims, can be exacerbated by matters over which management has control, such as:
poor role clarity
low or non-existent recognition and reward
poor support from supervisors, inadequate information about work priorities or inadequate equipment, training or instruction
unfair discrimination, harassment or bullying
Another related aspect is the matter of workplace culture, especially with respect to the perception of poor organisational justice, he says. “Workers can see management as unconcerned with addressing those matters that affect them in a way that is transparent, fair and expedient. These risks should not be considered in isolation as they are interrelated and the effects of each can be cumulative, leading to mental health issues that could be avoided,” says Brabender.
How HSE International Can Help
There is no single, simple solution to this matter, but there is evidence that a combination of the following can have real benefits:
changing the way people work with respect to movement, redesigning tasks to include regular breaks, encourage standing where possible
improving the level of worker interaction and collaboration wherever possible
getting away from fixed postures and boring routine
in order to effectively address movement aspects of a job, an analysis and implementation of insinuating movement into all jobs
not just the gym, but encouraging incidental movement
moving more – walking up stairs, not using the lift, placing printers across the room so people must get up and walk to their print outs
supplying workers with Fitbit watches to monitor their activity levels
risk break app to monitor movement
Movement is important, and not just from a musculoskeletal perspective. It has been shown to have benefits with respect to cardio-metabolic health, and reducing risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and back injury, Brabender adds. “It is also important to gain adequate knowledge and training on the ergonomics of human- system interaction. Effective workplace design that considers psychological welfare and risk management principles can be effective and proactive tools that can prevent incidents related to musculoskeletal health,” he says.
Best practice design principles are detailed in ISO 26800:2011 Ergonomics - General Approach, Principles and Concepts. SAI Global has helped numerous health and safety professionals gain knowledge on the principles and processes of matching people and tasks through attendance at their course, Effective Workplace Safety and Design, according to Brabender, who adds that this course is now available online. Health and safety professionals are able to study in their own time and gain nationally recognized qualifications.
The immediate benefit is in real dollar terms. According to recent research, in Canada depression in the workplace costs employers an estimated $22 billion per year, $8 billion per year in Australia, and in the USA it is $5.8 billion per year. There are other, less easily measurable (in dollar terms) benefits that relate to improved productivity, lower rates of staff turnover and reduced absenteeism. Most importantly, worker mental health risks will be reduced, and that should be the real target of any health initiative.