Code of Practice for Office Ergonomics
Extracted from Channel NewsAsia: New standard to provide guidelines for good office ergonomics launched , 5th November 2005
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
If you've ever felt that work in the office can sometimes be a pain in the neck, you're not alone.
Seven out of 10 working adults suffer from some form of back, shoulder and neck pain, according to a survey done last year by the Singapore General Hospital.
Often, these aches and pains are a result of poor work habits or badly designed workstations.
To help overcome this, a new Code of Practice for Office Ergonomics was launched on Saturday.
The new standard covers the design and layout of workstations and equipment, such as height of tables, chairs and computers, as well as work postures and environmental factors such as lighting, noise and indoor air quality.
And in a society where so much time is spent in the office, alleviating such problems could have manifold benefits, like lowered absenteeism and higher productivity.
A study done in the United States showed that after implementing an ergonomics training programme for office workers, ergonomics-related illnesses dropped from eight injuries per 1,000 employees to three in 1000.
Total annual medical bills also fell dramatically by more than 70 percent.
Initiated by the Manpower Ministry, this new standard was developed and published by SPRING Singapore. - CNA/ir
Finally, more attention is focused on the office workers, from the professionals, doctors, lawyers, accountants, auditors, engineers to the admininstrative staff like secretaries, clerks, typists etc.
Years ago, I had read that some countries had implemented similar policies/schemes and the results were fantastic. And the benefits include economic values too.
Perhaps, we could have customised common PC peripherals, such as keyboard and mouse, according to our Asian build. And rule it mandatory for every company to have a Ergonomic Consultant who is trained to offer advices and designs according to each and every individual's physical build and needs.
The beginning would always be tough, for the employers and employees to follow closely the Code of Practice and accustom to it. And we might only reap the benefits years after. But it's for our very own physical health too.
So it seems like I would be following the CODE pretty soon too.
posted by eruption @ 2:07:00 AM
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