Most people, when they think about work related injuries, picture physical labor positions, but if you’re not positioned correctly in your office chair or at your desk, look out! Mellott’s Josh Hill, Information Systems Analyst, took time recently to present a Lunch and Learn regarding. Safety: Ergonomics & Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). The following touches on the main points of Josh’s presentation.
Musculoskeletal injuries occur in the soft tissues of your body.
Some examples of soft bodily tissues are the nerves, tendons, muscles, ligaments, and joints, and develop slowly over time. Here a few examples of this:
• Carpal tunnel
• Tendinitis
• Neck pain
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) may not seem very serious when symptoms first appear.
They can start with minor discomfort in the early stages with symptoms that go away after a break, or at night when you are not at work. But as you return to the same activity, the symptoms also return. Over time, symptoms increase in intensity and eventually the body does not recover, even after rest.
Recognizing potential risk factors in work tasks
Once we can quickly recognize what can lead to these symptoms is the first step to eliminating them. Work can be made more comfortable and safer by using ergonomics. Josh Hill said, “Making small ergonomic adjustments in the office can make a big impact on our health outside the office.” Ergonomics focuses on how people interact with their workspace or working conditions, and how to make that interaction as safe and efficient as possible for each worker.
