Ergonomic Seating
Many employers are opting to revamp their workplaces to offer ergonomic seating for employees.
Ergonomic seating is a means of designing seating that is safe, efficient, and offers muscle support to those that are seated for most of the day, such as office workers. Some examples of ergonomic seating include chairs with high neck rests for those that sit for more than four hours at a time and the smaller, more cost effective, ergonomic stools for those that sit for shorter durations.
While sitting does require twenty percent less energy than standing in the work place, the risks are the same if the body is not properly supported with ergonomic seating and office supplies.
Those that have ergonomic seating at work are also more efficient workers, says one recent study, due to the fact that they are able to focus more attention on their tasks than on their individual aches and pains.
There is also an economic reason for offices to turn to ergonomic seating. The average office loses over seven thousand dollars per employee each year due to poor productivity and Worker’s Compensation claims. Some offices have even been sued by former employees for not having ergonomic seating, claiming their negligence resulted in serious back problems.
Over fifty percent of Worker’s Compensation claims are lower-back injuries. Poor ergonomic seating encourages bad posture, which leads to a higher risk for back injuries both on and off the job, resulting in nearly eighty percent of all people suffering a back injury at some point in life.
While some back injuries are inflated by those with poor work ethic for the sake of “free money,” ergonomic seating can protect employers from suffering a financial loss. If an employer has done all they can to prevent an injury, it’s hard for them to be sued if an injury does occur. While Ergonomic seating devices generally cost more than typical office furniture, the money is made up for in the decrease of back injuries and increase in worker production that follows.
Several companies are even offering paid ergonomic seating and safety classes to employees to take an extra step in preventing injury on the job.
Ergonomic seating is not a cure for bad posture or work ethic, but it can provide employers an extra cushion in the event of an employee becoming injured and/or an unfounded Worker’s Compensation based lawsuit. For this reason, many experts are advising that employers switch to safer, more comfortable seating for their employees.
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