Proper ergonomics makes your office healthy and energetic. It keeps your employees healthy and active while in office.


On the other hand, poor ergonomics has the potential to cause multiple physical disorders in your employees over an extended period of time. That is why a proper OHS ergonomic workstation assessment is necessary to ensure that your office is ergonomically accurate for your workforce.


In this article, we delve into what ergonomic assessment is and what it encapsulates.


Understanding ergonomic assessment

The ergonomic workstation assessment helps the company identify the different ergonomic risk factors in the workplace. Qualified ergonomic professionals conduct this assessment while employees are busy at their workstations. This assessment highlights different ergonomic issues, such as inaccurate workstations, poor equipment, improper posture and problems in the overall work environment.


Workstation assessment

Different parts and components of a workstation have a relevant effect on ergonomics. The physical and online ergonomic workstation assessment will check whether the workstation suits the employee working at it and the different duties they perform on it.


Office workers

Your employees who remain seated in front of the computer or laptop for most parts of their workday are at a higher risk of acquiring musculoskeletal injuries. Additionally, repetitive motions like typing are a common activity in offices. This could strain the tendons and muscles. Collectively, these factors can cause vision problems, back pain, and pain in hands, wrists and elbows.


An ergonomic assessment of the employee’s sitting and working positions will help identify the loopholes in the current workstation. Then, the assessment specialist(s) can suggest appropriate solutions.


Let us now look at the assessment for various office furniture.


  1. Desks

Not every employee is of the same height and physicality. Therefore, different individuals have different desk requirements. Ergonomic desks are those that can be customised or altered as per the physical needs of the occupant, allowing the employee to adjust the height of the desk.


An ergonomically certified desk will have ample space to keep the laptop or other equipment while also enabling the user to maintain the right posture.


  1. Chairs

Chairs are often the most ignored component of office design but they are the most significant element of good ergonomics and ergonomic design. Your employees sit on the chairs for most of their workday. And if the chair is not suited to their physicality and body, it can cause serious musculoskeletal issues.


An OHS ergonomic workstation assessment also includes a chair assessment. It will help you identify the right type of adaptable chairs that are suitable for your staff. The health effects of improper chairs are long term and usually chronic in nature. If you do not experience any problems with your employees now, that does not mean there is no problem at all. Therefore, conduct the right office workstation assessment to create a healthy and thriving workplace.


  1. Footstool

This is an important component for those who cannot place their feet on the ground while sitting. This gives relief from strain in lower back and leg muscles.


  1. Screen height

The monitor or screen’s height is a very important factor, which many ignore. Not all employees are of the same height therefore, the workstations should be adaptable so that the screen’s height can be adjusted as per the height of the occupant.


A workstation assessment will help you to ascertain the right screen height for the user. This will prevent neck pain and backache among your employees.


Any business would want their workforce to be healthy, efficient and productive. To find the best advice on a physical or online ergonomic workstation assessment, consult our experts at Ergoworks Consulting.