According to the Cleveland Clinic, posture is defined as “the position in which you hold your body upright against gravity while standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture involves training your body to stand, walk, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement or weight-bearing activities.”
We’ve all been told as children to ‘Stand up straight, don’t slouch’ but when we’re adults we’re not reminded as often, and this can lead to issues later in life. Where awkward postures are highlighted as a problem, this is often due to poor workstation and equipment design or selection. According to the HSE, the three simple rules are as follows:
- Enable work to be done with the joints at about their mid points of their range of motion
- Reduce the time spent holding and / or repeating awkward postures
- Avoid using static postures for prolonged periods
Work-station design, work organisation and tool design can all play a part in helping keep a safe posture during work. By ensuring that employees spend their time in safe positions can help to avoid the issue of poor posture and the issues that can happen as a result – namely the development of repetitive strain injuries. There are a range of areas which need to be considered:
Reach distances – equipment should be within easy reach of the operator
Working height – the height, angle and position at which the work is conducted should be monitored
Seating workstations such as tables should accommodate the largest users while platforms, adjustable chairs and footrests can be used by smaller users to achieve optimal working height
Standing workstations should be used for jobs that depend on a lot of body movement or greater force.
Working height should depend on the nature of the task being performed
For manipulative tasks the table height should be 50 – 100mm below elbow height
For precision tasks including writing, the table height should be 50 – 100mm above elbow height.
Seating is crucial if people are spending a long time at their desks – a small investment in good quality seating can save a lot of trouble and cost further down the line.
Your employer has a duty to provide you with a safe working environment but you also have your responsibilities to ensure that equipment provided is used properly. If you have developed a repetitive strain injury and you believe your employer is responsible, then contact one of our solicitors today.