Making Friends with Your Computer—A Participatory Approach of the Workstation Ergonomics Program

Abstract

Abstract Employees working in the office tend to underestimate the potential safety and health hazards in their immediate environment, including their computer workstation. Although most workers spend a large amount of time working with computers, they still possess a poor understanding of ergonomics and human-computer interaction. Health risks, such as MSD (Musculoskeletal Disorders), visual fatigue and mental stress can lead to severe health impairments i.e. Carpal Tunnel Disorder (CTD). These health problems do not appear overnight but only over a considerable period of time. The participatory approach is one of the methods used for the ergonomic workstation program. This approach involves each department Champions conducting Display Screen Equipment (DSE) coaching sessions, which are followed by the completion of a self-assessment form by each DSE user in their departments. This self-assessment is important to ascertain the frequency of health symptoms related to MSD as well as the percentage of factors that contribute to health risks experienced by the DSE users. In addition to the statistics obtained, the other important part of the assessment is focusing on actions to be taken to minimize DSE health risks. These action items will be followed up through personal coaching sessions to fine-tune behavioral approaches and deploy appropriate equipment to ensure that the most optimal ergonomic workstation designs are implemented. The key to making this program a success is to encourage multiple departments to actively participate.