If you’re an office manager, you’ll be well aware of the importance of OHS and proper maintenance of all aspects of your business premises. You may not, however, be aware of some far less obvious OHS risks in one of the most familiar parts of the office- The office furniture. The ergonomic approach to OHS tends to be a bit too blasé in some cases, and the real risks can be covered in a sugary, feel-good approach which is quite inappropriate for the actual level of risk.
The big issue- Office furniture can do ergonomic damage on the scale of a major medical condition. Slipped disks, spinal injuries, RSI, nerve damage, you name it, there’s a long list of potentially serious OHS issues related to furniture, and they’re major ticket items in any actual compensation claim.
For example:
- An architect employed by a government department doing regular consultative calls to clients suffered a serious neck injury, simply as a result of a combination of old furniture and being on the phone using a computer.
- An office worker with 20 years’ experience suffered cumulative injuries after decades in various forms of dilapidated office chairs and workplace environments and nearly suffered a slipped disk in the spine. The issue was corrected in time, and the main issue was a damaged nerve in the elbow according to nerve conduction tests.
- An administrative worker was effectively made an invalid largely as a result of accumulated injuries in a poor ergonomic environment in a few years.
If you’re seeing multiple signs of major OHS-related compensation claims, you’re dead right- These were “career injuries” sustained in the workplace, and the employers, naturally, didn’t have a leg to stand on. These are the realities of ergonomics in the workplace, without the “cute” approach. They’re expensive, dangerous, and in the case of the administrative worker, who was a teenager just out of high school, heart rending.
Getting a grip on good ergonomic policies
The fact is that these situations are 100% avoidable. The real need is for good quality office furniture and an alert, responsive policy in relation to the issues.
The needs are:
- Strict quality control on office furniture purchases- Never mind focusing on budget-based debates about cheap or expensive furniture, quality is the difference between an almost indefensible OHS claim and a good, productive business environment.
- Clear guidelines for ergonomic practices- If a staff member spots a defective chair, workstation or other hazard, they’re doing your business a huge favour in real dollar terms. Any furniture which isn’t up to standard must go.
- Condition of furniture- Bizarrely enough, decrepit and even unclean furniture is sometimes kept in operation long after its expiry date. If normal commercial cleaning services can’t clean furniture, it’s too tacky to be allowed to remain in the workplace. (Note: Stained areas also mean the furniture materials are in very bad condition. If seating becomes contaminated with fluids, it becomes uneven, creating a possible ergonomic situation.)
The absolute bottom line- Don’t take chances with “iffy” furniture. OHS claims based on ergonomics issues cost millions every year, quite unnecessarily. Get the best and keep an eye on quality, and you’ll be OK.
