Preventing Back Injuries At Work

Back injuries are the most common type of back injury in the workplace. Injuries can be caused by heavy lifting, stress, uncomfortable desk setups or even long periods of immobility. There are a few small, simple steps employees and employers can practice in order to significantly reduce back injuries in the workplace.

Here are a few steps from business2community.com about reducing back injuries in an office setting:

• If your employees sit behind a desk while at work, urge them to get up and move every once in a while. Sitting in the same place puts a great deal of stress on the disks and joints of your lower back. Stretching, walking or even standing for a small period of time can help relieve your back pressure.
• If your employees stand for long periods of time, allow them to take sitting breaks or provide them with a small stool to prop their feet every once in a while. According to Discovery Health, putting one foot up on a small prop helps reduce the pressure on your lower back. Ask your employees to prop their feet, one after the other for a few minutes throughout the day.
• You can invest in adjustable desk chairs, ones that are designed for back support. Or, you can ask your employees to bring small, cylinder-like pillows and use them between their lower back and the chair to take the stress off the back.
• Urge your employees to set up their desks to help them relax their posture. Computer monitors should be high enough at eye level that an employee doesn’t have to strain their neck up or down to see the screen.

  If your employees are on the phone for long period of time, invest in headsets that will help relieve neck pain from holding the receiver between the head and the shoulder. If you want to truly make a comfortable workplace for each employee, consider hiring an ergonomics consultant who can optimize a workstation to each employee.

• Lastly, address workplace stress. Stress is a major contributing factor to back pain, and small stretching and exercise can go a long way to alleviate the pain. Do you have a company gym discount? Maybe a game room or an exercise room in the office? Set up workplace yoga or a stress-free zone where employees can go and relax for a moment; it will go a long way when it comes to back pain.

If you or someone you know has been injured or hurt at work, you need the correct information. Missing crucial deadlines can greatly hinder any personal injury.

We encourage you to contact our highly experienced Ohio workers’ compensation attorneys today to order your free copy of The Ohio Work Injury Book and to receive a free case evaluation.