Why an Injury Prevention Program is Important to Implement at Your Worksite!

Whether someone is a desk worker, athlete, dancer, or even driver, they are at high risk of repetitive motion injury, which is among the most common injuries in the U.S.

While most repetitive motion injuries – resulting, as the name implies, from doing mechanical motion over and over again – are caused in the workplace, pretty much any repetitive actions in our everyday life can be responsible for the disorder.

What is a repetitive motion injury?

 

As mentioned above, repetitive motion injuries refer to a wide range of injuries caused by performing certain activities over and over again during a prolonged period of time and with a lack of rest (taking breaks).

The most common symptoms of repetitive motion injuries: numbness and tingling in the affected area;

• Tenderness or pain
• Abnormal pulsating sensation
• Loss of sensation or loss of strength.

 

What causes repetitive strain injuries?

• Overusing a particular muscle or group of muscles
• Repeating certain movements that put your muscles, joints, or ligaments in an awkward position
• Using vibrating equipment
• Performing activities in cold temperatures
• Holding the same posture for a prolonged period of time
• Putting direct pressure on a particular muscle, joint, or ligament
• Carrying heavy loads
• Fatigue
• Lack of rest
• As a contributing factor – increased stress levels.

 

While many people confuse carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive motion injuries – making it seem as if the two terms are practically synonymous – there are other types of injury from repetitive motion to be aware of. Apart from carpal tunnel syndrome, the following conditions can be considered repetitive strain injuries (though it depends on your particular circumstances):

• Bursitis
• Tendonitis
• Tendinosis
• Raynaud’s disease
• Cubital tunnel syndrome
• De Quervain syndrome
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Intersection syndrome
• Dupuytren’s contracture
• Rotator cuff syndrome
• Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
• Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis)
• Writer’s cramp
• Radial tunnel syndrome

 

All of the above-mentioned conditions can make it impossible for workers to perform their job duties over time. Given this factor and the fact that many repetitive strain injuries are acquired at work, if your worksite has a injury prevention program in place – it is able to eliminate symptoms before these injuries occur.

CIS onsite injury prevention program addresses all the above items. CIS onsite provides a proactive partnership with companies which entails boots on the ground, covering all shifts. So, no matter where your site is located CIS onsite can assistance you in reducing and preventing workplace injuries. 

Link: https://cisonsite.com/injury-prevention/ergonomic-early-intervention-program/

Please visit our web site at www.cisonsite.com and contact us at jpanozzo@cisonsite.com for more information.

Workplace Ergonomics:

Benefits And Ways To Improve It

Ergonomics is a fancy word that means making your workplace as comfortable as possible. That sounds like a good idea, right? Well, there are many benefits to workplace ergonomics that will make your staff happier and healthier. In this article, we’ll discuss what workplace ergonomics is all about and how you can implement it in your workplace with great success.

 

What Is Workplace Ergonomics?

Generally, the field of workplace ergonomics is the study of creating a workplace that is more efficient and less stressful for employees. Sitting at a desk for long periods of time can be bad for you. It can cause problems in your body, such as pain and other things. These problems make it hard to work and make you miss days of school or work. This can lead to more money spent on healthcare costs, too.

Studies of workplace ergonomics programs show that they reduce the number of absents by 61% and staff turnover by 87%. As such, employers should take steps to try to make sure that they do not get injured. This is something we need to be careful about. We have good ergonomics in the workplace so people are not tired all the time. They are more productive and get better results when they don’t have a lot of stress on them.

 

Benefits Of Workplace Ergonomics

Ergonomics can help a company develop a healthier workplace. It can also benefit employees in many ways. Here are some benefits for organizations with workplace ergonomics. These benefits may be useful for you, too.

• When people have a break, they can be more productive
• Boosts employee morale
• Employees’ health will get better
• Reduces the chance of missing work
• Provides the safety of your workplace
• You will save more money
• Reduces employee turnover is a good idea. That means that you will have fewer people quitting their jobs than usual, which is good for your business.
• Improves the quality of a product.

 

Ways To Improve Workplace Ergonomics

You want to make sure that you are doing good things for your body at work. Similarly, you can do this by looking at the risks and then trying to reduce them. If you have a good ergonomics program, it is always improving and takes time to plan.

Little things like arranging desks, tables, and computers can make a company’s office more ergonomic. This will be good for the organization.

If you are an employee, here are some tips that can help you improve ergonomics at work

 

Proper Posture

Good posture makes you healthy and fit. With good posture, you will not have back problems. It also creates a good impression of a person.

You should keep an upright posture and avoid uncomfortable postures while you spend the majority of your time at work sitting down.

Similarly, a person who is in a neutral posture might be comfortable, and it puts minimal strain on the joints and muscles. A posture that puts strain on muscles and joints is an uncomfortable one, whereas an ungainly posture can be both uncomfortable and unproductive.

 

Look After Your Eyes

Many people suffer from digital eye strain when they work in front of a computer. It can give them headaches and limit their productivity. Place your computer monitor at a good distance from you. Put it at the same height as your eyes when you are sitting in your chair. If there is a light or window behind, move the monitor so that it does not create glare. If our monitor has a low resolution or is damaged, get a new one.

Take Breaks

Regardless of whether your place of business is designed ergonomically, job tension can have dire consequences to your body and mind. Workplace stress might cause muscular strain and tighten up your muscles.

It’s important to take breaks from work to manage work-related stress. That will help you not be tired and get sick. If you want, you can take a break for 5 minutes. That will help you not be bored, and it will also help you feel better when doing the work again.

Avoid Harmful Practices

Keep your phone, printer, and other things close to you. It can be easy to reach them. You don’t need to stretch out your arm, because that will make the muscles tired.

Do not do things that put stress on your spines, such as slouching and putting your phone between your ear and neck. These things can cause serious problems.

Stretch Often

Sitting for long periods of time is harmful to one’s health. It causes tiredness and leads to a variety of health issues, including obesity and diabetes.

Make it a habit to stand up and stretch every so often. Stretching your muscles may help you feel stronger, more balanced, and more efficient. Also, stretching makes the body feel better. It increases blood circulation which reduces the risk of injury.

Good Positioning Of The Keyboard And Mouse

Place your keyboard and mouse at a comfortable angle. The keyboard and mouse are in front of you so that you don’t have to strain your arms or neck unnecessarily.

Place the screen higher than the keyboard so that it is out of reach. Keeping the screen at eye level can help to prevent eyestrain.

Follow The 20/20/20 Rule

Sitting in front of a computer screen can make your eyes tired. If you do different things, it will relax your eye muscles and reduce the strain on your eyes.

For every 20 minutes you spend staring at a computer screen, do something different for 20 minutes. For example: collaborating on an innovative conversion with your coworkers or listening to music.

Stay Hydrated And Do Not Skip Lunch

Office hours are hard, so breaks are needed. You can take a break when you eat lunch. You can move your muscles and have a rest from the computer screen.

Stay hydrated at all times. Water is really beneficial in this case. Water aids in the removal of waste from the entire body.

Get Up And Walk Around

The goal is to take many steps during the day. Sitting for hours at the workplace creates a sedentary lifestyle. The goal is to take many steps during the day. Walking makes your bones strong and lightens your mood.

Adjust Your Armrest

The armrest is a cushion on the end of a chair’s arm where you may rest your arm without discomfort. Armrests aid in the reduction of shoulder and neck strain. Adjust the armrest so that it supports your elbow while not putting pressure on your shoulders.

 

Initiatives For Better Environment By Employers

As an employer, you can make your work environment better for yourself by following this advice-

 

Invest In Good Chairs

Make sure the sofas, chairs, and other furnishings in your workplace are ergonomic. Buy adjustable chairs with various postures settings. A decent chair should include lumbar support, armrests, footrests, and adjustable height options.

Providing suitable chairs will help your employees maintain proper posture when seated and prevent back difficulties, among other things.

Provide Proper Lighting

Your workplace should be well-lit, whether natural or artificial light. An insufficient or excessive amount of light may have a significant impact on an employee’s performance and productivity. Eye tiredness, headaches, and even accidents can occur as a result of poor or excessive illumination.

Make sure your office has the right amount of light in all areas. Check to see whether all of the lights are working properly. Table lamps may also be useful for people who work at their computers.

Keep Good Layout And Placement

Office ergonomics is about the way your work environment and your body interact. The design and layout of your workplace must be planned well.

Make sure all of your company’s equipment is properly positioned to meet the needs of your staff. Items that are frequently utilized should be placed in a way that minimizes strain and effort while using them. Aside from that, organize the arrangement so that employees don’t get in each other’s way and there is enough room to work.

Ensure Safety By Preventing Injuries

Indeed, safety and preventing injuries are the main goals of ergonomics. When people are safe on the job, they will be happy and productive.

Identify the ergonomic concerns that influence each employee’s health and safety, and deal with them. Inquire of your staff if they are having any difficulties or if anything needs to be changed. The first step in improving your workplace is to resolve any existing ergonomic problems.

Create Employee Awareness

Training is an important component of any workplace ergonomics program. If employees are properly trained and educated on the importance of ergonomics at work, the adoption of good ergonomics may be a lot easier.

Employees may benefit from training sessions on ergonomics. They will be able to identify possible issues in the workplace and improve their knowledge of ergonomics. Moreover, they’ll also be better equipped to prevent workplace accidents and injuries, resulting in a safer working environment.

Provide Spacious workstations

At work, people should have room to move around. They should be able to go where they need quickly. When there is room to move around in the office, it will make you feel comfortable and be more productive.

Provide A Footstool For Support

You may find that you can’t raise your chair and workstation to a comfortable height without the help of a flexible option. Consider using a footstool to rest your feet. It will relieve the strain on your legs while also reducing foot discomfort.

 

Studies have shown that individuals who use ergonomics in their workplace are happier and healthier. A happy, healthy staff is good for any business. If you want to implement these practices at your company or want more information,

Link: https://cisonsite.com/injury-prevention/ergonomics/

Please visit our web site at www.cisonsite.com and contact us at jpanozzo@cisonsite.com for more information.

9 Fall Safety Tips That Will Keep Your Family Safe This Season

It’s that time of year again- pumpkin spice everything, Halloween decorations lining store shelves, leaves changing colours, and crisp morning air.

The fall also brings some hazards we need to be cautious about. But with the right fall safety tips, you can still enjoy everything you love about this time of year.

Living in Canada means we get to enjoy four beautiful seasons, each with their own amazing features. But it’s important to understand how to stay safe in specific weather conditions.

These essential fall safety tips will help make sure you enjoy the season to the fullest and avoid unnecessary injuries or accidents.

1. Be Cautious of Back to School Traffic

School is back in full swing, which means that there’s more traffic on the roads in the morning and late afternoon. You might have noticed it takes a little longer to get to work now.

Be alert when you’re crossing the street or driving in a school zone. People can be absent minded in the morning as they rush around trying to get their kids to school and make it to work on time.

2. Don’t be Fooled by Falling Leaves

The fall is a gorgeous time of year- those green leaves turn to wonderful shades of brown, yellow, red, and orange and fall to the ground in those piles we love to jump in.

But falling leaves can pose a hazard, no matter if you’re driving or walking. Leaves can be very slippery, which is a big trigger for autumn slip and falls.

Jumping in piles of leaves can also be dangerous and lead to injury if you’re not cautious. You never know what kind of garbage or debris ended up in that pile you just raked. This is especially important if you live on a busy street.

3. Get Your Fire Safety up to Speed

This time of year, when the temperature starts dropping, means we’re putting away our bathing suits and getting our boots out. It also means we’re starting to get back to our heating equipment.

Your furnace and heaters have been sitting untouched all summer long. Turning them on at the first sign of chilly air without properly inspecting and servicing them can be a big fire hazard. Be sure to get an inspection of your heating systems and anything else that hasn’t been used in a while.

If you have a wood burning fireplace, make sure you follow the proper safety procedures when using it. Keep the screen shut and make sure that the flu is clean, open, and free from debris.

Fall is also a time when a lot of people like to break out their candle collection and get cozy on a chilly evening. However, misuse of candles is one of the biggest causes of house fires in Canada. Always make sure you blow out your candles before you leave a room and never leave open flame unattended.

4. Avoid Slip and Falls From The Rain

In the fall, we get a lot of rain. And rain can often cause surfaces to be slippery, especially when it’s cold and takes the water longer to evaporate.

This is a recipe for harmful slip and falls that can leave you with serious injuries.

When you’re outside, double check everything before you use it or walk on it. For example, if you need to clean out your gutters, examine the ladder before you climb it. The rungs could be wet and slippery, causing a potential slip and fall.

Sidewalk grates are often slippery when wet, so take caution walking down the street. Walk with your hands free just in case you fall.

5. Be Prepared For Unexpected Cold Weather

It’s fall in Canada, which means that the temperature could be hot one day and cold the next. In fact, it could drop at any minute.

Always be prepared if you’re going out for the night, especially if you’re going to be outdoors for any period of time. Make sure you have an extra jacket, scarf, or hat in case the temperature drops unexpectedly.

If you don’t have an emergency car kit in your vehicle, now is a good time to make sure you have one in there before winter starts.

6. Wash Your Hands Constantly

While the fall brings back some of our favourite things, like pumpkin spice everything and NHL hockey, it also brings something we all hate- cold and flu season.

If you’ve recently recovered from a major injury, like a traumatic brain injury, one cold or flu could set your recovery process back.

Wash your hands frequently, and use hand sanitizer if you can’t wash them. Any time you touch a publicly used item, like a railing or a subway handle, make sure you lather up and avoid touching your face.

7. Make Sure Your Batteries Are in Order

Test your batteries and replace them if necessary. Make sure you have backups on hand in case of power outages or other emergencies.

As we mentioned earlier, house fires are common in the fall because of the change in temperature and the fact that people are turning on their heaters after months of inactivity.

Make sure your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and other important emergency devices are in working order and have fresh batteries.

8. Practice Caution When Taking Your Kids Trick or Treating

The fall season also brings Halloween! Kids and adults alike always look forward to this time of year, when we can dress up and pretend to be whatever we want for the day.

However, there are some major risks on Halloween that could put your kids’ lives at stake. No one wants to risk that.

Read up on these essential trick or treating safety tips to keep the kiddos safe as they head door to door in their favourite costumes.

9. Wear Something Reflective When Walking at Night

It’s starting to get darker earlier, but that doesn’t mean that the dog still doesn’t need to be walked. At this time of year, it’s starting to get dark before we even get home from work, which doesn’t leave much time outside in the daylight.

Make sure you wear reflective clothing if you’re out at night. You should also put reflective materials on your dog’s collar or leash to make sure they’re visible to people driving by.

Source: https://contelawyers.ca/9-fall-safety-tips-all-canadians-should-know/