Office ergonomics - a real pain in the neck?

For workplace solutions providers - Kinnarps of Sweden - this could not be further from the truth.

Kinnarps are true advocates of this recognised science, and wholeheartedly back the ergonomics research and studies carried out over the past decade. Detailed documentation proves that application of correct ergonomics in the workplace is cost-efficient for a business, making employees healthier and more productive. Facts Kinnarps firmly stand by, and through their recently launched Healthy Workplace Campaign aim to alert employees and employers to the detrimental effects of poor workplace ergonomics.

As custodians of efficient and ergonomic workplaces, Kinnarps know only too well how poor office ergonomics very often leads to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in various levels of severity, from mild irritations to total disability. Figures show that an estimated 2.5million Americans are totally disabled from back pain alone. The financial implications for organisations around the world can be dramatic with significant impact being made on their bottom-line. In the UK, work related sickness costs more than £11 billion every year of which most is also attributed to back injury.

Barry Edwards, Consultant at Kinnarps of Sweden said, "We know the cost of failure to confront ergonomics in the workplace is taking its toll. All you have to do is look at the figures in America and the UK to realise the extent to which poor workplace ergonomics is becoming a major negative factor in business operation. In the US, over 93 million working days are lost every year due to back pain, and as a result around US$17 million is spent annually on back pain treatment and diagnosis alone. This and MSD amounts to about US$20 billion in compensation costs to employees. The statistics speak for themselves, the use of correct ergonomics is essential in any working environment and everyone needs to understand its importance."

Injuries to spinal discs, muscles, nerves, ligaments and joints, to name a few, are known as upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs), and can include injuries to backs, necks, wrists and even vision. Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is a very common UEMSD and develops as a result of repetitive motion you may experience every day. RSI is one of the fastest growing workplace injuries and in America it is estimated one in every three compensation dollars pays for RSIs, equating to over US$20 billion in compensation to employees.

Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSD), as you can see, are having a huge detrimental effect on business. By simply addressing workplace ergonomics employers can vastly improve employee work productivity, improve their efficiency and create better job satisfaction. With a little consideration, your working environment could be a healthier and happier one.

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About Kinnarps
Founded in 1942 in the small village of Kinnarp in Sweden, the business has developed in to a leading edge company supplying office solutions and workplace efficiency expertise to clients worldwide. Employing 3200 employees in 28 countries worldwide, Kinnarps is currently Europe's fifth largest office furniture manufacturer, operating one of the most advanced and efficient production facilities in the world.

The first Kinnarps Middle East office opened in Dubai in 1992 in order to address the needs of the Middle East market. Further offices opened in Muscat, Oman, in 1994 and Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 1999. Kinnarps was the first business in the region to supply turnkey workplace solutions, a unique proposition that has grown to become Kinnarps' key selling tool in the market today.

Statistical facts and figures represented in this press release are as a result of Internet based research in to ergonomics and come from a variety of legitimate sources.