California-based Ergonomic Office Designs wants to help employees avoid needless injuries in the workplace by offering user-friendly office furniture and accessories. More than ever, employees and managers working within the confines of the cubicle for an entire day are prone to hazards such as musculoskeletal disorders and body pains.
Sitting at a desk for eight or more hours a day can not only make an individual gain weight, he or she can also develop pain on their fingers, hands, and wrist when they constantly do work in front of a computer. An uncomfortable chair can lead to back pain, and continuous staring at the bright lights of a computer monitor can take its toll on the eyes.
“Ergonomics is the science of designing specific items, such as furniture, to comfortably conform to the body and reduce the risk of injury from stress and strain,” according to Ergonomic Office Designs.
The Internet retailer sells items such as adjustable height computer desks to make sure office furniture is customized to an individual’s height and portion. A tall individual working on a short desk risks back injury from hunching down for hours on end.
“Traditional furniture always appears to be a bargain, but the cheap materials used in the construction of these pieces means that they are unlikely to last very long,” according to Ergonomic Office Designs’ blog. “This makes traditional office furniture a bad investment in the long run. This is especially true when office managers consider the lost work time resulting from the physical injuries sustained by the workers who are required to use these outdated tables, desks and chairs.”
The company sells ergonomic chairs designed to match the contours of the human body. The prices range from $500 to about $1,400 per piece. However, the workplace safety industry is betting that employees will see the premium prices as a hedge against more costly healthcare costs which arise out of workplace injuries.
“Common examples of ergonomic risk factors are found in jobs requiring repetitive, forceful, or prolonged exertions of the hands; frequent or heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying of heavy objects; and prolonged awkward postures,” according to information published by the U.S. Department of Labor. “Vibration and cold may add risk to these work conditions.”
“Long hours of office work can be stressful to the mind, but time spent at a desk does not have to strain the body as well,” according to the company’s founders, who post videos on YouTube to help employees reduce the risk of workplace injuries.
