Implementing Office Ergonomics in Challenging Times

摘要

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) have become a major occupational health issue as the number of cases continue on an increasing trend worldwide. Office ergonomics was found to be a significant finding from a Health Risk Assessment conducted for an oil & gas company. A 4 prong intervention strategy was developed with the objective to improve employee's awareness & practice of ergonomics in the office setting and ultimately prevent long term MSDs. The strategies involved setting standards for IT & furniture, establishing and implementing selfassessment checklists, intensifying ergonomic awareness as well as management of ergonomic cases. With collaboration from IH experts and stakeholders from various businesses and divisions within the corporation, a revised guideline on ergonomics and a detailed program for implementation was developed. However, with the oil & gas industry being in difficult times, some resourceful means of implementing the program were taken in order to achieve the objective without incurring a major cost impact. This paper aims to document and share some significant actions taken such as the development of a selfassessment checklist in-house for a fraction of the cost it would have taken had it been outsourced, focusing on training change agents and employees to make use of the full potential of available furniture instead of purchasing new furniture, making provision of computers fit for purpose rather than in accordance to position as well as establishing simple, cost-friendly options of standard peripherals to make laptop use more ergonomic.