One might expect, after so many years of increased awareness of the causes of RSI that the incidence would be falling. In reality the incidence of RSI increased by 10% between 2002 and 2005. This is an unnecessary and preventable burden on the UK workforce.
Organisations that employ strategies to improve work-place ergonomics have found that musculoskeletal disorders resulting in lost work time were 3 times less likely to occur.
It is likely to be far more expensive for employers and their insurers to ignore RSI which may lead not only to compensation claims but also costs arising from sickness absences and reduced productivity.
Without ergonomics, we see mismatches between people and their work resulting in a whole variety of health problems including musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain and upper limb disorders.
The relationship between osteopathy and ergonomics is founded on the need for the practitioner treating these conditions to understand the risk factors within work, which if not also addressed may limit the long-term efficacy of treatment and active rehabilitation.
As osteopaths are trained to think holistically the field of ergonomics lends itself to this way of working as the solution often lies away from the site of pain.
Evidence suggests that an organisation which actively promotes and facilitates a healthy workplace and proactively manages adverse health effects, experiences both a reduction in absence and ill health and an increase in productivity.
As well as the cost of care and medical treatment of employees other costs must be considered when an employee is on long term sick leave:
It is more cost-effective and efficient to maintain a stable workforce than to spend money on high employee turnover.
Sick days lost to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can be greatly reduced by:
Are you familiar with current workstation regulations? The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992
For full Health and Safety Regulation (Display Screen Equipment) 1992 and 2002 amendments please see HSE website.*
*Please note that external links are provided as a courtesy and that Osteopaths For Business is not responsible for external content.
