Ergonomics ensures office workstations fit the needs of individual ...

Chanel S. Weaver
U.S. Army Public Health Command Public Affairs

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. ? When people stick with something year after year, they demonstrate they are in it for the long haul.

They learn to take the good with the bad.

That?s why David Alberth, radiation safety expert, U.S. Army Public Health Command, kept working for the Army for nearly 40 years.

Although his office chair was uncomfortable, his computer screen was getting harder to see, and the space in his office was getting increasingly narrower. Still, he hung in there because that?s what he felt devoted employees do.

But recently, Alberth?s coworkers and supervisor began to notice a problem.

?David had a huge collection of files, and his office space was so constrained that he could barely move around,? said Lt. Col. Constance Rosser, health physics program manager, USAPHC.

Mobility was getting more difficult for Alberth, who suffers with arthritis and other orthopedic problems from his activities as a long-distance runner in earlier years.

With a few phone calls, even more paperwork and a lot of heavy lifting, Alberth?s coworkers voluntarily reconfigured his office.

The office?s reconfiguration and design was completed under the professional direction of USAPHC?s Ergonomics Program members.

Today, Alberth?s new workspace boasts state-of-the-art amenities, including an adjustable keyboard, an oversized monitor, a workstation that allows him to stand at intervals, and of course, plenty of space for him to maneuver around effortlessly.

John Pentikis, an ergonomist, said the program is in high demand for office reconfigurations from customers throughout the federal workforce. Each month, an average of two reconfigurations are completed.

?The teams identify risk factors in an office and come up with solutions to mitigate those factors,? Pentikis said.

The make-up of these office reconfiguration teams varies, but they often include ergonomists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and engineers.

A key goal of the program is injury reduction.

?We want to prevent injuries to our workforce,? Pentikis said. ?Research shows that virtually all musculoskeletal injuries can be prevented.?

The goal is also to ensure employees can perform their jobs safely and comfortably, according to Col. Myrna Callison, Ergonomics Program manager.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics isn?t one size fits all. To make your workstation fit your needs and to have your office workstations surveyed, call Preventative Medicine, Industrial Hygiene, Tripler Army Medical Center, at 433-2960.

USAPHC

Learn more about USAPHC?s Ergonomics Program at http://phc.amedd.army.mil/topics/workplacehealth/ergo/Pages/default.aspx.

?

Tags: Ergonomics, U.S. Army Public Health Command

Category: Health, News

Source: http://www.hawaiiarmyweekly.com/2012/03/09/ergonomics-ensures-office-workstations-fit-the-needs-of-individual-employees/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ergonomics-ensures-office-workstations-fit-the-needs-of-individual-employees

tebow denver broncos contraband tim tebow denver vs new england denver broncos vs new england patriots cruise ship sinking