Company aids employees in working more ergonomically

A worker has been typing a lot lately, and her wrists are bothering her. So, she heads out to the store to look for some ergonomically designed products that might help alleviate the pain.

She purchases an ergonomic keyboard and foot-operated computer mouse, takes them back to the office, hooks them up to her computer and quickly realizes it will take a little time to master the use of the products. She sticks with it, however, and learns how to use her new keyboard and computer mouse. Several more weeks pass, and her wrists are still bothering her. What's going on here?

Although these ergonomically de-signed products help some office workers, they don't provide a sure-fire cure for everyone, according to Nancy Dick-ey, owner of Work Evaluations and Ergonomic Assessments Inc. at 3621 South Ave. in Springfield.

Dickey, a licensed occupational therapist, certified functional capacity evaluator and certified ergonomics assessment specialist, has spent the last 20 years helping workers who have been injured on the job. Since founding WEEA in 1998, she has worked with many area employers and helped them set up a comprehensive program to prevent workplace injuries and aid workers who have been injured on the job.

"It costs a lot less to prevent a work-related injury than it does to cure it," said Dickey. "Unfortunately, most people don't contact me unless until they start to experience problems."

Functional evaluation

Once contacted, Dickey performs a work-site assessment. Other testing, such as functional capacity evaluation, provides a comprehensive assessment of the person's ability to meet the physical de-mands of his or her job. During this phase, Dickey tests an employee's strength and endurance. She also uses objective testing methods to determine if the individual is exerting the maximum voluntary effort.

"Some people are so afraid of getting re-injured that they don't give their best effort," said Dickey. "If you've injured your back, and I'm asking you to lift something that's heavy to test your strength, you might not give it your best effort. That's why the assessments I conduct are so comprehensive. I measure the same thing several different ways and compare the results."

Although some people don't view an office as being a physically demanding environment, nothing could be further from the truth, according to Dickey. In fact, studies by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health indicate that certain work-related injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, are more prevalent among office employees who work as accountants, legal secretaries and transcriptionists.

Interview

During an on-site evaluation, Dickey will interview an employee to determine what his or her job entails. She also takes time to find out what mental stresses the person faces while on the job. Questions asked include: Is the employee allowed to take a break at regular intervals? Is the worker required to meet and maintain certain productivity levels? What are the employee's working hours? Does the em-ployee work four 10-hour days, or five eight-hour days? Is the employee required to work mandatory overtime?

Once that phase is complete, Dickey will administer an aches-and-pains survey so she can chronicle any physical complaints an employee is experiencing. During this phase, the employee is asked if certain activities seem to aggravate the problem, and if discomfort seems to lessen on the weekends.

Dickey then uses this information to provide an ergonomic assessment, which identifies any risk factors. She also makes recommendations for improving safety and reducing musculosketal disorders.

"I'll look at how a person's workstation is set up, and I'll see if there's a more efficient way for them to do something," said Dickey. "Usually, a person can tell me exactly what needs to be changed."

Fixing problems

According to Dickey, some problems are easier to fix than others. One of the most common problems workers experience is glare on their computer screens, and Dickey always checks to see if file folders or other objects are being used to shade a computer monitor.

Another common mistake some office workers make is putting their computer keyboard to the left or right of their computer monitor. When this happens, a worker must turn his or her head sideways while typing, which can cause neck or shoulder strain. Dickey then checks to make sure the computer keyboard is at the proper level as well as the computer monitor.

She also takes several measurements to make sure the computer keyboard and monitor are not located too close or too far away.

Ensuring that a computer keyboard and monitor are at the correct height and distance is particularly important for certain employees, such as airline reservationists, who must type while standing up.

Finally, Dickey takes photos or videotapes workers as they go about their daily duties. This allows her to show both the employee and the employer what may be causing the problem.

"I can create an ergonomically correct work environment, but a worker still might experience problems because they have poor work habits," said Dickey. "That's why I videotape people. It allows me to show them things they're doing that they may not even be aware of, like sitting with poor posture."

To be effective, Dickey said she must get both the employee and the employer to agree to follow her recommendations. For example, employees who work in shifts and share a workstation must be allowed and given time to make modifications at the beginning of their shift.

Sometimes Dickey will discover that the pain a worker is experiencing isn't being caused by something her or she is doing on the job. One indication that an injury isn't work related is when only one worker experiences a problem out of a group of workers who are performing the same task.

Once a problem has been identified, Dickey will work with both the employer and employee to make any needed adjustments.

She also sets up a treatment plan and work conditioning program, which is designed to help an employee return to work as soon as possible.

The work conditioning program focuses on exercises that restore strength and endurance, as well as help the employee with pain management. A licensed psychologist leads WEEA's Pain Manage-ment Group, which emphasizes individual responsibility for pain management, internal methods of pain control, goal setting and stress reduction.

"It's so important to get someone back to work within the first 90 days, even if they can only work part-time and their duties are limited," said Dickey. "You have to help an employee want to go back to work and not be afraid that they will be re-injured."