Improve Workplace Productivity by Reducing Ergonomic Hazards
August 7th, 2018
Ideally, a workplace is a safe environment which workers can contribute their best efforts and perform to the best of their ability. In a perfect world, this is always true; however, in some workplace environments, work efficiency may be diminished by possible hazards. This is commonly seen in workplaces which require manual labour, such as workshops or construction sites. But one place it is not commonly considered is your typical office. The hazards an office has to offer aren’t as obvious and are more subtle; they come from our ergonomic behavior (especially sitting posture), and are called ergonomic hazards. If ignored, ergonomic hazards may lead to Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSI). MSI has lived with us for many years, killing workers in their numbers.
It is against this worrisome backdrop that Ergonomyx, a technology company headquartered in Canada, launched extensive research into this issue in order to find a possible means of solving it using technological innovation. In the end, it developed two smart products that effectively curb the development of MSI among workers. This white paper will detail the technicalities of the products in question, the benefits of buying them, and everything in-between.
Introduction:
It is typical, even expected, for office workers to sit in office chairs for upwards of 7 hours a day – not minding the huge negative impact this has on their body. Now, being at work trying to eke out a living is inevitable, but the typical office environment is putting workers lives at risk. The fact is if you are a 9-5 office worker, the risks of ergonomic hazards are staring you right in the face.
Problem Identification:
Ergonomic hazards are physical conditions capable of harming the body’s musculoskeletal system, and cause a stunt in the progression of workplace productivity, causing everyone from telemarketers to executive officers to underperform in their jobs, and put their lives at risk. Ergonomic hazards are physical conditions capable of harming the body’s musculoskeletal system. The most common ergonomic hazard seen in offices are office chairs, which force workers to sit with awkward or extreme body postures.
Economic Impact:
According to a study conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers missed 380,600 days of work due to ergonomic-related injuries in 2013, representing one-third of all work days missed. Similarly, a survey conducted by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is the US agency that regulates workplace safety practice, reveals that employers pay nearly 20 billion (American) dollars every year in compensation. Combining this with the 380,600 days of work missed, it is easy to see the significance of this issue.
Canada has its fair share of the devastating effect of ergonomic hazards as well. Looking at statistics from Canada, MSI cost the Canadian economy over $3.2 billion in 1998.
The reports [what reports?] established three significant facts. Firstly, no country is immune to the destructive effects of MSI. Although the reports picked out two North American countries, no continent is alien to MSI. Secondly, the world has been living with MSI since 1998. While thousands of workers have been incapacitated, many others have died as a result of MSI. Thirdly, nobody is safe. However, all hope is not lost, because innovative research has come to the rescue of everyday workers, who are increasingly exposed to this ergonomic hazard.
Way Out:
Thankfully, Ergonomyx has done a vast amount of research in redefining the way people work and stay healthy at the same time. Headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, Ergonomyx has over 20 patents and operates in the US and Canada. Founded and incorporated in 2012, they have successfully gone into partnership with multinational companies that produce critical components for their products. The company has also collaborated with renowned universities to conduct research in markets and technology. Since 2012, they have been developing products and licensing patents for corporate and private uses. One of the most recent projects, named Workspace Fitness Solution, launched in 2017, plans to effectively combat the ergonomic hazard office workers must face.
Changing the Workplace Culture:
One work tool commonly found in many offices is the desk. From the 20th Century to date, the materials used to make office desks evolved. For instance, in the 20th Century, desks in schools and offices were predominantly made of metals and hardwood. These desks supported a lot of administrative tasks such as typing and writing; however, the makers paid little or no attention to the mobility of the user. Over time, this would become a major office problem, culminating in what constitutes as ergonomic hazards.
Much of these 20th century hardwood desks are still commonly used today. Recently, however, people are more conscious of their health. This awareness is partly because of fitness tracking wearables, helping them ensure they live healthier lifestyles the way they never have before. In a bid to do its bit, Ergonomyx launched a program call Ergonomyx. The creation of Ergonomyx is geared towards using smart devices which eliminate ergonomic hazards, allowing workers to maximize their performance.
Ergonomyx committed time, resources, expertise, and energy in a series of research that culminated in the design of their products. In the course of conducting the research, a fact was established which necessitated the design of the products. The fact is it is believed that an office worker spends an average of eight hours at a conventional desk, but research shows that the same worker can spend even more time working without experiencing any health challenges.
Solution:
Ergonomyx firmly believes that innovative research can transform the way people work in their workplaces. Also, innovations can help in no small measures to save workers from ergonomic hazards. As a result, they designed well-crafted workstations remodeled to change the work ethos. Let’s review them.
Smart Sit-and-Stand Desk
For those in search of one of the smartest inventions of modern times, the Smart Sit-and-Stand Desk is it. It is a well-designed workstation that offers users a smarter way of working by automatically adjusting to the user’s optimal height through a touch-sensitive control panel embedded on the surface of the desk. The brain behind the desk, called the Smart Desk Controller, is a seamless connection of micro-controllers. The Smart Desk Controller is constantly feeding the user’s fitness information wirelessly through the cloud. Moving forward, the Smart Sit-and-Stand desks are designed to identify people with their key fob, smartphone, or QR code.
All preferences and health vitals are connected to the performance database on a remote server, meaning, if you are far away from the desk, you can still effectively control the settings by pairing it with your smartphone. Also, with a capacitive control panel, users can adjust their height and performance. This patent pending design allows the smart desk to conceal cables with the aid of embedded channel features, making the office look even smarter. It also allows enough workspace for other office equipment such as notebooks, keyboards, consumables, and files. This is technology at its finest.
Smart Under-the-Desk Bike
Along with the Smart Sit-and-Stands desk, the Under-the-Desk bike allows users to pedal while they sit at their desks and monitor their physical activity. The bike includes its own workspace fitness controller with built in display, and comes with a light-weight design, making it easy for the user to move from place to place. The Under-the-Desk bike is not just designed to be mobile, it is also modeled to be smart and adjustable.
Combining the Smart Sit-and-Stand desk with the Under-the-Desk bike will create a unique office environment. The union between the two products is all your classroom, office, or study needs to radiate an aura that encourages optimal productivity. The durability and functionality of the Under-the-Desk bike is guaranteed to bring users an amazing user experience.
Why these products are a must buy
These products are a must have because of the many benefits users stand to gain. For example, the user will:
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Increase productivity: From the explanations given thus far about how these products function, there is no doubt that using the products lead to increased productivity.
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Improves available office space: With the workspace Fitness Solution, users can now have enough office all to themselves as the products offer reprogrammed preferences, regardless of the desk the user is assigned to.
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Safer and healthier: These fitness solutions help to burn calories of the user, keeping them safer and healthier.
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Optimizes man hours: Using Workspace Fitness Solution to work ensures that the number of hours expended at work is optimized. When someone is working and exercising simultaneously, his energy level, productivity, and health are improved.
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Makes work more fun: Instead of being still behind a desk that gives the sensation that a worker has sat down for a long time, Workspace Fitness Solution gives the user the feeling that he is exercising while working, thus, making work enjoyable.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can deduce the following cogent points:
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Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSI) are injuries associated with working in regular office settings, which have lasted for a long time, affects everyone and impacts every country.
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Ergonomyx smart products, Smart Sit-and-Stand Desk and Under-the-Desk Bike, are designed to minimize the incidents of MSI in workplaces.
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Ergonomyx has partnered with international companies and renowned universities to enrich their products, which explains why they are effective.
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The products are smartly designed to redefine the way people work, thus making them more productive and keeping them safe at work
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The brains behind Ergonomyx are exceptional as all the plans set out to achieve, such as conceptualization of the Workspace Fitness Solution as well as the development Workspace Fitness Solution and IP protection, have been achieved.
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2019 shall witness the launch and sales of these products, which will redefine the way everyday people work in their offices, thereby putting Ergonomyx on the map.
References
https://www.msdsonline.com/2015/06/16/workplace-ergonomics-injuries-a-multibillion-dollar-problem- https://liftsafegroupofcompanies.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/ergonomics-in-the-canadian-workplace
- Ergonomyx Business Plan: Ergonomyx Workspace Fitness