In 2001, over 50% of employees were working on computers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes. As more workers operate computers, companies are faced with more workers losing time on the job due to RSI (Repetitive Stress Injuries). In fact, in 2004, employees with repetitive motion injuries lost an average of twenty days of work.

Employees are suffering, and businesses are losing money. This realization is making companies take action to keep the workforce healthy. 

When you think of the petroleum giant ChevronTexaco as an employer, you think of people working in hazardous environments. Refineries, oil fields, tanker ships, and other places chock full of serious injury possibilities. The startling fact, though, is that in 1999, 40% of all injuries happened to employees all doing one thing—operating a computer. This stunning revelation led to the company implementing a Repetitive Stress Injury Prevention (RSIP) program. The key components of the program are early identification and prevention. Awareness and training are the cornerstones of employee education. The next steps involve using a web-based tool for workstation assessments and work habit evaluations. Behavior based observation processes round out the educational aspects of the program. Employees are encouraged to report any soreness or discomfort right away. ChevronTexaco believes rapid intervention is critical to prevent small problems from affecting the employee’s health and the company’s bottom line.

 The results of this initiative have been remarkable. In the first two years, RSI dropped 32%.  Another positive result of this program is that cases of RSI are less severe when they do occur. The average time lost from work was cut in half in one year in the units with the highest RSI risk.

 The Dow Chemical Company also recognized that implementing a proactive initiative would be beneficial to the workforce. Although Dow began an aggressive campaign to reduce reportable injuries in 1994, in 2000 the focus was on its Design and Construction group. 1,250 people worked in this group, mainly operating computers. Using cutting edge business concepts, the company assembled a Six Sigma project team. The Six Sigma team undertook the task of reducing the factors contributing to RSI by 70%. Their plan consisted of four modules: measure, analyze, improve, and control.

 In the measure phase, they determined user attributes, behaviors, and environmental factors. When it came to analyze, they had data galore. For starters, they found the lack of adjustable furniture to be a big factor. Another element was this division not promoting ergonomic practices as effectively as they did other health and safety issues.

The project team put improvements in place and devised a long-term control plan. The results speak for themselves in terms of the success of this initiative. Ergonomic injuries in 2001 resulted in lost time or advanced medical treatment 53% of the time. In 2003, only 30% were this acute.  

Ergonomics is now such a hot topic, companies are even using ergonomic offices as bait for hiring new personnel. The Denver Post reports that it is becoming a common practice to offer expensive ergonomic chairs and customized cubicles to close the deal with a prospective employee.

When companies implement ergonomic policies employees have healthier, pain free careers. The bottom line is protected from the costs of lost time and productivity. A classic win-win situation. Doesn’t get much better than that!