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Proper posture; the start to a pain free workplace
By Lee Howard
 HR Policy Development Manager, Kim Ann Charest, demonstrates a proper sitting posture. Her chair is set-up to support the lower two-thirds of her back while keeping her body in a natural position. |
Is your back sore? How about your wrists? Are you uncomfortable at your desk? Do you have trouble with glare on your screen? All these problem (and more) can be fixed.
Léon Noël is the Health and Safety Manager at CFPSA headquarters in Ottawa. An important component of his job is the education of Workplace Ergonomics.
What is Workplace Ergonomics you ask? "Workplace Ergonomics is the ability to adapt a working area to the needs of an individual," says Léon.
"99 per cent of the complaints I receive are fixed through adjustments at the work area," states Léon.
Léon has 30 years of experience when it comes to working in the health profession. He has a diploma in industrial hygiene and he is a certified public health inspector. Léon also served as the Chief Instructor for Preventive Medicine Technicians in the Canadian Forces.
"One of the most important components of Workplace Ergonomics is posture," notes Léon. "Not only your back, but your wrists, your legs, your feet." "It all makes a difference."
Although it's important to have good posture, it's still important to be comfortable. The best way to have a good posture, is to have a natural posture. "People are sitting at their desk for seven hours a day," says Léon. "If you aren't comfortable, you aren't going to be as productive as you could be."
"All professions have specific needs when it comes to Workplace Ergonomics," states Léon. "Athletes train specific muscles so they don't get hurt, carpenters have to learn the correct use of tools, and office workers need to be able to learn how to keep themselves positioned properly while they're working."
Here are some tips from Léon:
- Go for a little walk around the office a few times a day to stretch your legs
- Do upper body stretches a few times a day to keep from tightening up
- Be active outside of the workplace; go for a walk/run, join a rec. league, go to the gym
- Build upper body muscle, it will help you with your posture
- Before taking medication, look at the Ergonomic set-up of your work area, see if you can change the set-up of your desk
- If you feel sore, or have been getting sore while working, INFORM YOUR SUPERVISOR, there are steps that can be taken to assess the workplace situation.
All pain may not be caused by bad posture due to an improper work area set-up, it could have something to do with an injury that occurred years ago. That's why it's important to inform your supervisor. They will take the steps necessary to determine the cause of your pain, whether it's a proper work area arrangement, a new chair, or a referral to a doctor.
"It's important you promptly seek advice from your doctor," says Léon. "Don't self diagnose."
To find out how to properly set-up your work area to benefit your specific needs, you can read the Health and Safety section (section 13, Annex P and Q) of the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Programs HR Policy Manual at, www.cfpsa.com
For a complete step by step diagram on adjusting and adapting your work area, visit the Health Canada website at, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/whpsp/pdf/ergo.pdf
