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Ergonomics Physiotherapy And Repetitive Strain Injury Prevention

Ergonomics is concerned with the "best fit" of people and their work or work processes.

The focus is people, understanding their physical, mental and emotional abilities and restrictions, aiming to make sure that the entire work and its tasks, processes, equipments and environment of work suit the worker as good as possible.

What is Repetitive Strain Injury?

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is a term used by many people to refer to a range of disorders of the neck, shoulder, arm, wrist and hand, that can be caused, or made worse by work.

RSI can be caused by people using

• excessive force (pushing, pulling or supporting)
• making repetitive movements
• adopting an awkward or static posture, and
  
• by spending excessive time on an activity

Environmental, psychosocial and individual factors can also play a part, including work design, organisation, management and the social environment.

More on repetitive strain injuries here.

Why consider the risks of RSI?

Injuries and accidents can occur wherever people are at work – where manual handling occurs, where there is work of a repetitive nature, or where people are seated at display screen equipment…on top of the fact that

(1) Singapore’s working population is ageing rapidly;

(2) greater awareness of productivity loss due to RSI / WMSD (workplace-related musculoskeletal disorders);

(3) growing competitive pressures in many market sectors According the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it is estimated that 12.3 million working days were lost in 2001/2002 due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD):

1. on average, each sufferer took 19.4 days off (presenteeism and/or absenteeism)
2. 2004, USA: Total cost of USD$12 billion from 60-70% loss of productivity due to migraine headache (Mayo Clinic Resource)
3. 2001/2002: 4.1 million working days were lost due to RSI
4. an HSE study in 1995/1996 estimated RSI was costing employers over $400m
5. estimated that in 2001/2002, 396,000 people in Great Britain believed they were suffering from RSI.

To put matters in perspective, “Repetitive strain injuries accounts for 40.9% of the patients treated in our physiotherapy clinic”.

Cost to Companies: can arise from production loss, sickness payments, accident injury claims, higher insurance premiums, high staff turnover and retraining costs.

Cost to the individual is pain, possible permanent disability, time off work and loss of earnings.

phoenix rehab Human Factors Solutions

Human Factors Consultancy rates

All-in-One Comprehensive Package
$550 per employee/workstation

Includes the following services:

1. Ergonomic Workstation Evaluation (EWE) plus individual report ($350)
2. Comfort Level Survey ($200) consisting of Repetitive Strain Injury Screener (RSI-S) and Employee Health Survey (EHS)

Basic Workstation Evaluation Package per employee/workstation

Includes the assessment and detailed report costs as follows:

1. 1-10 employees $350 per person/assessment
2. 11-25 employees $300 per person/assessment
3. 25-50 employees $250 per person/assessment
   
4. Over 50 employees – please contact us for a quotation

This involves the analysis of work set-up and workstation and the identification of risk factors. The objective is to compose and gather a list of ergonomic risk factors associated with specific duties and tasks. The methods used consists of observation and measurement. Following the evaluation, we will provide a report for the area assessed. The report will include cost-effective recommendations on workstation designs and preventing and alleviating work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Basic Comfort Level Survey Package
$200 per employee/workstation

Includes the following services:

1. Repetitive Strain Injury Screener (RSI-S) plus individual report ($100)
2. Employee Health Survey (EHS) plus individual report ($100)

This survey is to determine and analyse the subjective and objective comfort level of the employees in a particular job or work area. From the survey, we will be able to provide you with information on your employees’ health profile. We recommend that the survey covers all the employees or an appropriate sample representative of the organization.

[Ad hoc] Follow Up Consultation ($350 per hour)

On-Site Talks and Demonstrations
($450 - $600 per talk)

Physiotherapy and ergonomic talks and demonstrations will be targeted at all employees. Each session may cater up to 100 employees/participants.

The duration of each talk is about an hour.

Topics covered includes:

1. Common injuries due to poor postures and human factors
   
2. Risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders such as back and neck strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, de quervain’s tenosynovitis and trigger finger
3. Correct working postures
4. Setting up a user-friendly workstation
5. Stretching exercises

Workshops and Training Course
$950 half day workshop; $1750 full-day workshop)

This is a half-day to full-day program that can cater up to 30 participants per session.

The topics covered include:

1. Common injuries due to poor ergonomics
2. identifying risk factors and hazards
3. Developing an ergonomics program
4. Setting up a user-friendly workstation
5. Proper postures and biomechanics
6. Stretching exercises