The study of workplace safety

Human engineering might sound like a mad scientist’s exploration of DNA, but it is really nothing more sinister than the study of how people can be placed efficiently and safely in work environments. Another word for this line of study: ergonomics.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says that about one out of every five days of missed work is due to poor office design. According to occupational safety and health magazine EHS Today, workplace injuries can be reduced when companies take into account those office designs and how they impact the health of workers.

Sometimes people assume that only farmers and factory workers perform physical work, but the reality is that all of us perform physical activities as part of our work, whether we are in an office, the cab of a truck, a store or other workplace.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has an interesting look at workplace injuries by the numbers:

• One third of all worker injuries and injuries are due to musculoskeletal disorders
• Ergonomics-related injuries typically require employees to take more time off than other work-related injuries
• Lifting, holding, pushing, pulling, carrying and throwing – overexertion injuries – cost businesses nearly $14 billion annually
• If you add up the cost of all serious, nonfatal on-the-job injuries, the financial toll to businesses is almost $60 billion in workers’ compensation costs

For some office workers, neck and head injuries can be avoided by simply lowering a computer monitor. For others, ergonomic adjustments can help keep hands, wrists, arms, legs, eyes and other valuable body parts healthy.

If you have been injured in your Charlotte workplace and then denied workers’ comp benefits, you can appeal the decision with the help of a qualified Charlotte workers compensation attorney.