Work-related injuries: Should my employer be responsible?
Musculoskeletal disorders short form MSD are injuries or disorders of muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, and spinal discs. And such conditions are usually caused under work conditions.
To make MSD simpler to understand, it is actually a type of repetitive stress injuries as we always repeat the same motion over and over again such as when you using your mouse (causing stress to the wrist), or you have been in the same position for so long with a poor posture that causes stress and strains to the body muscles!
Source from ergo-plus
Examples of MSD includes:
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Tendonitis
- Muscle/ Tendon strain
- Ligament Sprain
- Tension Neck Syndrome
- Thoracic Outlet Compression
- Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
- Epicondylitis
- Radial Tunnel Syndrome
- Digital Neuritis
- Trigger Finger / Thumb
- DeQuervain’s Syndrome
- Mechanical Back Syndrome
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Ruptured / Herniated Disc,
- and many more.
MSD are often associated with high costs to employers such as absenteeism, low productivity, increased in health care and workers' compensations cost. These cases cost even more than nonfatal injuries and disease. It is the largest category of workplace injuries and responsible for almost 30% of all workers' compensation costs (source: BLS)
Most important is, Musculoskeletal disorders are preventable!
Basically, if the furniture and environment the worker is in is out of his body’s capabilities and limitations, he is at a higher risk in developing musculoskeletal imbalance or disorder, at the end, which means, medical expenses lie on both employees' and employers' shoulder.
Three primary ergonomic risk factors:
1. High repetitive tasks: i.e Typing (without proper arm rest support/ shoulder stiffened while typing)
2. Forceful exertions: higher force mean increase in muscle effort which leads to increase risk of strains and sprains
3. Poor posture: results in excessive force on joints and muscle overload.
For the three points above, extensive exposure without proper evaluations and change will definitely lead to MSD.
It is never too late to make a change to how we work. Prevention is The Cure.
COSTS Vs SUITABILITY: Is your work furniture helping or failing you?
COSTS Vs SUITABILITY: Is your work furniture helping or failing you?
Very often procurement decisions are often swayed by the outlook/aesthetics and cost rather than functionality, and that often leads to serious and costly problems for staffs.
There was a financial organisation that had bought new chairs that matched the interior of their office but were too big for their staff who had to use them and as a result their postures were compromised.
Maximising potential and minimise risk
Ergonomics is originated in World War II as a formal discipline as many systems and products had been designed without consideration of human and environmental factors and as a result failed to be a safe and/or effective.
Simply speaking, Ergonomics is about the person, the task, the systems and equipment and the work environment and as an employer or facilitates/ office managers, their role is to help identify the best ways of working to maximise potential and minimise risk to the individual.
Psychological and fundamental factors
At work, what matters to all of us is : to be EFFECTIVE and PRODUCTIVE and HAPPY! These are psychological and fundamental factors that could be affected greatly by the furniture we are using as we spend so much time with them at work. Thus, getting the right piece of furniture for yourself can definitely help achieve maximum efficiency while ensuring the well-being of yourself or your staff.
Definitely,Sit-stand Desk and a suitable ergonomic chair for yourself are the most important tools to get started on your journey to enhancing your overall well-being.
Is never too late to start now.
Prevention is TheCure.
E-mail: info@ekpac.com
Buy Now @ www.ekobor.com.hk
For any enquiry, please do not hesitate to contact us via 2555 5555 or visit our showroom at
Address: Room 2803, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
We look forward to hearing from you!
New Launch: EKOBOR All Rounded Children Height Adjustable Desk - KIDULT
*The KIDULT is ideal for kid and adult.
*Height adjustment: 56cm to 83cm.
*4 memories height pre-set control panel.
*The table top can adjust to 45 degree, good for drawing and graphic designs.
*The frame has been engineered for safe, reliable, and fast height adjustment.
*Size For the tilting table top: 100(W) x 47.5(D)cm
*Size for the smaller fixed table top: 100(W) x 23(D)cm
*Thickness of table top: 18cm
*Table top color: Light Wood
*Table Frame: Beige White
*Table Leg Cushion Dimension: 62.5cm (both sides)
Positional Habits is crucial to children's growth, Not Just Adults
Children need an ergonomic chair and height adjustable desk as much as an adult needs an ergonomic workstation.
The problem with conventional desk and chair at school or home is that they are not built to fit. Growing children's stature often differ in height and sizes and the misfit is one of a crucial factor that inhibits proper and healthy spinal growth.
Investing in ergonomic study furniture might not be a bad idea as kids grow rapidly, probably will be able to save off some expenses by changing new suitable furniture from time to time.
The new Kidult Height Adjustable Desk we just launch is suitable for kids ranging from 4-15 years old; thus parents really do not need to worry about changing furniture year on year as we offer 10 years warranty for the motor and control panel.
The great thing about adjustable furniture is that they increase muscle movement, joint range, and blood flow which provides children with comfort, physical dynamic movements, and a ready-to-learn mindset.
Why Ergonomics is Important and its impact on employees?
What is Ergonomics?
Here it comes, always start with the dictionary definition of what ergonomic means!
Ergo- nomics
The Greek derivation of the word “Ergonomics” come from two words: “ergos” meaning work and “namos” meaning natural laws. So, ergonomics is meant to describe the natural laws of work.
Today, there are many definitions of ergonomics that have been used by a variety of experts. Ergonomics is a branch of science that is concerned with the achievement of optimal relationships between workers and their work environment!
In summary, ergonomics is about fitting the job to the worker rather than fitting the worker to the job.
Ergonomics is more than getting a new chair or keyboard tray. It is about more than physical fit of the workplace. Ergonomics is the field of study concerned with finding ways to keep people productive, efficient, safe, and comfortable while they perform tasks. The basic premise is to make the task fit the person, rather than making the person adjust to the task. Ergo Web Inc. defines ergonomics in a way proactive sense:
“Ergonomics removes barriers to quality, productivity, and safe human performance in human-machine systems by fitting products, equipments, tools, systems, tasks, jobs and environments to people.”
Physical ergonomics:
Physical ergonomics deals with the human body’s responses to physical and physiological stress. It takes into account characteristics of the human such as anatomy, physiology and biomechanics as they relate to physical activity. Physical ergonomics issues, primarily in the workplace, typically dominate the public view and understanding of ergonomics. It is certain that when ergonomic principles are ignored in the workplace, musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are a potential outcome. Decrease in worker’s compensation cost is actually one of the many goals within the study of physical ergonomics!
5 Key Benefits are the following related to Physical Ergonomics:
#Increased productivity:
Productivity can be increased by 10-15 percent. Studies have shown a 25 percent increase in output at computer workstations when using ergonomic furniture, while also improving employee overall well-being.
#Improved quality:
with increased comfort, errors and product defects are less likely to happen.
#Improved efficiency:
Able to complete a task with fewer motions, as a result, the task can take lesser time and also reduce the chance of muscular fatigue.
#Improved employee morale:
Ergonomics allows businesses to spread the “I Care” message to all levels of the company.
#Reduced turnover and absenteeism:
When colleagues are more comfortable at their workstations, they are less likely to take time off from work or leave the company because of discomfort.
There are number of workstation ergonomics assessment checklist which we all can easily refer to for self-check, here are some global recognised ones for download:
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/checklist_evaluation.html
EKOBOR LIVE - Quick Glimpse about EKOBOR Standing Desks and Chairs
The Only One Chair that brings you Comfort and Productivity at the same time
Flokk's HÅG Capisco Puls is the perfect minimal addition to your home setup. Besides its full ergonomic features that brings you productivity and health, Capisco is the first and foremost a friend to the environment.
The Greenguard-certified Capisco Puls is specially built for minimal environmental impact: it’s 95% recyclable, made with few chemical emissions and 24% post-consumer recycled materials. During the production it incorporates used plastic parts, and its foam cushion is made from recycled car bumpers!
Why Capisco is such a good ergonomic chair option ?
Capisco enables you to sit in different positions to create micro movements for your body without sacrificing your good posture. Of course, sitting too much or standing much either way is no good. Any sedentary lifestyle will lead to pains and strains.Capisco has a wide range of height adjustment which helps to open up your hip rotation and helps support the natural S curve you have. Which 90 degrees of sitting posture will actually accumulate pressure to your lower back and at the end leads to lower back pain.
#recycling #sustainability #environment #circulareconomy #sustainabledesign
Sitting more than 3 hours per day increases your premature death rate
Sitting is the new smoking and I think this is not new to most of you.
Americans sit 13 hours per day, 86% sit all day! The long-term health impacts are a shortened life span, higher heart disease rates, higher risk of diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome (increased blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and excessive mid-body fat), higher cancer risks and neck, shoulder and back musculoskeletal problems.
Brazilian researchers analysed data suggested that just limiting sitting to less than 3 hours a day is predicted to increase a person’s life expectancy by an average of 2 months!
Are you ready to make a change to the way you work?
Your Core explains a lot about your Spine Health
Hellooo All, It has been a long time since we have published a post. Wish you all been well recently!
Today, I would like to want to specify in one topic: Your Core!
Why our Core is so important ?
Simply speaking, a strong core helps us to function properly mainly, better balance and stability, and moreover, a better posture so we perform better in running, sitting, and other types of dynamic and static activities. A strong core also means you have better muscles support and coordination and that's also help to prevent strain on your muscles and injuries.
I used to have really bad upper back and lower back and took me a long time to realise is actually my weak core that's contributing too all these unnecessary pain I had been experiencing and also, sitting down with your legs crossed one on top of another is detrimental to having a bad spine.
How to strengthen up your Core though?
The most traditional way of doing it is by sit-ups and crunches. But recent studies have found that doing sit-up is actually very bad to your spine also as you might have used your spine and neck as for support instead of your abdomen.
The way now I strengthen up my core is by doing plank exercises and tiny leg lifts which is a great alternate way of exercising your core without hurting your neck and spine.
I just had a live video earlier today and if you all are interested to know more in details you may visit our facebook page EKOBOR Sweden to learn more about our activities and exercising videos!
Link: https://fb.watch/28l9ptGcm9/
Hope you all have a good day and see you around!!
😊心理壓力也會令身體形成腰酸骨痛的問題出現？
現在小朋友的生活不比大人容易，父母除了工作上的壓力，都要面對著其他例如:家庭，日常的安排，小朋友將來的計劃．．等等。
心理的壓力絕對也會令特別身體頸部和腰部的肌肉變得僵硬和造成腰骨酸痛。
所以趁假日，今日天氣又好，又有些涼風，去接觸多啲大自然嘅景色，同埋記住😆笑多啲，一定會對減壓有幫助的！
大家加油！
EKOBOR's beginning journey
This is Kei Kei, Founder of EKOBOR.
It has almost been three years since I have started this brand, though our company has reached its 110 years milestones originated from Sweden this year.
Recently I have receive a couple product photo shots from our a dear client of ours. Wave of thoughts came into my head when I was looking at them, pondering through the excitements and experiences all over these few years, which triggers me to writing this post.
Saying “thank you” is not enough to all the people who have been walking and supporting us throughout this journey especially our clients. Without you all there won’t be EKOBOR, thank you to all the support, trust, patience, valuable interactions we shared which makes us grow to where we are now at this moment (we are just at the beginning and there is long long way to go..
Hopefully 🙈).
In fact, I really treasure all the questions and enquiries that our clients raise during the customer purchasing journey, which we became even more passionate into doing what we are doing and to be driven become better.
Thank you very much also to my dear team. We have all grown to be better and more united. And our mission is to bring health and wellness to you all and make these two important elements as part of yours/ours lifestyle. Nothing is more important than family, love and health in our lives.
We believe : Prevention is the Cure.
Once again, thank you 🙂
And wish you all well during this period of challenging time. ♥️
Kei Kei
抗疫時期在家中工作，改變了以往傳統辦公模式
這幾個月以來因為新型冠狀病毒影響下，令很多打工仔話雇主都被迫要留在家中工作減少傳播機會。工作模式改變了，由以前一星期五至六日都需要長時期在辦公室工作，到現在只需要兩至三天才需要回辦公室處理事務，大大改變了工作模式，就是我們這數年經常在別人口中聽到的Home Office。
這數年時間越來越多人特別喜歡去做gym，玩cross fit、打kick boxing, 各種各類嘅保健食品廣告到處都可以看見。 健康飲食和運動都變成生活不可缺少的一部份！ 但由於因為疫情影響下的緣故，大家都唔能夠以往一貫作風每日都去做gym上健身堂，無得運動之餘又要繼續在家中工作，怎樣去健康地抗疫呢？
答案: 電動工作升降枱！
棋棋自從生完一對孖胎之後因為生育過程導致脊椎移位疼痛，令她萌生成立EKOBOR 專業人體工學家具方案的公司，專針對對久坐而導致的腰痛神經問題的工作人士。她在人體工學這方面產生了濃厚的興趣和研究，修讀了一個職安人體工學課程和高級私人體適能教練的證書課程，希望透過自己的知識能改變舊有的久坐工作模式，達到減低背痛和脊柱側彎，也大大提升了工作效率，肥胖，新陳代謝和血液循環 等等的問題出現。
升降枱不單只能對工作人士有非常正面的影響，對小朋友成長發育時期肌肉產生的疼痛問題都會有改善。若果大家想知多些升降枱的好處，歡迎聯絡我們EKOBOR的團隊了解詳細點！