Maria had worked on the assembly line for nearly a decade, known for her speed, precision and dedication. But one morning, as she reached for a part she had retrieved a thousand times before, a sharp pain shot through her shoulder.
She brushed it off, assuming it would pass. It didn’t.
Within weeks, the pain had worsened, spreading down her arm and forcing her to miss shifts. Eventually, she was diagnosed with a repetitive strain injury, a direct result of poor ergonomic setup at her workstation.
Her absence created a ripple effect. Production slowed, overtime costs rose and morale dipped as others picked up the slack. The company not only faced the cost of a workers’ compensation claim but also lost one of its most reliable team members.
While Maria’s story is fictional, it’s a very real scenario that many managers and business owners have faced. If you oversee the operations of a factory or run your own business, you can prevent this from happening by understanding some of the ways ergonomic injuries impact your business, how they occur and what you can do to prevent them.
How Ergonomic Injuries Impact Your Business
Ergonomic injuries are often categorized as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) because they develop over time due to
repeated physical stress on the body. These injuries include conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, lower back injuries, neck strain and shoulder disorders.
Although subtle at first, they can have far-reaching consequences for your company. Here are some of the ways ergonomic injuries impact your business.
Productivity Losses
When employees are in pain, they work slower or must take frequent breaks, reducing overall productivity. In more serious cases, workers may be out for weeks or months at a time, creating staffing gaps and workflow interruptions.
Increased Costs
Workers’ compensation claims for MSDs can be expensive, often requiring long-term treatment and rehabilitation.
The Ergonomics Center at North Carolina State University estimates that the direct costs of MSDs are around $20 billion a year. Indirect costs, including lost productivity and product defects, can be up to five times the direct costs.
Temporary staffing or overtime to cover absent employees adds to operational expenses as well. Insurance premiums may also increase as your injury rates rise.
Decline in Morale and Engagement
If employees perceive their work environment as unsafe or uncomfortable, engagement drops. Workers may feel that their health and well-being are not valued, leading to lower satisfaction, reduced performance, and higher turnover.
Quality Control Issues
When employees are in discomfort or not physically positioned to do their jobs correctly, the risk of mistakes increases. This can lead to defective products, rework or missed deadlines.
Legal and Regulatory Risk
Depending on your industry, failing to maintain a safe ergonomic environment can lead to citations from regulatory agencies such as OSHA. Non-compliance can damage your reputation and result in fines.
How Ergonomic Injuries Occur
Ergonomic injuries don’t typically result from one single action. Instead, they develop from prolonged, repetitive physical
stress. Here are the most common contributing risk factors:
- Repetitive Motions: Tasks that require the same motion repeatedly, like typing, scanning, lifting or assembling parts, can wear down muscles and tendons over time.
- Awkward or Static Postures: Jobs that involve bending, twisting, reaching overhead or remaining in one position (especially standing or sitting) for extended periods can cause strain on joints, ligaments and the spine.
- Forceful Exertions: Using excessive force, such as lifting heavy objects or pushing/pulling equipment without assistance, increases the risk of back and shoulder injuries.
- Poorly Designed Workstations or Tools: When furniture, tools or machinery aren’t adjustable or suited to the worker’s size and task, the body must adapt. This adjustment often happens in harmful ways.
- Environmental Conditions: Cold environments can decrease flexibility and blood flow, increasing the risk of strain. Inadequate lighting may also cause employees to lean forward or squint, creating tension in the neck and shoulders.
Understanding how these risks of ergonomic injuries play out in your facility can help you develop strategies for preventing these types of costly workplace injuries while improving overall worker health.
What You Can Do To Prevent Ergonomic Injuries
The good news is ergonomic injuries are largely preventable. By investing in smart design, training and awareness, businesses can significantly reduce risk and improve working conditions. Here are some of the ways you can prevent ergonomic injuries in the workplace.
Implement Ergonomically Designed Workstations
The best industrial furniture manufacturers design workspace tools that help prevent ergonomic injuries. For example, adjustable workstations allow users to adjust the height of the worktop to the comfort of the individual employee. Some electric adjustable workstations even allow you to preset heights so that workers can easily adjust the settings as shifts change.
Adjustable industrial furniture chairs with lumbar support and height control help maintain proper posture, while footrests, monitor risers, keyboard trays and anti-fatigue mats all contribute to a more ergonomic environment.
Upgrade Tools and Equipment
Use tools that minimize the force needed to complete tasks and are designed to fit comfortably in the hand. In manufacturing, consider using lift-assist devices and rotating platforms to reduce overhead lifting and awkward bending.
Conduct Ergonomic Assessments
Evaluate workstations and workflows regularly. Engage ergonomic consultants or use in-house safety professionals to identify potential risk areas and recommend improvements.
Provide Employee Training
Educate your staff on proper lifting techniques, workstation setup and body mechanics. Employees who understand how to move safely are less likely to injure themselves.
Encourage Movement and Breaks
Set policies that allow employees to take short breaks to stretch, walk or rest their eyes and hands. Micro-breaks throughout the day reduce muscle fatigue and increase alertness.
Encourage Early Reporting
Create a culture where employees feel safe reporting discomfort or symptoms early. The sooner an issue is addressed, the less likely it will evolve into a serious injury.
Integrate Ergonomics Into Your Safety Program
Don’t treat ergonomics as a separate initiative. It should be built into your overall safety and wellness strategy. Embracing ergonomics should also include tracking injury data, setting improvement goals and including ergonomic criteria in purchasing decisions for furniture and tools.
Ergonomics shouldn’t only be about comfort. It should be part of your business strategy as well. When you proactively address ergonomic risks, you reduce injuries, improve productivity and create a workplace where people can do their best work without compromising their health.
