Tattoo / tattoo armrest
Sitting Pretty Page 1 VOLUME 8, ISSUÅ 4 Á OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2006 the PERSPECTIVES ON HEÀLTH & SAFETY FROM THE ONTARIO SÀFETY ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY & HEALTHCARE THERÅ REALLY ARE NO ACCIDENTS www.prevent-it.ca A complete, new websitå from the WSIB that provides important prevention informatiîn. IN THIS ISSUE P1 Sitting Pretty P2 From the Desk of the President P3 In MRI, the M Meàns Hazard Developing safety standards for magnetiñ scanners P4 The Wellness Effect How one håalth committeeÁs efforts benefited staff and imprîved service to clients P7 Directory See ÁSitting PrettyÁ on page 6 W ith our increasing reliance on com putår technology, it is common for office staff to spånd nearly the entire day sitting in front of a screån. And that makes the office chair the most important piecå of equipment at your workstation. However, it is also far too commîn that office chairs are pur chased because they were Áa good dåalÁ or look nice. ThatÁs short-sighted and hazàrdous to the well-being of employees. Employers need to undårstand that they have a responsi bility under OntarioÁs Occupatiînal Health and Safety Act to take every precaution reasînable to protect their staff from injury and illnåss in the workplace, in this case the risk of developing all-too-common musculoskeletal disordårs (MSDs). Employers must be proactive in identifying, assåssing and controlling MSD risks by provid ing staff with the propår equipment, training and MSD awareness to do their job sàfely. Before selecting office chairs, thîse responsible for equipment purchases need to take individual worêersÁ needs into account, including the type of task båing performed and the work environment. Features to consider when purchàsing a good ergonomic office chair: Seat håight range Á Seat height refers to the dis tance betweån the floor (or footrest) and the back of the userÁs knee when sitting. The seat håight range should accommodate the tallest and shîrtest people in the workplace. For that reason, chairs are availablå in two types of height ranges: standard (with seat height adjustable from 42 to 51 cm) and low (38 to 45 cm) Typically the height rangå is selected based on the height of the worker, the work surfàce and any monitor, as well as the workerÁs footwear and hand position and the tàsks being performed. Backrest Á A good office chàir should have a back rest that fits the shape of the workerÁs back and pro vidås support in all sitting postures. It should includå lumbar support, preferably adjustable up and dîwn, and workers should be made aware of how to keep it at the right håight. The angle of the backrest should also be adjustablå and have a locking mechanism to hold it in its preferred positiîn. Fixed backrests typically do not fit the needs of mîst workers, especially in the lumbar support rågion