Are you sitting comfortably?

UKI Risk Management Team

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.
 Workstation Safety
Something, Somewhere went terribly
wrong…

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.

 Stages of
Upper Limb Disorders
Stage3: Constant Pain
Damage may be irreparable
Working will require role
change

Stage2: Constant Discomfort

More difficult to treat effectively

Stage1: Occasional Discomfort

Simple to treat at this stage
Contact Risk Management

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.

 Upper Limb
Disorders
Upper Limb Disorders
This is a collective term for a number
of conditions including injury that are
characterised by discomfort and
persistent pain in muscles, tendons
and other soft tissues

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.

 Discomfort
Discomfort you may experience through poor
workstation posture may include …
•Tension in the base of neck/shoulders
•Dull ache in lower/mid back
•Tingling sensations in arms/wrists/hands/fingers
•Dry, tired & sore eyes
•Headaches

If you experience discomfort at your workstation

please contact either your HR rep or Risk
Management immediately
Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.
 Prevention
Discomfort is often caused by accumulated strain on the
same parts of the body over and over again.

1) Reduce the strain experienced

– Use correct equipment
– Reduce time spent at workstation
2) Recuperate from strain experienced
– Regular stretch breaks throughout the day
– Work pattern

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.

 Reduce the strain-
Adjusting your chair
Your chair may have different types of adjusting controls – please contact your facilities team for advice

Arm Rests – adjust to ensure

Back rest – can be adjusted they do not prevent you from
backwards and forwards to getting close enough to your
ensure your back is desk. Pivot arms can be
adequately supported and brought closer to the body
the natural ‘S’ shape of the and can be used as an
spine is maintained extension of the desk to rest
arms

Lumbar Support – adjust to

ensure the support fits into Seat Pan – adjust to ensure
the small of your back there is a 3-5cm gap
between the seat and the
back of your knees

Seat height – sit at a height where

your forearms are at 90o

Back to start
Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.
 Workstation setup
Monitor
Blinds pulled to • Top tool bar at eye level
avoid glare • Arms length away

Chair
Adjusted for maximum
Phone
support and comfort
within easy
reach on RH
side of monitor
if right handed

Keyboard Mouse
• Tilt reduced on keyboard
Keep mouse close into
• Forearms resting lightly on desk
the body

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.

 Use correct
equipment

Never work directly from your laptop.

Always use the portable equipment provided.

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.

 Increased
effectiveness

Slumped shoulders decrease vital

capacity and cut up to 30% of the
oxygen to your brain and senses.

Rene Cailliet, M.D.

Professor and former Director
of the Department of Physical
Medicine
and Rehabilitation at the University of
Southern California School of Medicine

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.

 Work Pattern

Reduce the time that you spend sitting at your desk.

Where possible:
Vary working tasks
Working hours
Make phone calls away from the desk
Work hardcopy
Get moving
Stretch
Meet face to face

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 Recuperate!

• Prolonged sitting at a workstation

Hold for 5
can cause muscular tension and seconds
Hold for 10
seconds
pain
Hold for 5
• Taking a few minutes to do a seconds x 3

series of stretches can make Hold for 5 seconds

each side Hold for 10
Hold for 5 seconds
your body feel better seconds x 3

• Learn to stretch throughout the

day whenever you feel tense
Hold for 5
• Complete some standing Hold for 5 seconds
seconds x 2 Hold for 10
seconds
stretches, to improve circulation each side

Hold for 5 Hold for 10

seconds x 2 seconds
Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.
 Accenture support

Cardinus

•Workstation
Safety Training
•Self-assessment
•Stretch Exercises
•Workstation
Assessment
•Occupational Health

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.

 What now?

Things that you can do NOW!

• Stand up whilst on the phone

• Use both shoulder straps on your backpack
• Order additional equipment from UK smartbuy
• Work from hard copy documents whilst travelling
• Never work directly from your laptop
• Plan work ahead
• Delegate & get help
• Take more breaks & stretch
• Meet face to face instead of MSN / e-mail
• Improve keyboard skills

Copyright © 2009 Accenture All Rights Reserved.