Companies Pay Billions Of Dollars For Poor Workplace Ergonomics

Companies expect that new employees will require training to get them up to speed on daily tasks and workplace policies. When it comes to workplace ergonomics, however, most employees get little or no training. Employers don’t think this type of training is necessary, but they end up paying billions in workers’ compensation benefits when employees are injured.

Poor ergonomics causes musculoskeletal disorders, which are the most common type of workplace injury. In fact, they account for 33 percent—or one-third—of workers’ compensation costs.

Providing ergonomics training is not a difficult task. All employers need to do is plan a little and invest in some time and training to help employees understand the basics of good posture and safety in the workplace. But they fail to do so and end up paying for it in the end.

Costs of Poor Ergonomics

It takes employees an average of eight days away from work to recover from most injuries. For musculoskeletal disorders, however, the average recovery time is 11 days away from work. That’s an increase of almost 40 percent. Three days may seem like a small amount of time, but depending on the company and work involved, that could translate into thousands of dollars in lost work—perhaps even much more. It becomes even more significant when you multiply that by every ergonomics injury that occurs in the workplace.

To cover even a small workers’ compensation claim, a company has to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars more in sales to make enough profit to cover the loss. For a $10,000 claim, for example, it could take as much as $700,000 in sales to break even.

This is a statistic that companies should not ignore. Every company, big or small, should have some sort of ergonomics training in place to keep employees healthy, safe and productive.

Benefits of Ergonomics

Ergonomics refers to the science of designing and arranging objects so that people can use them efficiently. In an office environment, this would include optimal placement of the computer monitor, keyboard, mouse and chair.

Ergonomics training is worth the investment. It helps reduce costs in the long run by preventing injuries. When equipment is at the right height and the employee is using correct posture, workers are more productive and able to work more efficiently.

When a company focuses on ergonomics, employees are happier. They are able to work without fatigue and discomfort. They feel like the company really cares about them, and as a result, turnover and absenteeism decrease.

Ergonomics also makes employees healthier and safer. This is important because a company’s most important asset is its employees.

Contact Us for More Information About Workers’ Compensation Benefits

If you are suffering from a musculoskeletal disorder, your workplace may be to blame. Many companies ignore training on ergonomics because they don’t deem it as important. As a result, companies are losing billions of dollars when employees suffer injuries.

If you have suffered a workplace injury from poor ergonomics or any other cause, contact the Law Office of Michael Lawrence Varon in White Plains to learn more about your legal rights. You may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits, so don’t delay. Call his office at 914-294-2145 to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Resource:

techrepublic.com/article/poor-ergonomics-is-costing-enterprises-billions-in-workers-comp-claims-every-year/