It seems to be well established that working from home is here to stay. While it is more convenient for many employees, it comes with its own challenges. The challenges and solutions are discussed by Kevin Lombardo, president and CEO of DORN Companies, on the Risk & Insurance website (https://riskandinsurance.com/how-to-avoid-work-from-home-injury-top-ergonomic-standards-to-emulate).
According to Lombardo, risks to remote employees fall into two categories - physical and mental. Physical risks include poor equipment setup which can lead to back, shoulder, neck and wrist injuries. Prolonged sitting increases chronic illness risk such as heart disease. Prolonged computer use results in eye strain. Mental risks include loneliness, communication problems and keeping work and home life separate.
The National institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a "Total Worker Health" framework including
- Empower employees with self-care training.
- Provide real time ergonomic support with desktop software.
- Help employees create ergonomically safe workspaces.
- Encourage employees to stay fit.
These solutions can apply to both office and remote work.