Introduction

Occupational Therapy is a vital health profession that helps individuals restore their participation in daily life activities, striving to eliminate physical, cognitive, and emotional barriers to their capabilities. Occupational therapists empower clients to become independent and productive in daily living and working environments.

Workplace ergonomics is crucial in designing environments and tasks that cater to employees' needs while minimising injuries, particularly musculoskeletal disorders. Effective ergonomic practices, therefore, have an overall impact of making employees comfortable and productive; ergo, satisfied with their job and contribute to a healthier work culture.

This article aims to provide an overview of the integration of occupational therapy and workplace ergonomics, their comprehensive effects on the well-being of workers, and ongoing practices to guide the creation of safer and more effective work environments.

Understanding Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the science of understanding human interactions with other elements of a system, especially in a working environment. It aims to ensure tasks, conditions of work, and tools are designed to fit the needs, capabilities and limitations of workers rather than forcing workers to adapt to poorly designed work conditions. Occupational ergonomics is a subset of ergonomics that improves worker health, safety, and productivity through better-designed workspaces and practices.¹

It ensures:

Reduced injury rates

The adoption of ergonomic workspaces reduces injuries caused by repetitive strain and musculoskeletal disorders as it promotes neutral body postures and facilitates the productivity of tasks. Proper ergonomics prevents the development of carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, as well as trauma disorders.

Higher Productivity

A well-designed ergonomic work environment enables employees to be more comfortable while at work and thus reduces unnecessary physical exertion and fatigue. This enables workers to concentrate and perform with greater efficiency, increasing productivity as well as output.

Improved Health for Workers

Ergonomics promotes both physical and mental benefits. It aims to create environments which lower stress, discomfort and strain; reduced tension leads to better job satisfaction, health, and motivation of workers.

Role of Occupational Therapy in Ergonomics  

Occupational therapists play a crucial role in ergonomics: they diagnose and recommend alterations to work environments, suggesting changes to improve worker health, safety, and efficiency, thereby enhancing their overall well-being and productivity.^2. They mainly carry out the following functions:

Assessment and Evaluation

Occupational therapists play a critical role in inspecting workplaces and determining potential risk factors that could lead to workplace injuries, especially in hazardous sectors such as construction. They analyse the tasks performed by workers and the working environment for the presence of threats such as repetitive movements, bad postures, and high-force exertions. In studying such factors, therapists make recommendations on changing the ergonomic setup, altering equipment, and redesigning tasks to reduce the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Their expertise in human movement and functionality helps to create a safer, more efficient workplace without injuries.³

Intervention Strategies

Modifications to Workstations

Occupational therapists study the physical composition of the workspace, including the chair, the desk, the computer equipment, and how the tools are arranged. They study how such components affect posture, biomechanics, and work style. This is especially important to identify risk factors for MSDs such as poor posture, prolonged static posture and slouching. After an assessment, OTs make individualised recommendations to modify the setup.^4. Some of the recommendations may include:

• Introducing chairs that support the natural curves of the spine and ensure proper positioning of legs and feet
• Desk Heights and Layouts:  The desk should be at a height to facilitate frequently used items (keyboard, mouse, phone) placed within easy reach to avoid overextension
• Keyboard and Mouse Use: Recommending ergonomic keyboards and mice or relocating the placement to eliminate awkward angles of the wrist and forearm

Task Modification

Occupational therapists typically prescribe modifications based on task, specific to the working style and demands, so work is done in such a way that minimises physical exposure to strain and maximises productivity.⁵ Some interventions include:

• Task rotation: Encourage workers to rotate between different tasks to avoid the same strain on the same muscles, such as typing continuously (alternating between typing and other administration)
• Alternating hands: Teach workers to alternate using right and left hands for activities such as pointing at a mouse, so the workload is fairly divided
• Micro-breaks: Advise regular short breaks, between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, to stretch and change posture. Such interventions may help reduce the occurrence of fatigue and stiffness. Workers might get up from a desk, walk around, or do some light stretches
• Lighting adaptations: Providing enough illumination, not straining the eyes, and adjustable task lighting to read or detailed work
• Noise Control: Suggest the use of noise-cancelling headphones or relocating workstations away from sources of background noise to minimise distraction and stress
• Ergonomic keyboards/mice: Advise the use of split keyboards, vertical mice or trackballs to minimise strain on the wrists and forearms
• Voice recognition software: Advise the use of voice recognition software, enabling workers to dictate instead of type, thereby reducing the physical strain that is associated with repetitive typing activities

 Educating Employees on Ergonomic Practices

 Companies can enact several ways in which they can train their workforce on ergonomic practices.⁶

• Workshops and Training Sessions: Involve the employees in face-to-face or virtual training with the demonstration of ergonomic principles and correct techniques
• Interactive e-Learning: Provide online courses with videos, quizzes, and simulations for easy and flexible learning for the employees
• On-site evaluations: Ergonomic specialists conduct on-site individualised assessments of each worker's workstation, give workers one-on-one input on their posture, as well as equipment adjustments
• Posters and Visual Aids: posters in the work environment as reminders to employees regarding correct ergonomics techniques
• Ergonomics Software: Use applications which provide immediate feedback to workers regarding posture and adjustments they can make in their workspace

Case Studies and Evidence of Effectiveness

Several case studies have provided evidence that positive ergonomic interventions actually reduce injuries associated with work and also enhance employee satisfaction. In foundry settings, interventions that include workstation modifications and ergonomic training reduce WMSDs by a considerable percentage. Analysis has been performed based on intervention studies involving height-adjustable workstations, ergonomic chairs, and specialised tables to illustrate improvement in posture for the back, shoulders, and arms of workers. These modifications decreased the symptoms of WMSD, particularly for high-risk activities such as grinding, in which discomfort associated with posture was common. In an intervention study concerning a foundry plant, modification of workstations combined with ergonomic training decreased the occurrence of WMSD in the neck, shoulder, lower back, knees, and legs.⁷

The effect of the combination of the two interventions — the workstation modifications and the ergonomic training — was much more significant compared to the use of either one alone on the prevalence of WMSDs. In addition, these studies also reported improved employee satisfaction as an outcome of the ergonomic interventions. For instance, improved working conditions reduced stress and increased job satisfaction. For instance, a study conducted in a foundry industry found a 38.46%⁸ increase in job satisfaction among the workers. Another study showed reduced musculoskeletal complaints by up to 25.27%, while boredom significantly decreased among the workers.⁹  In addition, training in ergonomics, which places a focus on good posture and healthy practices, helped in lowering the pain and stress levels at the workplace, hence contributing more to higher overall employee satisfaction. Taken together, the initiatives prove that the improvement of workplace ergonomics not only reduces the risks of injury but also improves the morale and performance of the workers.

Challenges and Considerations

Ergonomics research and implementation face many challenges. There is a lot of resistance to change because changes in practices, in most cases, do not come easily to workers as they consider them unnecessary or disrupting already laid-out routines. This defeats the whole point of ergonomic intervention since an effective change relies on engagement and commitment by the individual workers for long-term improvement.

Financial constraints also restrain the scope of ergonomic action, especially in industries with very lean resources. Implementation of ergonomic solutions, such as the purchase of assistive devices and the redesign of workstations, can be costly; budget constraints may lead to partial or inadequate implementation.

Last but not least, monitoring and changing interventions require human and financial resources, time, and expertise. Only if it follows through by repeatedly assessing changes over time can an intervention be as current as possible in response to the changing needs of the workplace and thereby catch early opportunities for prevention, maximising its long-term impact and sustainability. These challenges undoubtedly indicate how complex it is to ensure successful ergonomic improvement.¹⁰

Summary 

Occupational therapy and ergonomics promote worker wellbeing and productivity by establishing a safe and efficient worker-friendly environment. Ergonomics is focused on designing tasks and workplaces that fit the needs of employees in order to reduce musculoskeletal disorders and increase productivity. Ergonomic interventions through training and special equipment improve posture, reduce injuries, and increase job satisfaction. Occupational therapists assess work environments, recommend workstation modifications, and support task modifications. However, problems exist due to resistance to change, financial constraints, as well as monitoring, which compromises the successful implementation of ergonomic solutions. Cooperation and further collaboration between occupational therapy and ergonomic practices will lead to a safer, healthier, and more productive workplace for the long term for employees and organisations alike.