What is the cost of a poor working environment?

An article published by the Institute of Safety & Health states that a survey found firms are losing £7.2 billion annually in sick pay through desks and chairs being set up badly.

Ergonomics firm Fellowes carried out the study which found that back pain, headaches or depression caused a fifth of workers to miss 14 days a year – nearly three weeks.

Half of office workers said they became ill due to their workplace, with a knock-on effect on their home life and almost 75% revealed that they suffer ill health due to poorly equipped desks. And roughly two thirds of those workers took medication for their condition.

Companies too often overlooked the impact of the working environment on the health of office workers, GP Sarah Jarvis said.

She said the study made it very clear that the way staff work and the equipment they use had a major impact, on wider health as well as health at work.

These results highlight the importance of Health & Safety in the workplace not only as a means of ensuring peoples safety but, when used properly, also increasing productivity. A simple DSE assessment can highlight a number of issues before they become more serious. Click HERE for further information on DSE assessments.