Ways Your Career Is Killing You

Accidents that could happen in my work place could be: cuts and burns, e.g. in the kitchen; Back injuries/strains/sprains from poor handling/lifting techniques; tripping over from things left around the house. Sudden illnesses that could happen are: Strokes; heart attacks; epileptic fits; asthma attacks; diabetic emergencies; seizures; severe headaches; slurred speech; chest pain; difficulty breathing; sickness and diarrhea; vomiting/passing blood.

It is understood that manual workers endure more work related injuries than non-manual workers. Recent studies to support this claim come from Clapp et al (2005) who indicate that a probable 12 of cancer deaths are workplace related, also, Meldrumm (2005) found that working conditions cause up to 20 of lung cancer deaths (Holborn, Burrage and Langley, 2009).

The aim of this case based study, is to Promote Health and behaviour changes within the work place,

Ill health and accidents are quite common at work because this happened in 2011/12, 1.1 million people who were working were suffering from illnesses, and some people believed that the illnesses were caused from or made worse from their current work or their past work.

In “Reducing Occupational Sitting Time and Improving Worker Health: The Take-a-Stand Project, 2011” researchers Pronk NP1, Katz AS, Lowry M, Payfer JR studied employees in Minneapolis during March to May in the year 2011 to study the prolonged health risk factors of sitting for long periods of time. Researchers developed a study that was designed to limit the amount of time employees sit ultimately improving upon their health in sedentary jobs. The study occurred during a 7 week period with two groups. Group one was given a sit-stand device and group two did not receive a device. Ultimately the group whom was given the sit stand device reduced sitting time by 224% or 66 minutes a day, reduced upper back and neck pain by 54% and improved

Out of 1000 employees 170 men and 210 women 38% of the workforce has no major health problems. With almost 10% of the workforce 55 men and 36 that are smokers. The majority of the workforce misses work due to injuries, respiratory system diseases, digestive disorders, migraine, and allergic conditions.

Professor Hetinger’s research published in the journal ergonomics show that apart from the hard, physical jobs, administrative work is the major cause of the spine deformations. The reason for this is modern living, an increased IT and Internet usage, with users spending more time at the computer desk, be it at work or at home. Research has shown that inappropriate sitting, caused by poorly designed furniture, accounts for headaches (14%), pain in the neck and shoulders (24%), backpain (57%), backside (16%), lower leg (19%) and pain in knees and feet (2%)(Ž. Ivelic et al.,

Someone who works with a computer is also at high risk. If you are leaned over your keyboard for long periods of time, this can lead to back pain. If you keep your head in the same position for a long time, you can develop muscle tension in your neck and shoulders, as well as headaches. One can become nearsighted, OSHA recommends sitting in a neutral body position, or a position that allows your joints to be naturally aligned to reduce the risk of developing MSD-related issues.

To combat the rise of preventable chronic disease, there has been an increased emphasis on engaging in regular physical activity, as there is a clear and well-established relationship between physical inactivity and negative health outcomes. Although physical activity plays a crucial role in the prevention and management of chronic disease, this approach alone may not be sufficient to negate the effects that sedentary behavior has on health (3). Sedentary behavior is independently associated with an increased risk for chronic disease (4 5). This has become especially problematic for adults in the workplace as jobs increasingly shift towards computer-based deskwork. There is a dire need to address the risks of sedentary behavior independently from physical activity in the adult working population. The key options to address sedentary behavior in the work place involve physical changes to the environment and behavioral changes through use of current

Office workers in Mound, Minnesota, may be aware of the importance of the ergonomic keyboard and mouse to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive stress disorders. However, these are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the health problems researchers have linked to prolonged sitting.

Health and safety policies are implemented in every part of the workplace in the United Kingdom. The merits of following health and safety policies are that the risk of injury are greatly reduced using good practice after identifying potential risks in the workplace. Although the risks of injury in a GIS lab are low, sitting for long periods of time behind a computer screen has been proven to be adverse to many aspects of health including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and muscular skeletal issues (Dunstan et al., 2012). Regular breaks were encouraged and walks around the local area were commonplace to stretch and exercise during the workday.

Standing or sitting too long – a job that requires hours of standing can force the veins to work harder which will weaken them over time. Sitting for long periods can greatly reduce circulation in the legs.

Taking frequent breaks during the day is important. Take time to stretch, stand up out of your chair and incorporate your entire body. Upon returning to your desk, concentrate on maintaining proper posture and keeping your spine in alignment.

Lifestyle is another common cause. If you have a job in which you stand most of the day such as teacher or nurse, you are at risk of developing varicose veins because your leg veins need to work harder every day. Conversely, if you have a job in which you sit all day, you may not have good circulation in your legs.

Meanwhile, the potential health risks of prolonged sitting are documented well. These include the possibilities of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and preterm death. So this begs the question of sit-stand desks being the answer to prevent developing such conditions.