Ergonomic Workshop Design: Boost Your Productivity with the Right Furniture

What better time to look after your team’s health than now? There’s a saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are responsible for decreased performance and overall well-being. Reduce these risks by providing ergonomic workshop furniture.

What is an ergonomic workshop? It is when certain ergonomic equipment is used to provide a comfortable working environment. Each piece of equipment must be tailored to the specific needs of its user. Ergonomic design promotes good posture, reduces strain, and improves blood circulation. It helps protect the health of your employees. Let’s check ergonomic workshop design ideas and what furniture to implement in your workplace.

Risk Factors

The main actions that negatively impact the musculoskeletal system are:

• Handling loads: lifting, placing, pushing, pulling, or moving objects.

• The use of tools and work equipment that are not adapted to the tasks and the person performing them. This causes a decrease in work performance and increases safety problems, accidents, and injuries.

• Performing activities that require a lot of strength; inadequate or forced postures; repetitive movements or lack of breaks that allow for recovery. In the case of forced work postures, there are a number of factors that have a decisive influence on the possible appearance of injuries: how forced the posture is, the time it is maintained, and the frequency and duration of similar postures.

How to Improve Ergonomics in a Workshop

To improve the ergonomics of a workshop, companies must take action at different points in the workshop. Below, we highlight the most important aspects of a workshop to be improved.

Updates in Tool Organization and Accessibility

Organizational improvements in tool and material placement with easy access should be considered as a vital ergonomic strategy. Workers experience unnecessary strain when their workstations lack proper arrangement because they need to reach beyond their comfort zone or twist or bend in unsafe ways. A strategic tool organization system like adjustable shelving, pegboards, and mobile workbenches allows workers to access their most used items in a convenient way.

Color-coded storage systems and clear labels help workers find what they need more quickly, which results in better workflow efficiency. The creation of a logical workplace layout with easy access improves worker comfort levels while simultaneously increasing productivity rates and minimizing the occurrence of repetitive stress injuries.

Updates in Work Posture and Movement

Workshop ergonomics depends heavily on the integration of methods that enhance posture freedom and body movement. Prolonged standing results in fatigue, together with reduced circulation and musculoskeletal strain. Sitting for too long results in body stiffness and lower back pain. Thus, workers will benefit from sit-stand workstations which let them exchange between sitting and standing positions during their working hours.

Workbenches with adjustable height features combined with anti-fatigue mats create environment that reduce joint strain by promoting worker comfort. Blood flow receives improvement through micro-movement activities such as stretching exercises and short walking breaks which decrease the risk of long-lasting injuries. Companies that support active workspace enable workers to sustain their energy levels as well as their overall health.

Updates in Loading Processes

Loading and unloading heavy materials, products, tools, etc., is part of the daily routine of any workshop. Therefore, the risk of people suffering an injury or accident when handling them will be reduced if there is good ergonomics in the workshop.

Among the types of loads that are carried out in a workshop, we differentiate:

1. Loading using equipment. One of the fundamental rules to follow in a workshop is to use tools or devices whenever possible to load and unload, such as cranes, forklifts, conveyor systems, etc). The proper use of the different loading devices will often require adequate training on the part of the worker.

2. Manual lifting. It is often unavoidable that lifting is done manually. In these cases, it is important that workers are aware of the guidelines to carry out these loads correctly and avoid possible injuries or damage to the material.

Updates on Stairs

The use of ladders in a workshop is common in order to access higher areas. The risk associated with using them will be reduced by taking a series of measures.

• The ladders used are safety-approved.

• Use the appropriate ladder for each case.

• Proper maintenance of the staircase (cleanliness, general condition, etc).

• Use the ladder in adequate physical condition.

• Ensure the ladder is secure before use.

Updates on Safety Wear

The industrial processes of each company imply the use of different machinery, designated areas, and furniture. In this case, industrial ergonomics can also be reflected in the appropriate clothing that employees must wear, depending on the work they do.

That is, if employees remain in places with very low or very high temperatures, if they remain in spaces where there are very strong odors and they must cover their nostrils with masks; or if they work where chemical processes are carried, they must wear overalls and other safety clothing to protect themselves in these areas.

Updates on Lighting

Proper lighting throughout the workshop area will allow work to be carried out more efficiently and with less effort for workers. It will also reduce the risk of any incidents or accidents occurring.

In workshops, lights or light sources that dazzle workers, making it difficult to see inside the workshop, should be avoided. Providing employees with lighting levels that have moderate contrast, do not generate reflections, glare or shadows, and are adapted to their needs is one of the most important ergonomics tips for industrial work.

Conclusion

These are just some of the most important industrial ergonomics tips that should be taken into account to improve the way employees work to achieve the top level of productivity, quality, and performance. Taking the appropriate measures to improve ergonomics within a workshop will increase its productivity. Employees will be able to boost their performance in a safer work environment by having the appropriate means and furniture to do so.