Repetitive strain injury cases have soared by over 30 percent in the last year, costing businesses over US$600 million in lost working hours – and causing pain and debilitating discomfort to over-worked staff. Microsoft claims the rapidly emerging trend of ‘mobile working’ – with office-based employees now working on the move for an average of an hour more per day than they did two years ago using laptops and mobile devices – is behind this alarming climb in work-related injury.

The company arrived at its conclusions in a poll among over 1,000 office workers, HR managers and office managers. This showed that 68 percent of office workers suffered from aches and pains, with the most common symptoms including back ache, shoulder pain and wrist/hand pain. The research suggests that one of the main factors behind the high number of injuries is because not enough companies are replacing their existing office equipment with ergonomic hardware that can significantly reduce the risk of RSI.

To add insult to injury, less than half of U.K. workplaces have an ergonomic hardware programme in place and nearly a quarter of workers are not aware if their company even has one. Experts recommend a number of ergonomic solutions for workers who use desktops and laptops on a daily basis which will dramatically reduce the number of injuries quickly and cost effectively. These include an ergonomic articulating keyboard, monitor arms, footrests, copy holders, ergonomic mice, laptop holders and ergonomic chairs.

Source: techworld; edited by TFW