
Health risks of office workers
Office jobs are often not thought of when talking about occupational hazards. Images of construction workers or perhaps police officers come to mind when we think about hazardous employment. But as office managers or employees, we know that there are plenty of hazards when working a 9 to 5 office job. From stress, anxiety, poor air quality, to musculoskeletal disorders, there are plenty of health factors that pertain to office environments. Among the greatest of concerns is Montreal office furniture ergonomics and efficient planning of office layouts.
Workflow centric layouts improve office safety
The actual layout of your office must be centric to your procedures and workflow. First step is to assess your actual workflows to see if they can be streamlined or improved in any way. Once you’ve addressed any changes here, you can go to the next step of planning and organizing your office’s layout around these processes. Remember to eliminate any space wasters, incorporate appropriate storage/filing in key locations, buy ergonomic office furniture, and keep noise or other electronic-vibe-emitting office equipment away from personal workspaces. Also remember to keep in mind provincial minimum size requirements for your various types of office areas:
- 107-132 cm x 152-183 cm for basic workstations such as a call center
- 152-183 cm x 152-213 cm for workers with additional work surfaces
- 152-183 cm x 228-320 cm for an office with meeting space for two people
- 267-330 cm x 244-313 cm for an executive office
Ergonomic Montreal Office Furniture
The top health and safety factor to consider in an office environment is the office furniture itself. Most office accidents and injuries are a result of poorly designed workspaces and office furniture. From outdated antiques designed for a different use entirely, to Montreal office furniture that has a one-size-fits all approach; there are many improvements that can easily be applied to raise quality of your office environment. Here are a few things to keep in mind when assessing the ergonomics of your office furniture:
- Does it support the intended use?
- Does it provide adequate support in key areas?
- Can you adjust these areas to individual users?
- Is it an appropriate size, height, weight?
- Does it comply with current safety regulations/suggestions?
If you find your current office furniture falls short of meeting the demands of your workflow it’s time to look at replacing it. You can buy ergonomic office furniture in Montreal that will fit your budget and décor while providing the support your office workers need. Keep in mind there are also some great buys to be had by purchasing lightly used office furniture. Remember to keep the following points in mind when looking for new or used office furniture in Montreal:
- Required tasks performed
- Size of actual work area/office
- Dimensions like height and width of furniture
- Integration with other furniture
- Storage requirements
- Special user needs
- Budgets and style