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The solution is to incorporate movement and changes of position throughout the workday. Here are some tips on how to do that.
Mixing Up the Workday
To build up your workers’ level of movement, consider whether you can:
- Rewrite job descriptions. Revise job descriptions to give workers greater mobility during the day. If your workers tend to work at a single workstation, rewrite their job descriptions to give them some walkaround inspection duties so they work in different areas with different physical stressors. For example, could the assembly worker who sits at a workstation in the morning work in the warehouse in the afternoon?
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- Provide adjustable workstations. It’s not a great leap from the adjustable workstation that accommodates workers of different heights to the sit/stand workstation that enables workers to change positions during the day.
- Emphasize breaks. Workers who stand may feel they can’t take breaks because of the nature of their job. Workers who sit may be tempted to take breaks without changing position—checking social media at their desks without moving, for example. Emphasize to workers the importance of taking breaks not just from their job but also from the physical demands it makes on their bodies. Encourage workers to listen to their bodies—if they’re feeling sore, they should change position, take a short break, or stretch. Workers who stand at their job should sit during their breaks; those who sit should get up and walk around. Teach all workers stretching techniques that will help maintain circulation, flexibility, and reduce soreness.
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- Educate workers about the hazards. Because the hazards of sitting are cumulative, workers need to know how their off-the-job activities affect their overall risk. Encourage workers to be aware of how much time they spend sitting and to take steps to reduce it through changes both on and off the job.
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