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RSS feedsAre you aware of how healthy your staff are? Have you taken notice that your eagerness for them to do more work may be having an effect on their morale? Do you know the major areas in the workplace that could be making your staff ill and causing them to take time off work?
According to Roger and Tamara Coghill, who have been studying electromagnetic fields since 1985, all the electronic equipment that your employees use - from mobile phones, fax machines to the computer itself - can have a detrimental effect on their health. The studies reveal that the equipment is seriously damaging our immune systems and can affect employees' ability to work effectively.
Yet problems of electromagnetic poisoning aren't new. Initially, there was so much concern that in the 1990s there was an industry-wide adoption of Swedish standards which set reduced emission levels for computer screens. But this doesn't mean that the work environment is safe. These levels were set due to technical restraints and not because they were the lowest level they could go to.
Of course, not everyone suffers in the same way: some people will be more prone to fall ill from electromagnetic emissions than others, and a lot of the trouble could be compounded by other hazards in the office.
Is there enough fresh air? Is the air conditioning working properly? Is there enough natural daylight? Is someone stuck on the dark side of the office and suffering as a result? (And, yes, you should consider moving them.)
Although the verdict is still out on electromagnetic poisoning, whatever action that needs to be taken is in the hands of the manufacturers of the equipment. But there are still areas in which you can take a practical lead.
What you can do
One of the main areas in which an employer can help is in combating the condition called Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). This was recognised as a disease by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as long ago as 1986 and, according to WHO figures, is found in 30 per cent of new and refurbished buildings and can be caused by such things as poor air conditioning, a lack of natural light and chemical pollutants from furnishings. Symptoms include loss of concentration, headaches and an itchy and runny nose - symptoms which are similar to flu.
Another way to spot if your company is suffering from SBS is if a larger than normal proportion of the workforce is taking time off.
Environmental consultancy SP Shutler Associates is experienced in investigating and alleviating the problems caused by SBS. "There are occasions when, for no reason at all, people working in particular buildings experience these sort of symptoms and they increase with time spent in the building. It can affect attitudes to work and cost companies a lot of money," it said.
The company's advice is clear: "If you start getting complaints from your workforce about the symptoms associated with SBS, or your supervisors warn of reduced efficiency and staff unease, it is important that you investigate promptly and systematically." The company suggests starting with the obvious, such as the air conditioning, and moving on to design problems with the building itself as a last resort.
However, research conducted at the University of Reading by Professor Derek Clements-Croome demonstrated that neutralising VDU emissions could reduce SBS by a third.
Serious conditions
"After the research was published I had hundreds of letters from people of all ages and occupations describing how they believed their computers were making them sick. As well as the usual flu-like symptoms - headaches and tiredness - they told of serious conditions like fibromyalgia, shrivelled arteries [and] chronic fatigue syndrome," said Clements-Croome.
And should you be issuing mobile phones to your staff when the verdict is still out on whether the devices are safe or not? The Stewart report recently commissioned by the government left the matter largely open, asking for further research to be carried out. It did find, however, that the balance of evidence suggests that mobile phones and their masts do not cause adverse affects on health.
The report suggests that it should up to the individual whether they want to use a mobile phone or not for their work, and that it should not be forced on them unless it was a condition of employment in the first place.
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) and posture problems should definitely come within an employer's remit. Making sure that everyone is sitting correctly at their desks - with the lower back tucked into the chair and both feet planted firmly on the floor or a foot rest - will help to ensure that employees will not suffer from unnecessary neck and back problems.
Legal obligations
However, it is musculo-skeletal disorders that account for more causes of ill health in the UK than any other hazard, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). There are 1.2 million estimated sufferers and 10 million working days lost to these disorders, and there is a legal requirement set out by the HSE stipulating that managers should take action to prevent these type of injuries.
RSI should also be a priority because a recent ruling has shown that it can now be officially identified as an illness, one of the causes of which is employers demanding too much of their staff. In a recent court case brought by the finance union UNIFI against the Midland Bank on behalf of five workers at the bank's Frimley processing centre, the judge ruled that the employees were injured by the bank increasing their work load and ignoring ergonomic advice. He made awards of between £10,000 and £15,000.
The legal costs are likely to be over £500,000, so a failure to protect your staff could end up costing your company a great deal of money.
RSI refers to a condition of pain, numbness or general fatigue in the upper limbs and is caused by a mixture of bad ergonomics, poor posture, stress and performing repetitive tasks such as typing or using a mouse. The Trades Union Congress estimates that it costs the UK £1bn a year in sick pay.
According to Phil Gray, chief executive at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, employers' attitudes must be changed. "RSI must now be recognised as an industrial injury to compel employers to protect their staff," he said.
Wendy Lawrence, of the RSI Association, has been fighting for several years to have the condition recognised. "Employers have been able to get away without encouraging keyboard workers to take proper breaks," she explained. "Some have thought that, if there's no chance of being taken to court, there's no point in splashing out on improved workstations."
Yet cutting down on as many health hazards as possible and ensuring that your workers are happy in their work and are in the right job, will ensure a more productive and positive working environment.
| Practical steps you can take |
| SP Shutler Associates advises that a prompt response to any problems can help improve staff morale and make it easier to get at the real causes of a problem. However, a hasty and ill-considered response could involve employers in a lot of wasted time, effort and money in making unnecessary and unhelpful changes. It suggests that investigations are more cost-effective if checks start with the most likely sources of the problem and action is taken to remedy faults as they emerge. Make sure that people are sitting properly at their workstations with sufficient light and ventilation, ensure that air conditioning systems are regularly serviced and, where possible, allow for windows to be opened. A good and reliable cleaner is also important, as excessive dust can exacerbate problems. If these measures fail, employers are advised to call in an expert as quickly as possible. |
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See also:
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