DENVER — Aug. 24, 2021 — As COVID-19 swept across Colorado, businesses quickly modified their operations — sometimes in days — and many office-based employees were sent home with just a laptop. Now that regular remote work is becoming an option for a greater number of Coloradans — it’s estimated by 2025 at least 70% of the workforce will be working from home at least five days per month — Pinnacol is educating employees about how to set up an ergonomic home office from anywhere. Ergonomics is the practice of improving people’s efficiency and health in their working environment. The insurer cautions that the basic requirements are a desk, monitor, chair and computer — working from your bed or couch is never safe for the long term.
This instructional video is a demonstration of how employees can adjust their own chair and workstation components. It addresses chair features and adjustments, workstation setup and positioning, and desk organization.
“Employers with remote employees should be looking for any new occupational risks, and it should start with an ergonomic assessment,” said Cora Gaines, a Pinnacol safety consultant. “With so much time spent at our desks and computers, it is so important to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries — which also aims to reduce stress and increase efficiency and productivity.”
Long-term remote work requires appropriate equipment and adjustment to avoid the common musculoskeletal injuries that make up a large proportion of workers’ comp injuries for office workers. Pinnacol warns that businesses that aren’t already managing this risk could find out about injuries sustained by employees after the damage has already been done, therefore recovery could take a long time.
Pinnacol’s Safety Services team knows Colorado businesses better than anyone else. They work with businesses across the state every day to identify and mitigate hazards, connect them with resources and provide advice at no cost.
