Common Workplace Ergonomic Issues and their Causes

Ergonomic injuries can strike workers in any industry, though some occupations pose much higher risks. To prevent such work-related medical conditions from developing, the first step is to be well informed on the type of ergonomic issues and their causes.

In this post I’ll go over all you need to know about the type of ergonomic problems that can arise in the workplace, their causes, and the jobs most susceptible to these issues.

Contents

Common Symptoms of Ergonomic Injuries
Motions and Tasks that Lead to Ergonomic Problems
Jobs Most At Risk of Causing Ergonomic Issues
References

Common Symptoms of Ergonomic Injuries

Ergonomic problems most commonly arises in a person’s neck, shoulders, back, or extremities. Depending on the condition, common symptoms can include:

Tingling or numbing
Dull and aching, sharp and stabbing, or burning pain
Muscle weakness, decreased grip strength, or cramping
Loss of coordination
Decreased range of motion or discomfort
Coldness or discoloration of the affected area
Swelling of inflammation
Joint stiffness
Visual fatigue
Blurred vision
Burning or watery eyes
Frequent headaches

34% of all lost workdays are due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (1)

Some musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can lead to early retirement, less accumulated wealth, and reduced inability to fulfill social roles. As such, patient awareness and education is more important than ever for early diagnosis and treatment of ergonomic problems.

Worldwide, back pain is the number 1 cause of disability [2]

Motions and Tasks that Lead to Ergonomic Problems

There are many variables that affect the chances of developing ergonomic problems. Identifying these risk factors is fundamental in making the necessary changes to mitigate and prevent MSDs.

Prolonged Repetitive Tasks

Repetitive tasks refer to using the same joints and muscle groups to perform the same tasks over and over again. This causes fatigue and, eventually, injuries to the affected area since there’s little time for the body to recover.

If 50% of your work time consist of repetitive motions or the time between frequent repetitive motions is less than 30 sec, you’re at a high risk for developing an ergonomic injury. [3]

Sustained Awkward or Static Posture

Over time, these two types of postures are more likely to lead to ergonomic injuries:

Awkward Postures: Bending, twisting, and overextending, which puts the body out of its natural alignment.
Static Postures: Non-changing positions like gripping, standing, and sitting, which cause muscle fatigue and prevent natural body restoration from restricted blood flow.

An improper workplace setup is one of the most common causes of awkward posture in the office.

Vibration

Vibrations may feel innocuous, but when it’s sustained can cause MSD.

Whole body vibrations like those experienced by bus drivers or localized vibrations caused by power tools can damage the small capillaries that bring nutrients to the body. This leads to less feeling in the affected area, and overtime, pain and stiffness.

Up to 65% of occupational drivers are at an increased risk of developing lower back pain due to whole body vibration. (5)

Exerting Too Much Force

The greater the force exerted, the higher the stress on the body. When little recovery time is given or the force exceeds the worker’s capability, the higher the risk of developing ergonomic injuries.

Examples of overexertion include lifting, pushing, or pulling heavy loads, using worn-out tools, and controlling equipment. Cold temperature can also numb hands, which lead to workers misjudging how much effort they are expending.

Jobs Most At Risk of Causing Ergonomic Issues

Some jobs or industries are much more prone to ergonomic injuries.

The manufacturing and services industry sectors combined accounted for about half of all Musculoskeletal Disorders cases, according to data.

Operators, laborers, fabricators, and people in technical, sales, and administrative support occupations are especially at risk of developing ergonomic issues.

Here are the specific types of occupations that are at the highest risk.

Construction Workers

Construction workers are often subjected to prolonged awkward positions, lifting heavy loads, repetitive arm-hand movements, and controlling vibrating hand tools. This makes them especially prone to developing MSDs like tendonitis, back pain, arthritis, herniated discs, CTS, and hand-arm vibration syndrome.

A 10 year study showed that construction and extraction occupations are most at risk of developing workplace tendonitis, with up to 44.2% of those surveyed suffering from the disorder.
Upper limb disorders are most common in bricklayers (58.2%), followed by electricians (55.8%), ironworkers (55.7%), and carpenters (46.2%).
Among ironworkers, there are many prevalent MSDs including (19%) tendonitis, (18%) ruptured spinal disc, (15%) shoulder bursitis, and (12%) CTS.
According to the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) 2019, 41.7% of construction workers had back injuries, 12.4% had knee injuries, and 45.6% had arthritis.

Operators, fabricators, and laborers make up 38% of back injury cases and 36.7% of CTS cases. [8]

Computer Workers

Computer workers often type, mouse, and sit for long periods of time. When these aren’t paired with good sitting habits, enough breaks, and proper ergonomics, employees can develop CTS, forward head posture, low back pain, radial tunnel syndrome (RTS), tendonitis, eye strain, and more.

A 2008 BLS report found that 60% of US computer workers complain of wrist pain due to poor ergonomics and inadequate breaks.
In a 2016 survey, 41% and 38% of the surveyed computer workers in a study had upper back and neck fatigue respectively.

Technical, sales, and administrative support office workers account for 34.2% of carpal tunnel syndrome cases. [8]

Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare Workers and Potential Ergonomic Injuries

Healthcare professionals are highly susceptible to ergonomic injuries. Patient handling, moving machines, working in cramped areas, standing for prolonged periods of time all contribute to their risk levels.

This leads to work-related MSDs like back pain, tendonitis, CTS, and tension neck syndrome.

A 2014 survey of healthcare workers in India indicated that the top risk factors for MSD are staying in one position for too long (37.10%), awkward working positions (29.20%),and repetitive tasks (29%).
In terms of annual prevalence, hospital workers, particularly nurses, have neck pain (40%), back injuries (30 to 60%), and shoulder injuries (47%). [13]
The work-related MSD rate for nurses is four times higher than other workers.

Up to 11% of nurses change jobs due to MSDs [13]

Cashiers

Cashier workers often develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome due to the repetitive scanning of products. Meanwhile, baggers and other grocery workers are more prone to low back pain, tendonitis, and herniated discs due to handling of heavy loads.

In a 2015 study, the number of grocery workers who have CTS from 2011 to 2013 increased by 138%.
93% of cashiers perform low force, repetitive tasks for at least half of their work period.

31% of full-time and 19.3% of part-time cashiers exhibit symptoms of CTS. (14)

Cleaners

Cleaners often perform repetitive swiping motions and assume awkward positions to clean hard to reach areas at work. For men in particular, they are often required to lift, move, or carry heavy equipment or furniture, leading to back pain, tendonitis, and herniated discs.

54 to 79% of cleaners do frequent or continuous repetitive movements. [15]
More than 25% of cleaners are required to manage loads that are more than 25 kg. [15]
The MSD hot spots for cleaners are the low back (46%), neck (33%), knees (24%), right shoulder (23%) and right wrist/hand (22%). [15]

90% of cleaners report occupational musculoskeletal discomfort in at least one part of the body.(16)

Drivers

Ergonomics hazards for drivers include sitting for long periods of time and whole-body vibration. As such, they develop back injuries, hip pain, arthritis, and vibration disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2014, 23% of the sick work days of bus drivers are due to MSDs.
In terms of annual occurrence, the most problematic areas for bus drivers are neck (26%), back (24%), upper limbs (20%), knees (6%), and ankles (4%). In another study, the prevalence of neck pain is as high as 49%. [17]
The prevalence of low back pain over 12 months for truck drivers is 60% and 51% for taxi drivers. [17]

46% of bus drivers are at high risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. [17]

Production Workers

Female production workers often get stationed in areas where they do repetitive assembly work while standing, which not only strains the eye but increases their risk of CTS and hip and back pain. For male production workers, they are tasked to operate machinery and manage heavy loads, causing them to overexert and develop back pain and tendonitis.

In a 2010 study of 500 assembly workers, one third had upper and lower back pain.
Upper limb MSD prevalence is 35% for women and 12% for men in some manufacturing plants. For neck, shoulder, and back MSDs, the prevalence was 27% female and 18% for male workers.
Musculoskeletal discomfort is rampant among assembly workers in the following body areas: right shoulder (61.4%), right wrist (60%), and upper back (63.2%). [18]

75.4% of assembly workers complain of musculoskeletal pain in the lower back. [18]

For more information on which occupations are at high risk of ergonomic injuries, the CDC has a detailed report.

Common Workplace Ergonomic Issues and their Causes

Common Symptoms of Ergonomic Injuries