Elf and Safety - assesment at desk?

[Mojooo]

I have been having back and shoulder problems for quite a number of months now, I have seen a couple of medical experts (physio/chiro) and they all reckon it is down to how I sit at work.

I definitley slouch and do stretch for the mouse.

Now I am pretty sure the desk at work is a tad too high for me and the chairs are crap for back support. Plus the monitors are not adjustable height!

I am going to go in and ask for the to assess whether my desk is suitable for me (we have hot deksing as well, which doesnt help). I think the biggest thing might be getting them to stump up for a new chair.

I have a really nice 'executive' style chair at home so I always lie back into it whereas the one at work I always slouch forward due to crap back support.

Anyway - anyone ever asked for one of these assesments to check whether your desk is set up correctly for you? (I am pretty sure I can work it out myself but I wont be able to get anything bought unless H+S are involved!)

[SimonV8ster]

Have one EVERY year at work - its because if you complain about something and try to sue them then they can look back at all the previous assesments and if you've answered 'Im OK' then your're fked'.

[Mojooo]

Wonder if I can sue them for the expenses I have incurred going to medical people! Not cheap at almost 40 quid a session!


I think the chairs were ordered for specific staff when originally ordered but that was before my time and ages ago - as far as I know there is no regular check made of seating etc

[LadyB]

Usually you need to obtain a letter from your doctor stating that you would benefit from such chair and your employer would be obliged to provide one. A colleague of mine has had to stay off work on the sick (due to bad back) until the chair arrived. We hot desk in my workplace too but specific chairs have signs on them telling us not to adjust them and stating who they are for. Ask for a full work station assessment and speak to your GP regarding this. If you don't, you're only damaging your own body in the long run.

Good luck

[llewop]

Try this link

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg36.pdf

[Vipers]

Have a look at the VDU Regulations.

Edited, silly me, link above, sorry must put brain in gear before engaging fingers.

Edited by Vipers on Tuesday 15th December 07:16

[CommanderJameson]

Mojooo said:

Anyway - anyone ever asked for one of these assesments to check whether your desk is set up correctly for you? (I am pretty sure I can work it out myself but I wont be able to get anything bought unless H+S are involved!)

Yep. I was getting shoulder and neck pain at work. I started to blather on about needing a bigger monitor, but the occupational therapist said "nope, you need to set your chair up properly and arrange your desk properly". She looked at my posture, changed a load of settings on my chair, had me move my monitor from the corner to the middle of the desk and up a bit, and at the end of it it felt really weird.

But she was right. The pain went away and I was genuinely more comfortable.

The thing I took away from it is that getting your chair set right is not as simple as you think it is, especially if it's one of those la-de-da fancy-pants ones with lots of adjustable bits.

Sit properly, too. I have a bad habit of tucking my feet back under the chair. Not good.

[TheCarpetCleaner]

Mojooo said:

Wonder if I can sue them for the expenses I have incurred going to medical people! Not cheap at almost 40 quid a session!


I think the chairs were ordered for specific staff when originally ordered but that was before my time and ages ago - as far as I know there is no regular check made of seating etc

Why would you want to sue them for not taking your own personal responsibility to make sure your own desk and chair is in the correct seating position?

Why do you need people to make regular checks of your seating for you? Can you not make these adult decisions and changes for yourself?

Can you feed yourself without stabbing yourself in the eye with a fork?

Sometimes I really despair...

[CommanderJameson]

TheCarpetCleaner said:

Why do you need people to make regular checks of your seating for you? Can you not make these adult decisions and changes for yourself?

Because it's not obvious to most people that the correct seating position, to avoid fatigue and other problems, is not necessarily the one you'd select yourself by heading for "most comfy right now".

TheCarpetCleaner said:

Can you feed yourself without stabbing yourself in the eye with a fork?

Sometimes I really despair...

Despair away, but this is one of those "actually, it's a bit more complicated than it first looks" things.

[Mojooo]

It was a joke........


As it stands the desk is too high, the monitor is not adjustable and the chair is not good enough so as it is it doesnt matter how much I adjust my chair it won't be good enough.

[TheCarpetCleaner]

CommanderJameson said:

TheCarpetCleaner said:

Why do you need people to make regular checks of your seating for you? Can you not make these adult decisions and changes for yourself?

Because it's not obvious to most people that the correct seating position, to avoid fatigue and other problems, is not necessarily the one you'd select yourself by heading for "most comfy right now".

TheCarpetCleaner said:

Can you feed yourself without stabbing yourself in the eye with a fork?

Sometimes I really despair...

Despair away, but this is one of those "actually, it's a bit more complicated than it first looks" things.

Not really.

Watching a professional mechanic rebuild a large complicated engine from scratch is more complicated than it looks. Flying an aircraft is more complicated than it looks.

Adjusting your chair is not.

[Nardies]

I haven't had a desk assessment in 5 years, every time I go into an office I usually have a broken chair to contend with, as other people steal the good ones. If I'm working on site, usually with a laptop it's even worse. I'm paying for it now though, literally with loads of corrective physio treatment.

[CommanderJameson]

TheCarpetCleaner said:

Adjusting your chair is not.

Why do so many otherwise intelligent people do it wrong, then?

[TheCarpetCleaner]

CommanderJameson said:

TheCarpetCleaner said:

Adjusting your chair is not.

Why do so many otherwise intelligent people do it wrong, then?

Because they lack common sense, and are probably not that intelligent when it comes down to it, if they need someone to adjust their chair for them.

And after getting someone to adjust their chair for them, they then go and look up "Lean thinking" in the phone book and get another overpaid consultant in to tell them how to position their paperclips to make them more efficient.

Really the same thing - the obvious is frankly not so obvious any more, regardless of perceived intelligence.

[llewop]

Mojooo said:

It was a joke........


As it stands the desk is too high, the monitor is not adjustable and the chair is not good enough so as it is it doesnt matter how much I adjust my chair it won't be good enough.

and?

the outcome of the assessment should therefore be to:

1. Adjust the height of the desk or replace it with one of an appropriate height
2. Replace the monitor with one that can be adjusted
3. Replace the chair with one that is suitable - then assist you with getting it set up correctly.

[TheCarpetCleaner]

llewop said:

Mojooo said:

It was a joke........


As it stands the desk is too high, the monitor is not adjustable and the chair is not good enough so as it is it doesnt matter how much I adjust my chair it won't be good enough.

and?

the outcome of the assessment should therefore be to:

1. Adjust the height of the desk or replace it with one of an appropriate height
2. Replace the monitor with one that can be adjusted
3. Replace the chair with one that is suitable - then assist you with getting it set up correctly.

Which is of course staggeringly obvious, and should not require any kind of "assessment" in the first place

[Conian]

Bosses have an obligation to provide proper desks/seating etc.
Sadly some of them then label you as 'trouble' and aim to feck you over in retaliation.

Aching back/shoulders or keep my job?
Ow I hurt, when is pay day?

[RizzoTheRat]

The usual response to desk too high is to give you a foot rest allowing you to jack up the chair so the desk is at the right height without your feet being off the floor. I believe the top of your monitor should be level with your eyes, so getting yourself to the right height may do away with the need to ajust the monitor.

[Mojooo]

llewop said:

Mojooo said:

It was a joke........


As it stands the desk is too high, the monitor is not adjustable and the chair is not good enough so as it is it doesnt matter how much I adjust my chair it won't be good enough.

and?

the outcome of the assessment should therefore be to:

1. Adjust the height of the desk or replace it with one of an appropriate height
2. Replace the monitor with one that can be adjusted
3. Replace the chair with one that is suitable - then assist you with getting it set up correctly.

and... I cannot do any of the above without someone first checking it out and then authorising any changes/expenditure.

[llewop]

Mojooo said:

and... I cannot do any of the above without someone first checking it out and then authorising any changes/expenditure.

as you said in your opening post: if it is linked to H&S then the money will have to be found. Regardless of whether your back problems are caused by the posture issues at your desk, it seems clear that it will not be helping! Therefore, to avoid a workplace induced period of absence when your back gives in: there is an obligation on your workplace to ensure your comfort at your desk. But: for them to do that you need to lift yourself off that uncomfortable chair and go pester someone to arrange an assessment and then keep kicking the process to get what you need.

As someone further up the thread mentioned; the corrective actions seem obvious, but then most H&S issues that are easy to fix are. What is sadly lacking in the majority of workplaces is what is laughingly called 'Common Sense' - if it were so common there would not be a need for so many safety advisers and inspectors!!


Yes I am a safety adviser, but not normally for office stuff, but it is or should be fairly straight forward, provided your workplace is receptive to basic H&S - which they should be if they don't want prosecutions or injory claims! (the sort of thing I actually provide advice on would make a wonky chair and dodgy desk seem the least of your worries!!!)

But to return to serious: nudge your safety adviser at your office for an assessment and point out that you have back problems and difficulties being comfortable at your desk. Even with hot desking things should be sortable, in fact it should make it more important for things to be adjustable! Good Luck