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Posted By Jo Cripps
I am currently looking into H&S aspects of having a 'paperless office'. Does anyone know of any good sites/documents that deal with this issue from a H&S perspective?
Thanks
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By John Ridd
This is just a quick response (polemic), so no references I'm afraid, but before embarking on this journey please ensure all business implications have been fully 'factored' into the decision equation.
In my experience employers usually give too small a weighting to possible effects on the user, and they prefer to rely on more quantitative data that can be provided by IT and O&M people (apologies for the patronising tone).
I see many companies experiencing a dramatic increase in musculoskeletal and stress related problems when they 'go paperless' (or attempt to), and I see many more where I believe the problems are going to mushroom in the not too distant future.
Many arguments can be made for the paperless office (especially by IT depts., keen to have the latest technology available), although I doubt that it is a truely achievable goal (and I, personally and ergonomically, am wholey against it); I have to assume the belief is that increased efficiency will be the inevitable result.
Anecdotal evidence, however, would appear to be the opposite - in situations where the paperless office means that workers sit for ever increasing time in front of their computer with ever reducing opportunities to get up and move around, the only inevitable result is an increase in both dissatisfaction and reporting of discomfort and injury; hence, increased sickness absence and decreased efficiency.
The re-lauch of the DSE Guidance last month should be a spur to all organisations to re-evaluate how they plan the work of computer users - are we really organising the work so that they have reasonable opportunies for getting away from the screen?
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