• If you don't have enough light, try using a task lamp at your desk.
• Filters diffuse harsh overhead lighting.
• If your building has too much natural light, use mesh blinds to cut down on glare.
• If your computer still glares back at you, position your workstation so the window is at your side, rather than at your back. Experiment with your computer screen's brightness and contrast controls to find the most comfortable levels for you.
• In some offices, you may be able to turn off the overhead fluorescent lighting and use desk lamps instead.
Ergonomics
Repetitive movements and poor office design can leave you with a musculoskeletal injury (MSI), such as neck pain or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Hot spots
The wrong desk, chair or computer keyboard lurks behind many a workplace MSI, while the repetitive movements you do at work – typing, moving the mouse back and forth, reaching for the telephone – account for the rest. Recently, people have been talking about "BlackBerry thumb," adds Ben Amick, scientific director of the Institute for Work and Health, a Toronto-based research organization. "It could well turn out to be a real type of repetitive strain injury."
What you can do
"Most employers are willing to invest in ergonomic equipment if it's going to solve a problem," says Amick, who also suggests you ask your health and safety committee for basic ergonomic training, which covers the proper use of furniture and equipment. Here are some pointers to get you started.
• To minimize head and neck strain, make sure your monitor is no higher than eye level and no lower than a 20-degree angle below eye level.
• Get a chair with arm rests.
• Consider using a trackball or stylus mouse and rounded keyboard, which allow your wrists to maintain a neutral position and can significantly reduce wrist strain.
• Take breaks, which give your muscles a chance to recover and move in different ways.
Smell a headache coming on?
Scented cosmetics, perfumes and air fresheners may cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, poor concentration, skin irritation and upper respiratory problems. (That's quite a list!) If you have allergies or asthma, certain odours can trigger an attack. This is why scent-free policies are becoming increasingly common in workplaces. Concerned about approaching an overly perfumed coworker? Simply tell her you have health problems that are aggravated by perfumes. If this gets you nowhere, talk to your supervisor.
Who to turn to
Many workplace health issues can be resolved through your health and safety committee. If your complaint falls on deaf ears, you can contact the occupational health and safety branch of your province's labour ministry. If you still get nowhere and you can demonstrate a link between your office environment and your health woes, "you may have the legal right to refuse unsafe work," says Caroline Ursulak, an employment lawyer based in Toronto.
Specific health conditions, such as allergies, are considered a disability, adds Ursulak. "This means your employer may have to accommodate your needs." If your request (say, to have carpet mould removed) goes unheeded, she says, you can file a complaint with the human rights tribunal (or equivalent) in your province.
Page 3 of 3 -- Did you know germs can live up to two hours on a hard surface? Find out more about workplace health and safety on page 1.
