If you work in an office, you may think you’re safe from developing health problems. It’s not as if you’re going down a mine or working on a construction site, with all the associated hazards.
However, there are numerous potential health issues which may affect you, if you work in an office and steps are not taken to address them.
Here are just a few of the more common hazards to be aware of:
Prolonged sitting
Sitting down for eight hours a day is just as bad for your health as standing for long periods of time.
Our sedentary lifestyles mean we get little exercise, moving from the house to the car and from the car to the office, and back again, then sitting on a sofa all night watching television.
It is advisable to ensure you move around as much as possible at work. Stretch your legs and arms while sitting at your desk, go for short walks every hour, actively go across the office to talk to someone instead of sending an email, and use your lunch break to factor in a brief but brisk walk, rather than staying where you are.
Back to basics
Aside from the many health issues associated with sitting for a long time, there is also the issue of incorrect posture, caused by ill thought-out seating.
According to Spine-health, sitting in an office chair for prolonged periods of time can cause or worsen low back pain.
Make sure you have an ergonomically-designed chair, which can be adjusted for your preferences.
Also ensure your desk is at the correct height, that there is plenty of room on your desk for your keyboard, should you have one, and that everything is close to hand, so you don’t need to stretch too much.
Atmosphere
Thankfully, modern offices may not be full of second-hand cigarette smoke any more, but they will be subject to the drying out properties of air conditioning, combined with central heating.
Make sure your office is neither too cold nor too hot. Regulations state the temperature should be somewhere between 19 and 21 degrees celsius. Don’t put up with sitting in a draught. If you are having problems with your office heating it is worth contacting a Boiler repairs Gloucester company such as https://redbridgeandsons.co.uk/heating-systems-gloucestershire/boiler-repairs-gloucester to give your system a check over.
