The Economics of Ergonomics for Small Businesses

作为小型企业主，没有工作太大或太小。今天，您正在前往办公用品商店。周一开始两名新员工，您的所有工作站都装满了，您需要新的家具，以便他们可以上班。

您的业​​务正在增长，但您仍然具有成本意识。当您考虑两种样式的桌子椅子时，价格较低的选择似乎是更好的选择。但是，仅价格并不能说明整个故事，从长远来看对您的业务有益。考虑人体工程学的经济学，它说明了背部受伤，压力和扭伤的潜在风险和成本以及其他适当的办公设备可能有助于预防的医疗状况。

The less expensive chair offers an immediate bottom-line boost, but choosing the chair that will increase employee comfort, decrease ergonomic risk and help reduce injury ultimately could cost your company less.Ergonomic measures由于受伤，医疗费用和工人的赔偿费用，可能有助于减少损失的工作时间，同时节省与寻找和培训工人相关的时间来替代受伤的经验丰富的员工。

Avoiding Costs Can Be as Significant as Generating Revenue

There is also a quality of work life to consider. Good ergonomic seating can serve as a tool to recruit and retain talented employees by showing them the company places a high value on their health, comfort and safety. Employees appreciate equipment that gives them “perceived control” of their environment, such as adjustability based on their own preferences.

当决定购买办公设备以控制成本或将产生收入的新设备时，公司有时认为收入生成器将提供更大的回报。而且，根据解决方案的不同，在公司看到其投资回报之前，可能会有一个回报期。更昂贵的工作站可能要花费几年的时间来通过减少员工伤害来节省公司的全额购买价格。

但是，购买商业设备可以帮助减少人体工程学的风险，这可以帮助预防或减少该业务的伤害频率和严重性。适当的座位和工作站可以通过帮助降低缺勤并提高生产率来节省大量成本。

看数字

根据华盛顿州人体工程学成本收益计算器，人体工程学干预措施可以通过减少索赔，工人薪酬成本和间接成本并提高生产率来为雇主节省金钱。尽管没有两家公司相同，但该模型说明了第一年和随着时间的推移的潜在节省。

One scenario depicts a small company with average claim costs of $28,900 and estimated annual indirect costs of $31,790. The cost benefit calculator shows a pallet lift would help reduce employees’ level of exposure and reduce wasted motion. By reducing claims by 10%, the estimated total savings over five years could be $76,245 for an initial investment of $5,500.

建立安全文化

创建一个安全文化, companies first must understand their workers and what specific modifications they require to work comfortably. Employees who feel empowered to ask for a modified keyboard to help manage the symptoms of tendinitis or carpal tunnel syndrome, for example, may feel more engaged in their work, in addition to receiving the physical accommodations they need to continue to work without injury.