#Menial tasks manual#

Workplace design that requires repeated stretching, bending or twisting.

Machinery that operates too fast for the worker's comfort.

Workstations and benches that are too low, too high or too far.

Tools, furniture and equipment that don't match with the body easily.

Workplace practices and the workplace design are main contributors to occupational overuse syndrome.

#Menial tasks manual#

Manual Work - for example carpentry and bricklaying.Office workers - for example clerical and typing.Process workers - for example packing and assembly line.Professions at High Risk of Occupational Overuse SyndromeĪny profession which involves manual tasks that are repetitive and fast, or where the person is in a fixed or awkward posture for long periods of time, are at risk. It will lead to the point where the pain in the muscles, joints and tendons are painful even at rest. Symptoms cannot be ignored as they will get progressively worse. Symptoms will vary from person to person, including the location of the injury and how severe the condition is. typing), it can affect any part of the body. What Are Some Symptoms of Overuse Injuries?Īlthough Occupational overuse syndrome is typically associated with repetitive hand movements (e.g. Tendons are overworked and inflamed by the repetitive manual tasks demanded by a particular job. Occupational overuse syndrome is caused by repetitive movements or awkward postures. It is for this reason that it is an important workplace health and safety concern. These injuries normally start as aches and pains and progress into more serious disorders that can have a negative effect on a worker's ability to perform at work along with their personal quality of life. It is also known as Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). These injuries affect the soft tissues (muscles, nerves and tendons) of the neck, chest, lower and upper back, arms, shoulders and hands.

Occupational overuse syndrome is a term used to describe several overuse injuries. Preventing Occupational Overuse Syndrome Risks in Health and Safety Managers also need to closely monitor workers who are engaged in repetitive tasks at work to try and prevent health issues occurring along with making sure that they take breaks when they are due. In order to combat and reduce the susceptibility and chances of a worker suffering a condition caused by repetitive tasks, steps can and should be taken which includes job rotation so that they have a change from doing the same thing all of the time, as well as performing risk assessments on their working area and ensuring that the ergonomics facilitate comfortable working over long periods of time. These include the NEBOSH General Certificate and NEBOSH Diploma courses, not to mention those courses which are intended for managers like the 3-day IOSH Managing Safely course. The growing recognition of the effects that repetitive tasks can have on the health and welfare of workers, and ultimately the serious consequences and commonality of work-related mental conditions, has resulted in this whole subject area being given greater prominence on the syllabus of health and safety courses.

It can also make them extremely demoralised, unhappy and desperate to leave the company which will result in recruitment costs and lost time as a new person is brought in and given all of the induction training necessary for a new starter. Just as stress can contribute towards mental health issues, extreme boredom through the endless repetition of a menial task can begin to adversely affect the mental state and wellbeing of an individual. It can often be overlooked by managers who just see a job that needs doing and assign a worker to do it, but the effect of repetitive tasks on an employee's mental condition can be severe. In this case health and safety training which includes a significant amount of manual handling training may be required. If significant manual handling is involved in this work they can suffer other complaints including slipped discs and hernias. These tasks are not just something boring a worker has to do one day such as going through and checking off items on an itemised bill, but instead are tasks where they have to do the same thing hour after hour, day after day and week after week.Īs far as a worker's physical health is concerned, doing the same movements over such long periods of time can lead to conditions such as tendinitis, peritendinitis and carpel tunnel syndrome. Repetitive tasks can pose a risk to both the mental and physical health of a person. Despite the massive rise in the use of machinery and robotic equipment in industry, there are still many jobs which are highly repetitive in nature and will require management to keep a close eye on the health and wellbeing of their employees.