Employ Health recently completed implementing the ‘Self Defence for Scientists’ proactive health program that was delivered to the researcher team at the Children’s Cancer Institute at UNSW in Sydney.
The program developed by Employ Health Physiotherapist, Ryan Tiernan, aimed to improve the health and happiness of the researchers while proactively managing the musculoskeletal injury risks of lab and desk based work.
Having been a researcher herself and experience first hand the working environment, Research Support and WHS Officer, Rosemary O’Brien recognised the need to proactively invest in the health of the researchers. "Researchers often spend long hours using biosafety cabinets – specialised equipment designed to protect them from hazardous biological materials. But the cabinets have intrinsic ergonomic challenges that can’t be engineered out without compromising the containment provided. Using the cabinets often requires researchers to sit for extended periods in sustained, awkward postures. This can lead to discomfort, especially in the neck and back. We saw a need to provide our researchers with the tools they need to address any problems before they became severe enough to affect their wellbeing or work."
The focus of the program was self management by providing researchers the knowledge and tools to better manage their bodies. The “Self Defence of Scientist” program kicked off with workshop sessions where the researchers were taught the following:
To sustain the program two rehab stations have been set up onsite for the researchers to use whenever required.
Following from the workshops, was a ten-week onsite physiotherapy program. The onsite physio program catered for workers experiencing pain or needed more specialised advice than was given during the training sessions. Again the focus of these sessions was self management, and workers were provided with exercise programs on their smartphones, specific ergonomic advice and also had their workstation assessed.
"The response was overwhelmingly positive," said Rosemary. Employ Health provided us with a multifaceted approach to dealing with aches and pains. The training sessions at the beginning got people thinking about stretches and exercises they could do, and the onsite physio sessions really helped staff learn how to alleviate symptoms."
According to Ryan, many businesses underestimate the effect of poor ergonomics on productivity and performance. “Injuries that arise in this environment are often insidious in onset, much different to where for example a worker lifts something heavy and hurts their back. Some of the workers treated had experienced years of discomfort, and had never been given the tools and defeat it. While typically workers can 'push through' and stay at work with these symptoms, they have a measurable affect on productivity, morale and worker wellbeing."