Devices are pieces of mechanical and technological equipment designed and used for specific purposes. The term device encompasses tools such as hammers and cordless drills used for manual work, electronic devices like laptops, tablets, phones and cameras, as well as precision instruments like luxmeters, dental instrumentation, or technical tools. These different pieces of equipment and technology allow work where they process information and accomplish tasks, recreation where they can be used in personal projects or to access the internet, and facilitate daily living where they improve connectivity, access, and choice. Devices are physical things and so require physical manipulation using the body, and this can impose strain on workers.
A simple example of physical strain experienced from using a device is the discomfort someone might feel when using a corded handset phone for an extended period of time. This may be necessary because of other people in the environment, the sensitive nature of the call, or because of convenience and convention. Holding a handset to the ear with one hand develops strain in the shoulder, neck, and arm. This action also restricts the worker from other movements because of the finite length of the cord. In this case, device choice has imposed occupational, environmental, and postural demands on the worker. A more unique example is that of a photographer at a wedding. The photographer must carry a camera, which may be bulky and heavy, a flash, which must be directed and which itself is bulky, and must carry appropriate lenses. All of these tools need to be worked by hand, either at the same time with hands working different apparatus, or with both hands on the same tool, and the photographer must use their body to position the tools appropriately. In this case, while the worker may have choice in the use of their tools, occupational demands may require those tools are used differently and so impose more or less strain on the worker's body.
The immediate, shift-long, and ongoing use of different devices imposes strain on workers' bodies. Colloquial examples include text neck and tech neck, trigger finger, pronator syndrome which affect the upper limbs. Sciatica, lower back pain, and seating pain, are all affected by the choice of devices - screens, keyboards, mice, and pads for the upper limb, chairs, cab, plant, and upholstery for the lower limbs. The choice of device must address the demands of the work being done, the worker's capabilities, balance cost and sustainability on behalf of the employer, and of course, be practical to use and maintain. Over time, the demands of work, a worker's ability, and the availability and appropriateness of devices and tools may change as well. That is why it is as important to monitor the use and appropriateness of those devices used as much as it is to choose them appropriately for their use-cases.
The interaction of workers, work tasks and work tools over time gives rise to diverse profiles of risk. The way a device is selected, configured, and integrated into daily work determines how a worker moves, works, and designs their work. Mismatches between a device selection and worker capability can give rise to stress and strain which, if uncontrolled, may give rise to injury. By recognising that devices sit within a broader system of occupational demands, businesses can better anticipate emerging risks, adapt proactively, and support workers in maintaining safe, sustainable participation in their roles.
Each workplace is different, with different demands, methods of business, and is staffed by people whose capacities, needs, and risk profiles are different. Managing ergonomic, environmental, and occupational health and safety challenges requires a business to examine and engage with the ecosystem of factors that give rise to risk, and how that risk may affect people. Each workplace is different and so sometimes the same problem will require different solutions. This applies to workers as well - every person is different and so may require different support, supervision, or resources to perform comfortably and sustainably. Under Work Health and Safety law, consultation with the workforce, the control of risk as far as is reasonably practicable, and the provision of information, training, instruction and support to the worker by the workplace, is essential to meet obligations to provide workers with a workplace that is as free of risk as far is reasonably practicable.
In our capacity as consultants, Atlas Physio will explore and scope the business and its needs, examining how exposures, risks, and processes contribute to the hazard ecosystem, best inform the design and arrangement of procedural, policy-based, and practical risk controls. Our solutions are tailored to the needs of those with whom we work, implemented in a simple, sustainable, and supportive fashion, designed to be robust and resilient, and to support the ongoing life of the business as well as the sustainable wellbeing of the workers who undertake the day to day activities of work.
At Atlas Physio, we provide reporting, structured control, and ongoing management of risk onsite, on the road, and wherever work is done. We are open seven days a week, and are happy to offer a brief complimentary discussion to explore the needs of your business and your workers if you are an employer, and your needs if you are a worker. Reach out today to arrange a discussion and take the first step toward managing risk and working safely, supported by expertise that is practical, reliable, and designed to deliver lasting results.