‘Pet’ernity rights

Teach typing skills

Typing and keyboard skills should be taught at school to help stop the UK’s epidemic of RSI, the TUC said on RSI Awareness Day last month. In 2004/05, nearly 375,000 people suffered from a musculoskeletal disorder caused or made worse by their current or past work.

The TUC provides some simple tips from that everyone can take to reduce the incidence of RSI.

The most important factor in workplace design is adjustability. We are all different shapes and sizes. Make sure that your workstation is set up properly. That means, as a minimum:

• You should have enough space to work.
• The top of your screen should be at eye level and at a comfortable distance away from you.
• Your forearms should be horizontal.
• Make sure your employer provides you with an adjustable chair. Ideally you should find it comfortable to sit upright and have the seat tilted slightly forward.
• Your feet should be flat on the floor or on a foot rest if you need one.
• Wrist or palm rests should be provided and there should be space in front of the keyboard to support the hands during pauses in typing.
• If you do a lot of typing then make sure your employer offers you touch-typing training. Two finger typists are far more likely to get pains in the hand wrist and forearms. An alternative is asking for a voice recognition software package.
• Don’t use the mouse too much. Always use a mouse mat. Consider using the controls on your computer to slow mouse movements down. Use keyboard shortcuts once you are used to them.
• Take regular short breaks, both from typing and from sitting in the same position.
• You are legally entitled to have your computer equipment and workstation assessed to make sure that it meets your own individual needs. You are also entitled to regular breaks or changes of activities.

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Don’t kill yourself driving for a living

The government is warning that stress and distractions could be placing working drivers at serious risk, and has launched a new campaign targeting the UK’s three million-strong army of ‘White Van Men’.

Tough deadlines can push you over the speed limit, and distractions like the boss calling you on your mobile can take your attention off the road. Simple measures which anyone can adopt will make a real difference, and that’s what the new campaign is about.

Around 200 fatalities and serious injuries involving somebody at work occur on our roads every week. The message to drivers is that good driving is also safe driving, and employers must take responsibility for managing the safety of their staff when out on the road.

The government says its ‘Think! Driving for Work’ campaign will focus on removing many of the hazards van drivers face, such as stress, fatigue and answering mobile phones whilst driving. Drivers and their bosses will also be encouraged to plan journeys better in a bid to reduce speeding.

The government is also rolling-out the ‘Driving for Work Business Champions’ initiative. Run by road safety charity Roadsafe, the programme aims to spread advice and good practice and will encourage business leaders to communicate directly with other employers about the benefits of managing work-related road safety.