Five new national work health and safety model Codes of Practice are currently open for public comment. They are:

• Safe Design, Manufacture, Import and Supply of Plant
• Working in the Vicinity of Overhead and Underground Electrical Lines
• Traffic Management in Workplaces
• Scaffolding Work
• Formwork and Falsework.

To submit a comment on these draft model work health and safety Codes of Practice, visit the Safe Work Australia website.

The public comment period for these Codes of Practice will close at 5 pm Friday 22 June 2012.

Draft Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-2022

Safe Work Australia invites all Australians to provide comments on the draft Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-2022. The input received will help shape the final Strategy and ultimately the future coordination of work health and safety in Australia over the next decade.

You can view the draft and make a comment until 5.00pm (AEST) Monday 21 May 2012.

Public comment closed for:

Recreational Dive and Snorkelling Industry Reference Group recommendations

Twelve recommendations were made by the Recreational Dive and Snorkelling Industry Reference Group.

Comment on the proposed changes is now closed. (Closed 31 March 2012).

Rural Plant Code of Practice 2004

The public comment period on the proposed changes to the Rural Plant Code of Practice 2004 is now closed (Closed: 31 March 2012).

Consultation Regulation Impact Statement on precursor chemicals to homemade explosives

The community and businesses were invited to provide comment on four options that serve to reduce the national security risks posed by chemicals of security concern (Closed: 30 March 2012).

A list of the submissions received, and further information on the development of the Decision RIS is available at the Chemicals Security website (non-Queensland Government link).

I want you to consider for a moment: How much time do you spend sitting?

The truth is the majority of working roles force people to spend a huge amount of time sitting – and they never take into account that resulting discomfort plays a major role in fatigue, irritability, injury and lack of motivation. Sitting is a part of:

• the office setting – as a receptionist, bookkeeper, telemarketer, keyboard operator, IT specialist, manager or copy writer, etc.
• driving – delivery, company car, truck, taxi, bus, mining vehicles, heavy duty vehicles on construction sites, or farming equipment, etc.
• aviation services – as a pilot of a helicopter or plane.

Even commuting to and from the workplace can have you sitting for extended periods!

Meet Jill

Meet Jill. She is a keyboard operator for a credit company, working 5 days a week. Jill’s life in relation to sitting is as follows:

• Commute to work on a train = 1 hour of sitting
• Arrives in office to begin work at 9am and sits in a chair until 10.30am – with one stretch break as she gets a drink during period. = 1 and a half hours of sitting
• Morning tea is twenty minutes which consists of 15 minutes sitting in the tea room and then a toilet break = 15 mins sitting
• Re-commences work at 10.40am and works through until 12pm = 1hour, 20 mins of sitting
• Jill collects her lunch from the fridge and catches the lift downstairs to have lunch in the park near her building. She sits reading a book until 12.45pm then returns back to her workplace to go to the toilet, have a quick chat with the Receptionist, and grab a glass of water for the next work session =  40 mins sitting
• Jill works from 1pm to 3.15pm, her longest stint = 2hours, 15mins
• Afternoon tea is twenty minutes which consists of 15 minutes in the tea room and a toilet break and another coffee to get her through the afternoon = 15 mins sitting
• Re-commencing work at 3.35pm, Jill works until 5pm = 1hour, 25mins sitting.
• Jill walks to the train station, stands for 5mins on the platform (thank goodness!) waiting for her train, and then sits for the next hour home = 1hour.
• When she gets home she organises dinner and settles down to two hours of her favourite TV shows, feeling exhausted and a litte irritable due to the ache in her lower back. She relishes this time out after a full days work – the only draw back is she’s sitting again… = another 2 hours.

That’s a day of 11 hours and 40 minutes sitting.

Do you do something similar? It might be behind the wheel of a vehicle or in a ‘cabin’ operating heavy machinery. You might even spend longer sessions than Jill during long shifts in the one seated position, often resulting in an aching back, sore neck and numb bum.

Have you ever considered the amount of stress that is placed on your back and spine sitting for so long? Have you ever considered that the fatigue you experience by the end of the day (or even earlier) is due to your bum and therefore lumbar region, back and spine being denied the comfort  and support it needs?

The average seat whether it be an office chair, pilot’s seat, truck seat, machinery operator’s seat and driver’s seat fails to provide appropriate pressure distribution where you make contact with the seat. You seem to have constant pressure on certain points of your bum and thighs which eventually cuts off blood supply to these areas, leading to a numb bum and legs, and even long-term circulatory issues. Do you ever find yourself squirming to find a better position, only needing to squirm all the more 10 minutes later?

If you are in machinery or a vehicle that experiences vibration (aircraft, trucks, cars, machinery, buses, etc.) due to engine vibration, rough roads or changing terrain, there is added stress to your body as it fights the vibration and gravity in search of stability. The body’s fight against these forces leads to fatigue and muscular pain. And did you know that being seated for long periods over time can contribute to spinal compression?

There are cushions available on the market that can help to relieve pressure by cushioning you correctly, absorb vibration (protecting your back and spine), and avoid heat build up. The leader in this field is AirHawk Cushions, who make cushions specifically designed for the aviation industry, mining industry, etc. and they have cushions to suit cars, buses, trucks, large machinery, office chairs, helicopters and planes, etc.

AirHawk Cushions have a unique design of interconnected air cells that mould to your individual shape – and you can adjust the amount of air pressure in them to suit you whenever you feel like it. The technology company behind AirHawk, ROHO has tested the air cell cushion and found it doesn’t compress like foam and gel cushions do over time.

The other asset of these cushions is that you can take them anywhere – they’re low profile and have washable covers. So Jill (our keyboard operator in the case study above) could use her cushion in the office, on the park bench, on the train, and even at home.

Check out AirHawk’s Website for more details.

The old Australian Standard AS 1837 – 1976 Code of Practice for Application of Ergonomics to Factory and Office Work recommended a temperature range of 21 – 24 degrees Celsius.

Consider, though that even though the ‘whole’ temperature of the office or factory is sitting within the specified range, some areas may be above or below the recommended temperature. For example, if someone sits directly under an air conditioning vent, then they may be in a draught and therefore much cooler than need be.

I remember visiting a large ‘open floor’ office that consisted of keyboard operators. The majority were working in short and long-sleeve shirts (enjoying a consistent temperature), but one worker (two desks from the back of the room) consistently wore a jumper in the office. She was the unfortunate one who was positioned right below the air conditioning vent. Needing to wear a jumper annoyed her and my guess is, she was perhaps not as ‘easy’ to work with, as she could have been. Simply moving her desk two metres back and beside another workmate solved the problem. She was a much happier individual, and not experiencing such extreme termperature fluctuations every time she moved from her desk for a tea-break.

It’s important to remember that even small things like a few degrees difference in temperature can have an adverse affect on people’s comfort and therefore relationship with others as well as work performance.

At the other end of the scale, a work station positioned in direct sunlight will be much warmer than the surrounding environment. True, it might be a delightful place to work during the winter months, but even the most warmth-loving individual can begin to suffer. (Also consider ‘glare’ issues).

Be aware that equipment can produce heat, raising the temperature in a particular area. Even a small room with a number of workers in it will contribute to a rise in temperature.

When reading temperatures, be sure to position the gauge (or thermometer) in a place that will not be affected by the cooling mechanism, eg. don’t have the air conditioning vent blowing directly onto the gauge as this will produce false readings.

Be sure to have appropriate ventilation; fresh air is vital to combatting fatigue and headaches.

Ventilation is measured by the movement of air and the rate of fresh air coming in. Air movement of less than 0.1 metres per second can cause “stuffy” workplaces.

If you find yourself sitting in front of a computer for most of your work day – or even home hours, and feel fatigue, back ache, neck ache, eye strain, headaches or discomfort, then it’s possible that:

• your chair needs to be adjusted so that your feet are flat on the floor or comfortably positioned on a footrest.
• your thighs may not be parallel to the floor, placing you in a cramped position, or being too stretched out, removing the support of your legs and causing your back to hunch. 
• your keyboard is not directly in front of you, requiring you to turn or twist slightly.
• you are tensing your shoulders rather than keeping your upper arms relaxed and close to your body. 
• your forearms are either raised or dropped low to access the keyboard, when in fact they should be parallel to the ground when your fingertips are touching the middle row of the keyboard.
• the screen of your computer is too high or low.
• you aren’t taking enough breaks to rest from one position.

Here are some simple exercises that you could incorporate into your day (or night) to alleviate strain.

But first, I must add: slowly and gently is the key. Fast and jerky movements will only exacerbate the situation, and possibly lead to an injury – exactly what we wished to avoid in the first place!

Eyes

• Every 10 minutes or so look away from your computer screen into the distance.
• Gently move your eyes to the left and then the right, keeping your head still. Make sure you relax your face, neck and jaw when you do this. Repeat this exercise five times.
• Gently move your eyes up and down, keeping your head still. Again relax your face, neck and jaw as you do this. Repeat five times.

If you’re serious about improving the health and functionality (sight) of your eyes, a great place for eye exercises is Your Eye Exercises.

Face

• Raise your eyebrows as if surprised and then relax. Repeat five times.
• Slowly and gently tense and then totally relax your jaw. Repeat two times. (be careful not to dribble when you totally relax – I’ve done this a few times myself – not the best look at the office!)

Just as each part of the body affects another part, jaw tightness can create a number of challenges, including eye strain, neck ache and headaches. Look at relaxing and loosening your jaw when you can.

Neck

• As you breath in, slowly turn your head to the left. Pause for a moment. As you breath out turn you head back to centre. Repeat this turning your head to the right. Repeat entire exercise five times.
• As you breathe in slowly tilt your neck so you look at the ceiling. Pause for a moment. As you breath out slowly tilt your head to look at your chest. Repeat entire exercise five times.

Shoulders

• Gently and slowly tilt your head to the side as if you are going to rest your left ear on your left shoulder. Only go as far as is comfortable. Bring your head back to centre. Repeat with your right ear to your right shoulder. Repeat entire exercise five times.
• Hang arms relaxed at sides and gently and slowly roll your shoulders forward. Repeat five times.
• Hang arms relaxed at sides and gently and slowly roll your shoulders backwards. Repeat five times.

Back

• With arms relaxed at your sides, breath in as you gently and slowly stretch your shoulders back, bringing your shoulder blades closer together. Relax, breathing out. Repeat five times.

Hands

• Stretch both arms straight out in front of you with relaxed hands. Rotate both hands at the wrists around in a circle (clockwise) five times. Repeat, rotating hands at the wrists in an anticlockwise circle five times.
• Stretch both arms out to the sides with the palms of your hands straight up perpendicular. Make small circles with the palms in a clockwise direction. Repeat ten times. Repeat exercise making small circles with the palms in an anticlockwise direction. Repeat ten times.

Incorporate exercise into your daily routine as this will help to strengthen support muscles and alleviate tension.