HRM 320 Week 7 DQ 2 Ergonomics Requirements
Compliance Publications (CP) has 2000 employees. Approximately 200 of those employees spend their 8 workday hours typing and transcribing materials for the various publications produced at Compliance. Many of these employees work in a large typing hall (an open location where each employee has a small desk and a computer where they complete their typing). Some employees, however, work from remotely from home during the same work hours, and are responsible for providing their own workspace. Recently, the employees have been complaining about pain in their back and wrists, eye strain, and discomfort on standing after the long day of typing. Individual employees have made the following suggestions.
Margaret, who works in the typing hall, asks for swivel typing chairs equiped with a high-back, lumbar (low-back) support, and foot rests.
Jung, who works in the typing hall, asks for the computer keyboards to be replaced by ergonomic keyboards.
Angel, who works in the typing hall, asks for computer monitor screen guards to reduce the glare coming from the existing computer monitors.
Kepi, who works in the typing hall, asks for current computer monitors to be replaced with large screen anti-glare plasma monitors mounted on ergonomic bracketing for the correct angle and positioning of the display.
Frank, who works in the typing hall, asks for CP to hire a trainer to come in and work individually with typists on ergonomic positioning.
Lavone, who works in the typing hall, objects to any changes to his workstation and wants CP to agree that any changes it makes will not apply to his workstation.
Roseanne, who is an Executive Assistant, has her own office, and spends less than 1/4 of her work day typing, asks that CP provide her with the same ergonomic equipment and training that it provides to its workers in the typing hall.
Destiny, who works from home, asks that CP provide her with the same ergonomic equipment and training that it provides to its workers in the typing hall.
Eileen, who works in HR, collects the suggestions and is asked to make a recommendation to CP about how to proceed. Considering OSHA’s current stance on ergonomics, what should she recommend?
Is ergonomics an issue that employers should be concerned about?
Many of you have pointed out the importance of ergonomic requirements in the workplace. Should employers also be required to follow these requirements for employees who work from home? Or should at-home employees be treated differently from those who actually work on-site?
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