Occupational Health Hazards of IT Professionals

PRESENTED BY:- Dr. Kiran Kamble

Page 2

Topics Covered

• Repetitive Strain Injuries • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome• Eye Strains• Stress and Depression• Insomnia• Ergonomics

A dangerous occupation…….

You are a computer athleteThis is too dangerous:

As a typical computer user, you “walk” several miles each day on your fingertips

(250 keystrokes / min) * (2 inch / keystroke) * 4 hours = 2 miles

Page 7

Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)

What is RSI?Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

occur from repeated physical movements doing damage to tendons, nerves, muscles, and other soft tissues in upper extremity (hands, arms, or shoulders)

associated with repetitive tasks and awkward positions.

is an overuse syndrome

Symptoms:soreness or burning in the hands, wrists, fingers,

forearms, or elbow.Stiffness & discomfort,pain that wakes you up at night; tingling, coldness or

numbness in the hands,and loss of strength and coordination in the hands

Repetition Of Tasks

Too Much Stress

Muscles Tendons Nerves Other soft

tissues

RSI

Others names for RSI

• Work related upper limb disorder(WHO)

• Cumulative trauma disorder(USA)• Occupational overuse syndrome(NZ)

RSI Facts and figures• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health

Administration) estimates over 7 million RSI cases occur every year in USA.

• It is estimated that 15-20% of computers users throughout the world may have RSI .

Indian Scenario

• 75% of computers users in India report pain/numbness in upper extremity ( Giri 2010).

• 55% of computer users got affected with RSI within a year of their first job ( Sharma 2006).

Free Powerpoint Templates Page 14

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

(CTS) is caused when median nerve that controls the functioning of the hands and fingers become compressed inside a “ Capal Tunnel”.

Median Nerve Compressed

• Carpal tunnel is a space in the wrist where the median nerve and nine tendons pass from the forearm into the hand

Symptoms of CTS injury

• pain in the wrist• numbness• tingling and burning

sensations• wasting of the muscles at the

base of the wrist• swelling of the wrist and hand• loss of ability to grasp items,

impaired thumb and finger dexterity.

Reasons for CTS injury Long hours in the keyboard, especially those

that type more than four hours

Inadequate rest and breaks

Poor posture including placement of hands on the keyboard and proper height of the keyboard

Poor diet (lack of vitamins & minerals)

CTS Treatment • Rest, rest and more rest • Use of a wrist brace or splint • Medications like ibuprofen,

diclofenac • Keep hands warm, take breaks,

exercise your hands and arms • Surgery should be last option, if

everything else fails

Eyes Strain• Eyes strain is the most frequent complaint of

computer users causing soreness, irritation, blurred vision, redness and dryness of the eyes.

• A group of eye and vision-related problems- Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)

• According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, computer vision syndrome affects around 90% of the people who spend three hours or more a day at a computer.

Symptoms of CVSBlurred vision or double vision (diplopia)Itchy dry eyes and discomfort HeadacheRedness in the eyesEye fatigue

Reasons for CVS

Bad monitor resolution, flickering, or glare at the monitor Poor lighting conditions in the computer room Improper distance between eye and screen Staring at computer screen for a long period of time.

CVS TreatmentTake breaks when you feel strained 20/20/20 rule Blink/refocus eyes regularlyAvoid glareAdjust monitor’s brightness and contrastKeep screen clear from dustThe screen should be kept 18-30 inches from

ones eyes or about an arm’s length.Use the zooming function to improve readability

Page 24

Stress and Depression

• According to a study done by National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Computer operators experience more stress than any other occupational group.

Stress and DepressionBritish psychologists (Leeds University ) have

found a linkage between excessive computer use and depression.

Prevention• Limiting computer use, especially on the

Internet, during non-work hours• Exercise• Breathing methods, meditation or yoga• Consult doctor if you experience symptoms

such as extended tiredness and disinterest in things you normally enjoy

Insomnia• Many IT workers work on computer late till

the evening.• Staring at an illuminated screen before

bedtime can limit the body’s production of melatonin hormone.

• Can lead to memory problems, irritability and depression.

Preventive Strategies

What is Ergonomics?

ERGO=“work”

NOMICS= “rules” or “laws”

Ergonomics literally means “the laws of work”

What is Ergonomics? OSHA defines ergonomics as the

science of

“designing the job to fit the worker,

instead of forcing the worker to fit

the job.”

ERGONOMICS IN EVERDAY APPLICATIONS

WORKSTATION

Picture 1 Picture 2

1. The top of your monitor should be at eye level, and directly centered in front of you. It should be about an arm's length in front of you. 2. Your desk surface should be at roughly belly button level. When your arms are placed on the desk, your elbows should be at a ~90 degree angle, just below the desk surface. The armrests of your chair should be at nearly the same level as the desk surface to support your elbows.

The required adjustability to achieve an ergonomically correct computer workstation

3. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your knees at a ~90 degree angle. Your seat should not be pressing into the back of your knees; if necessary, tilt it slightly forward to alleviate any knee pressure. Sit fully back in your chair, with your back and shoulders straight and supported by the back of the chair.

4. When typing, your wrists should be in line with your forearms and not bent up, down, or to the side. Your keyboard should be directly centered in front of you. Other frequently used items should be nearby, within arm's reach.

VIDEO

Exercises for the office One of the biggest injury risk factors is static posture. Try to spend at least 5 minutes every hour away from your computer. Remember to ONLY stretch to the point of mild tension. Try to incorporate the stretches into your daily routine.

Hand Exercises Tightly clench your hand into a fist and release, fanning out the

fingers. Repeat 3 times

Back and Shoulder Exercises Stand up straight, place your right hand on your left shoulder

and move your head back gently. Do the same thing for the right shoulder

Head and Neck Exercises Move head sideways from left to right and back to left Move head backwards and then forward

Computer and Desk Stretches … Sitting at a computer for long periods often cause neck and

shoulder stiffness and occasionally lower back pain. Do these stretches every hour or so throughout the day or whenever you feel still. Also be sure to get up and walk around the office whenever you think of it. You’ll feel better.

Conclusion

“When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied.”

― Herophilus

Lets keep our health, to enjoy our wealth

Key References Giri P A (2010), “Computer related health problems among

occupational computer users: A cross-sectional study”, Australasian Medical Journal

Sharma A K, Khera S and Khandekar J (2006), “Occupational health problems and role of ergonomics in information technology professionals in national capital region”, Indian Journal of Community Medicine

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) official website https://www.osha.gov

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) official website http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/

Thank you