Omniquad ErgoSense

Cost Effective Ergonomic Computing & RSI Prevention

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Contents

Repetitive Strain Injury - Now a recognised industrial injury

RSI prevention & effective working practices

Omniquad ErgoSense - Effective, software based RSI Prevention

How can ErgoSense benefit your organisation ?

Key features

 

Repetitive Strain Injury - Now a recognised industrial injury

RSI in detail

Repetitive Strain Injury occurs from repeated physical movements doing damage to tendons, nerves, muscles, and other soft body tissues.

The rise of computer use and the use of flat, light-touch keyboards that permit high speed typing have resulted in an epidemic of injuries of the hands, arms, and shoulders.

Use of pointing devices like mice and trackballs are as much a cause, if not more so.

The thousands of repeated keystrokes and long periods of clutching and dragging with mice slowly accumulates damage to the body : another name for the condition is Cumulative Trauma Disorder.

This can happen even more quickly as a result of typing technique and body positions that place unnecessary stress on the tendons and nerves in the hand, wrist, arms, and even the shoulders and neck.

Lack of adequate rest and breaks and using excessive force are a common cause for the promotion of RSI.

You may have heard the term Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in connection with these injuries, but in fact CTS is only a small percentage of typing injuries.

All of these are serious and in advanced cases can cause great pain and permanent disability. In addition, patients injured by repetitive strain sometimes develop Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) .

RSI, or more specifically WRULD’s (work related upper limb disorders) are one of the fastest growing workplace injuries in the UK, costing British industry around one billion pounds a year in sick pay and lost output. It is now understood to affect some 200,000 office staff a year in Britain alone, with RSI’s generally requiring a greater number of days away from work when compared to other injuries and illnesses.

Only recently recognised as a lawful industrial injury in the UK (conclusive research published in the Lancet – 7/99), the legal precedent set by the Midland Bank ruling in July 1999 was a breakthrough test case, upholding RSI as a legitimate physical complaint.

RSI prevention & effective working practices

RSI can be a serious and very painful condition that is far easier to prevent than to cure. In response to the increased occurrence and general understanding of RSI’s over recent years, Omniquad Ltd., a leading UK independent software company, has developed ErgoSense, an enterprise wide software application that allows desktop users to become increasingly productive and comfortable at their workstations, resulting in an increasingly energised and productive workforce and a reduction in possible future employee compensation claims.

It is now generally accepted that the most effective means of preventing RSI is to focus on working practices, and in particular the intelligent and effective use of micro-breaks, ie -breaking up long periods of continuous computer activity and the performing of small tasks and integrated stretch exercises.

Omniquad ErgoSense - Effective, software based RSI Prevention

ErgoSense is an innovative ergonomic tool which requires no user input and analyses user real-time work patterns. Once an extended period of activity on the workstation has been detected by ErgoSense, the user is then presented with a 3-D computer animated model demonstrating unintrusive optional exercises sets..

These carefully tested exercise sets (which conform to recommended Health & Safety Executive guidelines) have been proven to relieve the build up of pressure and stress on the tendons and nerves in the hand, wrist, arms, shoulders and neck – aiding the prevention and alleviation of any discomfort, stress, and fatigue.

The recommended ergonomic exercise sessions have been designed only to appear on the desktop when most needed – after continuous computer activity. On average, such exercise only constitute only between 3-10 minutes of the normal working day.

Additionally, ErgoSense is also able to recognise workstation inactivity (eg – when the user is away from his/her desk). The software will intuitively conclude from such a interval that an appropriate break from the computer is taking place and defer any future micro-break until workstation activity has resumed.

How can ErgoSense benefit your organisation ?

Increased productivity
The deployment of ErgoSense, assists in the reduction of stress, fatigue and absenteeism, resulting in employees better able to prolong their attention spans, increase concentration levels and achieve higher performance standards and targets.

Minimising legal liability
"This Midland Bank judgment demonstrates hat RSI is a very real industrial injury and employers are liable for the damage they cause to their staff."
- The women's union, Unifi (formerly Bifu),

It has long been accepted that employers are liable in Common Law for physical injury employees suffer in the workplace (1974 Health and Safety at Work Act), however since the Court of Appeal’s decision in July 1999 to uphold the ruling against Midland Bank (HSBC), a legal precedent has been set in the UK specifically concerning the issue of RSI.

ErgoSense addresses this issue at source and provides the employer with a means to reduce the possibility of future injury compensation claims. In particular the ErgoSense log facility compiles a personal usage history providing detailed user information about all recommended and displayed micro-breaks and exercises shown.

This ensures that should a future compensation claim arise, the employer has at their fingertips the proof that they have discharged their responsibilities faithfully

The reduction of sickness leave and absenteeism
ErgoSense helps minimise the prolonged periods of time away from work due to RSI by means of eleviating and preventing headaches, stiffness, swellings and RSI related injuries such as: Cumulative Trauma Disorder, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tendinitis, Bursitis, Trigger Finger/Thumb and Myofascial Pain Syndrome.

Motivation
By utilising ErgoSense and introducing exersise micro-breaks when most needed, organisations will be able to aid the reduction of stress, discomfort and fatigue and so promote a positive, active and energised workforce.

Additionally, as users are able to focus in on their own individual concerns and needs by utilising ErgoSense (please see benefits panel 4), employees feel increasingly valued and recognised.

Stress Management
Although stress is an attribute of almost every working day, stress and depression (caused or exacerbated by work) are now the biggest occupational health problem in the UK, affecting all sectors of business and industry.

The costs to business in the number of working days lost to absenteeism is staggering. Employers are advised to take steps to minimise stress levels.

ErgoSense has been developed with this in mind and its relaxation techniques and fitness tips (stretching and desk-set exercises) deal specifically with combating the negative effects of stress.

Key features:

1 Easy to use
Never intrudes on your employees' work. The suggested micro-breaks and ergonomic exercises can be paused, delayed or cancelled at any time should it be inappropriate (eg – in the middle of writing an important document or on the phone).
No software training is required for users. Just one click of the mouse and your employees can follow the quick and easy ergonomic exercise sets.
3-D animated models demonstrate easy to follow ergonomic exercises focusing on the hands, eyes, neck, head, shoulders and lower back.
Includes a fully comprehensive user guide covering background information on RSI’s, warning signs, quick tips, lighting and VDU’s.

2 Network scalability
ErgoSense can be deployed on the network server, stand-alone or on any portable computer.
Can be run directly from the network server.
Requires no disk space on the network workstations.
A network ErgoSense installation can be managed centrally.
Requires no maintenance after installation.
Fully Year 2000 Compliant.

3 The administrator panel
The ErgoSense logs provide detailed information about all suggested and displayed micro-breaks exercises shown.
The data collected form each user (even from laptops and home workers) can be collated to create specific, dated records of each employee, group or department.
The ErgoSense log facility will allow the administrator to analyse which users viewed, delayed or cancelled the exercise sets.

4 Tailored to suit individual needs
Authorised personnel may modify existing and create new exercise sessions using the ErgoSense Session Designer.
Animation sets can be customised to reflect users' personal gender and race preferences, as well as areas of individual ergonomic concern.
Micro-breaks can be suggested after a prolonged period of continuos activity or at set times.
The user possesses the option to override the timing features and start the exercise sets at any time.

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