Ergonomic Assessment

2007 Assessment Statistics

During 2007 Healthywork Ltd conducted in excess of 350 Ergonomic Assessments. An audit has been conducted to establish what the most common recommendations have been.

An Audit of 50 random cases was conducted during 2008 by reviewing the assessment reports.

42% were found to be sitting too low to the desk and the work tasks they were performing. The chairs were raised to the correct height, depending on the gas stem height adjustability of the chairs.

20% had no arm rests on their office chair. For 22% the arm rests were too far apart for their build and another 20% were not using their arm rests, as they were incorrectly positioned.

Therefore 62% were not gaining necessary forearm support from chair arm rests.

For 18% the lumbar support was not at the correct height. Another 8% did not have lumbar support available on their chair.

90% of the individuals required an alternative model chair and of those 32% required a more specialist chair than their own chair supplier could provide.

26% needed their monitor screen raising to the correct height, once they were sitting at the correct sitting height to the desk.

44% needed to move their keyboard and mouse closer so that they were sitting and working in a better posture.

76% required a sliding writing and reading work surface which could be moved over the keyboard so that all of the work tasks were at the correct height and directly in front of them.

20% of the cases were a follow up assessment, after having had an initial assessment. Therefore equipment had been provided and the follow up was to ensure they were set up correctly and review progress. 

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapists work with people who have a range of physical, mental or social difficulties, the causes of which can vary. There can be difficulties beginning at birth or as the result of an accident, illness or ageing.


Occupational Therapists look at the individual as a whole and enable them to maximize their physical, emotional, cognitive, social and functional potential, through purposeful occupation, as part of a rehabilitation process. Occupational Therapists encourage individuals to do activities independently to the best of their ability.


The result of intervention enables people to make choices and achieve a personally acceptable lifestyle.  This can be either the preparation for or return to work, or the development of the quality use of time through leisure, education, training or voluntary work, with the goal of maximizing health and function.


Occupational Therapists utilize a wide variety of strategies and techniques to assist people to achieve their goals and to promote recovery and independence, often finding solutions which are easy to implement and not identified by others in the treating team. Their perspective of performance and activity makes the Occupational Therapists approach different that of both a Nurse and Physiotherapist.


Occupational Therapists, knowledge, skills and attitude:

  • Understand Health and ill health. Physical and mental health.
  • Trained in activity/task analysis, such as grading the activity for the individual.
  • Experienced in problem solving difficult situations and health needs.
  • Able to assess the person, job and the environment.
  • Skilled at focusing on function and reducing impact of illness or injury.
  • Trained in assessment, observation and treatment techniques.
  • Good communicators and co-ordinators.
  • Able to understand the rehabilitation process and skilled team players.
  • Understand CBT approaches to rehabilitation and condition management principles.
  • Understand the roles of other health professionals and individual rehabilitation requirements
  • Outcome orientated.
  • Cost-benefit analysis aware.
  • Mediation for the worker and employee. Collaberation is positive respect, believing that the client and the employer both hold expert knowledge regarding the situation.
  • Assertive and able to face and resolve conflict situations.
  • Understand the DDA and other legislation relevant to the individual.
  • Use specific assessment tools to make the information gained more objective than subjective.
  • Professional, discerning and optimistic.
  • Understand that work is good for you and long term unemployment leads to poor health.