As a business owner, it is important to keep your people from getting hurt regardless of what their job is. Many people believe that workers only get hurt on construction sites or while doing other forms of manual labor. However, they can just as easily get hurt working on a computer all day.

Make Sure Workers Take Short Breaks

Workers should take frequent breaks throughout the day to stretch their fingers and wrists. In some cases, literally taking a few seconds to do a finger shake can reduce the odds that a person gets carpel tunnel or other hand injuries. Taking frequent breaks can also reduce the odds of muscle strains in the hands and other body parts.

Sponsor an Employee Wellness Program

While being overweight or sitting at a computer all day don’t give someone carpal tunnel, it can increase the odds of contracting the condition. Therefore, make it a point to provide workers with the opportunity to exercise prior to beginning their shifts. It may also be a good idea to have a medical staff on site to help diagnose the injury as soon as possible. This may make it easier to minimize or eventually reverse the symptoms.

Invest in the Right Equipment

Designing a work area that is ergonomically friendly can help to reduce the odds of wrist, hand or other injuries. This may include allowing workers to stand for periods of time while at their keyboards. The keyboard or mouse that a person uses to type should also be designed to lessen impact on the wrist and hand. Finally, make sure that workers don’t have to reach or bend awkwardly, as this can increase the odds of an injury.

Use a Rotating Schedule

To reduce the odds that a worker gets carpel tunnel, it may be a good idea to have workers rotate through different tasks. This may reduce the amount of time that they spend on a computer or time spent performing other repetitive motions. It may also work to keep employees engaged throughout the week as no two days will be the same.

If an employee is injured, he or she could file for workers’ compensation or other types of benefits. Failing to keep a worker safe could lead to more claims, which could become expensive for the business. Furthermore, failing to keep workers safe could make it harder to attract and retain quality talent now and in the future.