Ergonomic Hazards in the Laboratory
Avoid injuries in the laboratory with healthy techniques
How do you reduce levels of physical and mental stress while reducing the risk of illness due to ergonomic hazards in the laboratory? When no ergonomic practices are followed, a person proves physically unable to meet some of the demands of day-to-day tasks, then it is only a matter of time before workplace accidents or occupational illnesses occur
And, as “mouse arm” – a painful inflammation of the forearm – shows, this needn’t involve physically demanding work. Caused by the rapid, small movements of the mouse occurring during regular, long periods of computer work, mouse arm is a recognized occupational illness in many countries. Mouse arm is an illness that is classified within the Repetitive Motion Injury (RMI) group – i.e. complaints caused by repetitive movements of the body.
What is RMI / RSI?
The term “Repetitive Motion Injury” (RMI) or “Repetitive Strain Injury” (RSI) describes generally painful movement disorders resulting from stereotypical movement patterns. They are among the most common in the laboratory, and therefore the most expensive ergonomic hazard, involving workplace-induced illnesses.
The hand, forearm, elbow, shoulder, and neck area are usually affected, and typical symptoms include impaired sensitivity, feelings of numbness, non-localized pain, and swelling. Often, specific treatment or even surgical intervention is required. In many industrialized countries, RMI is a recognized occupational illness – and it is the leading complaint of its kind in the USA.
RSI is subdivided into two types:
- Type 1: A doctor has been able to diagnose a medical cause for the symptoms – typically in the form of swelling or inflammation of muscles or tendons.
- Type 2: No medical cause for the symptoms has been diagnosed. There is no identifiable reason for the pain. Type 2 RSI is also referred to as “non-specific pain syndrome”.
Examples of clinical syndromes covered by Type 1 RSI include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: Pressure on the median nerve that runs through the wrist.
- Bursitis: inflammation and swelling of synovial fluid sacs in joints such as the elbow.
- Tendinitis: Inflammation of the tendon, e.g. at the thumb.
What leads to the development of RMi / RSi? Primary causes include the repetition of a procedure over a long period of time without rest, tasks involving physical effort, poor posture, low temperatures, and – last but not least – stress.
RMI/RSI from pipetting?
Many studies on workplace ergonomics have shown that a daily one-hour session of pipetting for a year can significantly increase the risk of developing an RMI illness. as employee age increases and workloads grow heavier, this risk increases exponentially. The first symptoms that typically appear are feelings of fatigue in the thumb and forearm: these can then develop into actual pain, inflammation, or stiffness. Other possible symptoms include feelings of numbness, plus burning or stabbing pains in the fingers, elbow, shoulder, or neck area. Fortunately, these symptoms are usually temporary. nevertheless, they can still result in permanent injury.
What are the key risk factors involved in pipetting?
First of all, pipetting is one of the most repetitive tasks in the laboratory, and is usually performed for several hours a day. Evidence shows us that these kinds of repetitive muscle contractions and tendon movements are ergonomic hazards to be aware of in the laboratory as they are predestined to be the cause of disorders of the arm and neck area.
The second risk factor involves the forces that must be applied to hold and operate a pipette. To avoid the risk of ergonomic hazards in the laboratory while pipetting, the force applied during the frequent, repetitive performance of a dynamic activity should be no more than 30 % of the person’s maximum physical strength. For the thumb, this amounts to about 2.1 kg for women and 3 kg for men. With many conventional pipettes, this value is often greatly exceeded – with corresponding repercussions for health.
The use of an innovative and ergonomic pipetting system (such as the Rainin LiteTouch ™ system (LTS)) can make a significant contribution to reducing the hazards in the laboratory affiliated with repetitive motion and pipetting forces.
Posture is of course another decisive factor in working with pipettes. Taking regular breaks is also important, so as to give hands, arms, and shoulders a brief period of relaxation – specialized stretching exercises are especially effective here.