TOWARDS A PLEASURABLE WORK ENVIRONMENT

INTRODUCTION:

PREM ERGO SOLUTIONS, is a company focused on creating awareness and educating young working professionals on various wellness aspects in Office Ergonomics, posture at work, exercise during breaks, and Eye care. Diet and stress busting through simple breathing techniques are also offered on a case-to-case basis, on request by clients.

It is the brainchild of Dr.S.Sunder, Consultant Physiatrist (Specialist in Physical Medicine) and Ergonomist, and over the last five years, we have given over 100 programs at various companies [IT and manufacturing]. The team at Prem Ergo Solutions firmly believes that a sound body and a sound mind alone can ensure good productivity.

Our programs have been tailor made keeping in mind the maturity levels and mental framework of a just “out of campus student” marching into a multi tasking work atmosphere. We have intensive programs for senior and middle level employees.

OBJECTIVES:

To provide a holistic solution contributing to the general wellness of an employee

Our project aims at addressing the following:

Lectures and practical sessions on office ergonomics posture and exercises.

1. To reduce absenteeism due to health reasons
2. To try and minimize the attrition rate
3. To improve on the productivity
4. To build up good will between the Company and the Employee and improve on employee relations

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is that branch of science that assesses human abilities and limitations and then applies that knowledge to design products, and improve people’s interaction with objects, systems and environment. It is the science of fitting the job to the worker and vice versa.

RSI’S – REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY

In the last decade, hundreds of thousands of otherwise healthy computer users have developed a painful condition known as Repetitive Strain Injury {RSI}. For computer users this is called Computer related injuries [CRIs]

The software professional today is exposed to a lot of mental stress, alternating shifts, night shifts, prolonged working hours, sometimes extending to ‘round the clock’ support. Frequent traveling, meeting deadlines and lack of exercise are taking a great toll on their mental and physical health. When there is a mismatch between the physical requirements of the job and the physical capacity of the worker, RSI’s can result.

Computer related injuries are emerging as the most prevalent, most expensive and most preventable workplace injuries in the country. They account for more than a third of all occupational injuries and illnesses that are serious enough to result in absence from work.

RSI refers to work-related symptoms in computer users caused by incessant work in a static posture, with highly repetitive actions, such as typing on a keyboard. It is a diffuse disorder of soft tissues of the body, like muscles and ligaments.

Workers who sit rigidly for several hours in an awkward position, repeat the same motion throughout the day, are most likely to develop RSIs.

This phenomenon is corroborated by several surveys in the computer and IT industry. IN OUR OWN SURVEYS BETWEEN 50 AND 80 PER CENT OF SOFTWARE PROFESSIONALS EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS RELATED TO RSI.

Computer Vision Syndrome refers to a complex of eye and vision problems that are related to or experienced during computer use. Almost 80% of people who use computers for three hours or more suffer from CVS. These problems arise from reduced blinking, de-humidified environment, refractive errors, poor eye teaming skills, posture, lighting, types of monitors, etc.

About Us

PREM Ergo Solutions

PREM Ergo Solutions is a venture of PREM Center, a comprehensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation center established by Dr.Sunder in 1992, in South Madras. PREM Center caters to hundreds of patients with chronic orthopedic and neurological problems, and provides holistic solutions to patients with chronic pain. Our collaboration with Spectrum Eye Care from early on has made our services more comprehensive to include detailed ophthalmic examinations and eye exercises in the field of CVS.

About Dr.Sunder

Dr.Sunder, the Medical Director of PREM Ergo Solutions [PES], is one of the few practitioners of the rare specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in India He is also trained in Office Ergonomics from Michigan University.

Dr.Sunder is also a certificate holder in Occupational Health, which includes training in industrial health, hygiene and ergonomics. He has been an Industrial Consultant to over 12 companies since 1986, primarily advising on pre and post employment problems. He was the President of the Indian Association of Occupational health.

Dr.Sunder has presented several papers in National and International forums and received several awards, the most recent being an award oration in February 2004 at the National Conference of the Indian Association of Occupational Health on the ‘Role of Physical Medicine and Ergonomics in the Computer industry’

Dr.Sunder has authored the best selling TEXTBOOK OF REHABILITATION which is the prescribed Text of the MGR Medical University.

Dr.Sunder, was conferred the prestigious “BEST DOCTOR” award by the State Government of Tamilnadu on the 15^th of August in the year 2007 and the National “BEST INDIVIDUAL” Award in Dec 2008 for his contribution to the cause of the disabled.

Our Team

PES has dedicated Physiotherapists [both male and female] who have experience in exercise training and management of musculo skeletal disorders through electrotherapy. We also have a consultant Dietician and a Yoga trainer. Spectrum Eye Care has a team of specialists that deal with various aspects of the eye and the computer environment. All of this contributes to provide holistic solutions to the problems faced by today’s young professional.

PROJECT DELIVERABLES:

PACKAGE 1- TAKE CARE

An awareness lecture on Office Ergonomics, Posture at work, simple DO’S & DON’TS on posture, and repetitive strain injury

• Early warning signs of RSI(computer related injuries )
• When to seek medical help
• Risk factors for RSI
• Prevention and treatment strategies for RSI
• Introduction to Computer Vision Syndrome
• Workstation setup
• Posture during computing
• Correct keyboard and mouse techniques

A session on demonstration & training on computer break exercises

• Stretches for arms and legs
• Exercises for the neck, shoulders, neck, arms, back and lower limbs
• Isometric exercises

PACKAGE 2 - WELLNESS

In addition to the TAKE CARE PACKAGE the following services would also be included.

A session on eye care – “Computer Vision Syndrome”

Duration – one hour

• Awareness lecture on the Do’s & Don’t’s on eye care
• Simple eye exercises
• Simple tips to follow on the monitor
• Lighting at the workplace

A session on diet

Duration – one hour

• What is balanced diet
• Diet for night shift employees / or any other specific requirement based on the client’s requirement

A session on Yoga for stress relief through simple

breathing techniques

Duration – one hour

• Pranayama & Bhastrika
• Naadi Suddhi & Yoga Nidra

Mode of delivery of the above programs:

Dr. Sunder’s lecture, diet & eye care - participants each session for large units– Up to hundred members

Physiotherapy, exercises & yoga – Batches of 25 members each session

Package 3:

Workstation evaluation – Existing facility - Complete analysis of the existing workstation may be scientifically done using various parameters at site.

Workstation evaluation – New facility – If the client’s requirement is for a new facility, Prem Ergo Solutions would evaluate various models and suggest the best module suited for the client.

Package 4:

Medical evaluation / consultation including prescription of physiotherapy, exercises, postural evaluation and medicines (investigations may be recommended on a case to case basis).

VALUE ADDED FEATURES: Prem Ergo Solutions with the help of its specially designed feed back form would capture the wellness of the participants after every session and submit it to the employee care department. The report would include the general statistics with reference to the incidence of computer related injuries, the level of incidence (stages of RSI) and workstation comfort. Every participant would also be given an exercise manual for reference purposes.