A good workstation setup is vital to ensuring you (or your employees) are both comfortable and not at risk of developing a repetitive strain related injury. With many occupations now spending between 6-8 hours a day working on a computer, this equates to almost a quarter of time spent in these working postures. For this reason, should you be experiencing significant aches or pains or would like to improve your knowledge on good ergonomic principles, we strongly recommend you consider undergoing an Office Ergonomic Assessment.

An ergonomic assessment is an assessment of your workstation to ensure correct working postures and equipment is being utilised in order to maximise your comfort and reduce your risk of developing an injury. The assessments are typically conducted by either an Occupational Therapist, Exercise Physiologist or Physiotherapist, however some other professions (Health & Safety Advisors, Osteopaths, Nurses etc.) have done additional training in the area of ergonomic assessments, and as such may also perform them. 

The assessment can take anywhere between 15 - 60 minutes, depending on the nature of your aches and pains or workstation setup. During the assessment your Consultant will identify any potential ergonomic hazards, provide you with education on good ergonomic principles, make changes to the positioning of your computer equipment and in some cases make recommendations for ergonomic equipment. 

After your assessment has been completed, you (or your employer) should receive a report which summarises the findings of the assessment, advice provided and any recommended ergonomic products. 

The cost of an ergonomic assessment will vary depending on the provider you use. However, as you are paying for their time to complete the assessment and the report afterwards, we suggest the following as a guide:

Standard Ergonomic Assessment = $200 - $300 + GST

Complex Ergonomic Assessment = $300 - $400 + GST

If you are experiencing aches and pains from your workstation at work (or working from home setup), you should firstly notify your employer and request they arrange an ergonomic assessment for you. 

There are a number of Occupational Rehabilitation Providers located throughout Australia, that provide Office Ergonomic Assessment services. We have worked closely with a number of these providers over the years and would highly recommend any of the following organisations: