- Published On: 25.05.2023
- EHS Software
Ergonomic disorders are the fastest-growing type of OSHA-recordable injury or disease. LEED Pilot Credit #44, “Ergonomics Strategy,” tries to address these challenges by structuring the workplace to fit its users and fostering healthy, comfortable, and productive work. Those in the green building industry interested in obtaining a LEED certification must earn credits in the LEED Ergonomics course.
It is a credit that shows the architectural designer, engineer, or contractor has considered ergonomic factors in the project design. When designing a facility to receive a LEED certification, it is essential to consider elements like the seats, lights, and counters in the workplace. LEED’s primary purpose is to encourage ecologically responsible, lucrative, and healthy construction practices for its building inhabitants (USGBC, 2012).
Employees in programs pursuing the LEED Ergonomics Credit will be asked to measure and quantify how much time they spend in repetitive or persistent postures and build a mechanism for tracking and responding to employee complaints. If a firm is deemed substantial, it must provide ergonomic training to its personnel. If you’re thinking about getting LEED certified, you might be interested to know that having an ergonomics strategy is now recognized by LEED.
LEED Certification
The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), an independent organization, oversees project registration and certification to ensure that LEED buildings are built correctly. LEED 2009 awards 100 points for “Innovation in Design” and “Regional Priorities,” with credits weighted to reflect potential ecological impacts.
Facilities are certified on four levels by the GBCI:
Certified: 40-49 points
Silver: 50-59 points
Gold: 60-79 points
Platinum: 80 facts and above
LEED assesses human and environmental health in five critical areas:
Sustainable site development
Water conservation
Energy efficiency
Material selection
and indoor environmental quality.
LEED is a good building certification, but that’s all there is. It excludes waste management, pollution, recycling, reuse, plastics, automobiles, commuting, delivery, manufacturing, and other aspects of being a sustainable business. Put another way, and it helps ensure that your physical offices and buildings are ecologically friendly. Still, it ignores all other critical aspects of running a sustainable business. Consider LEED as a supplement to your primary certification.
There are four critical steps to LEED certification:
Register- Fill out the necessary paperwork and submit money to register your project.
Apply- By submitting your completed certification application and paying a certification review fee, you can apply for LEED certification.
Review- Green Business Certification Inc. reviews your LEED application (GBCI).
Certify- GBCI will send you a certification determination.
Benefits of LEED
LEED certification will bring the following benefits, according to the USGBC.org website:
Gain a Competitive Advantage: 61% of CEOs believe that sustainability leads to increased market differentiation and financial performance.
Attract Tenants: LEED-certified buildings attract the highest rents, with an average of 20% above-average lease-up rates; vacancy rates for green buildings are anticipated to be 4% lower than non-green structures.
Manage Performance: LEED is the world's most popular green building project and performance management system. It provides an all-encompassing framework for green building design, construction, operation, and performance.
Satisfy ESG Goals: LEED provides investors with a sophisticated and globally recognized green construction framework to monitor and manage their real estate performance, allowing them to meet their ESG goals.
What is the Significance of Obtaining LEED Ergonomics Credits?
The LEED Ergonomics credit demonstrates that an organization has taken ergonomic considerations into account in their design plans. It might be one of several credits required for a project, depending on how much emphasis was placed on ergonomics during the design phase and how influential it was in the decision-making process.
The LEED Ergonomics credit is essential in helping newly designed spaces become healthier work environments for workers. This might be one of the numerous credits granted to the project depending on consideration of ergonomics received during the system design and how it is incorporated into the procurement function. Building owners may be confident in the new area because they have considered all ergonomic concerns.
Below are the significance of obtaining LEED ergonomics credits:
Improves Worker Productivity and Reduces Corporate Sick Leave
Ergonomics is the science of fitting man to the environment. This includes understanding how different workplace designs can influence a worker’s physical condition. Companies can improve worker productivity and reduce corporate sick leave with proper ergonomic workstation designs. It also allows a healthier work environment for workers where fewer injuries will occur and current injuries are adequately treated.
Improves the Quality of Life for Workers
Ergonomics is about creating a healthy environment for the workers. It focuses on creating a comfortable workspace which reduces stress and fatigue. Companies using ergonomic equipment can reduce health care costs which boosts the economy and helps create jobs. The more efficient they are, the fewer workers will be off due to health issues.
Reduces Workplace Accidents
Occupational injuries are a significant cause of concern in the workplace, and LEED credits can assist. Employees will be able to report accidents more efficiently, allowing for adequate treatment. Lowering workplace injuries will improve the quality of life for employees and decrease overall health care costs for employers. Ergonomics also improves employee productivity which saves both corporate and individual expenses.
Increases the Quality of Work in the Workplace
With improved work conditions, employees will have a better experience at work and have higher morale levels, increasing job satisfaction rates and top productivity levels. Worker satisfaction contributes to higher job quality, which improves the final product’s overall quality.
Reduces Health-related Insurance Costs
Health-related insurance costs increase over time due to occupational injuries and work-related illnesses. This is attributable to an increase in the number of persons seeking medical help. Companies that use the LEED credit are better equipped to make changes to their workplaces to reduce accidents and sickness because they are more aware of the importance of ergonomics in the design process.
Positive Customer Service Experience and Satisfaction
A positive experience with the company you support improves customer satisfaction. Customers can air their grievances regarding their interactions with your business. They really ought to think about finding another employment if the environment at work is hostile or if the physical demands of their Job are too great.
Boosts the Economy
By creating a safer working environment, companies can boost the economy by cutting back on health care costs and increasing worker productivity. Creating jobs and improving the economy is a massive benefit to society, and it helps people find employment.
When people can work more efficiently, they can find higher-paying jobs and be happier with their current position. This will lead to an increase in the economy and increase the number of available jobs.
How to Obtain LEED Ergonomics Credits?
There are various ways to obtain the LEED credits related to ergonomics. To receive these credits, the company will research ergonomic workstations and their concerns so they can be applied to making their design process more ergonomic.
Here are some tips on how to use this credit:
Stay Current on Ergonomic Developments
Companies should focus on staying current with ergonomic research and products that can be applied to their workstation design work. There are a variety of updates that happen within the industry, and it is essential to stay up-to-date with the latest information. The new technology changes every year, and it is necessary to include the improvements in their design process to be up-to-date.
Focus on Making the Workplace Healthy, Comfortable and Safe
Companies should focus on designing a healthy work environment that is efficient and comfortable. If it is not comfortable for employees, they will not be able to work optimally and will be more prone to injuries and sickness. The more efficient an employee is, the better it will be for the company and its customers.
Review your Workplace Design
The ergonomic design process focuses on making a healthy workspace that will improve employee productivity while reducing work-related injuries. Companies should review their current workspaces and focus on how they can make them more ergonomic. This will help the company reduce the costs of occupational injuries and other health issues related to poor workstation design.
Focus on Providing Proper Training to Employees
Employee training is an integral part of ergonomic design, which helps employees become aware of how to use the equipment in their workspaces properly. Proper training helps employees gain knowledge on maintaining a healthy and safe working environment while they are at work. They also learn how to prevent occupational injuries, which leads to better morale levels, increased productivity, and lower health care costs for employers.
Make an Ergonomic Assessment of the Space and Workplace
Assess the existing conditions to implement a plan to improve those conditions in the future.
Look at past company records of injuries or complaints reported by workers and determine what areas need improvement or changes.
Make sure you look into all aspects of the project to avoid missing anything that can be improved.
Focus on Proper Equipment Layout
The equipment should be within reach of employees that need to use it to complete their work. Ensure the equipment is easy to access and clean not to cause some infection or illness. The surfaces used should also be easy to clean and disinfect and possible for employees to reach.
Focus on Proper Lighting
Lighting is essential in the workspace so that there is no eye strain or headaches in cases where an employee has to complete their work for long periods. Ensure the lighting is balanced and sufficient throughout the workplace so that employees are not working in areas without light. Proper lighting increases productivity and helps reduce eyestrain, headaches and possible eye damage.
Focus on Providing Proper Furniture for Employees
The table should be comfortable and ergonomically designed so that employees can work more effectively and efficiently. Ergonomic furniture should reduce body stress, discomfort, and pain and prevent injuries as much as possible. Furniture should also be designed to support workers who need to use the equipment.
Provide Proper and Appropriate Tools
Providing valuable tools for employees requires that you ensure they are in good condition and easy to use. They should also be cleaned, disinfected and kept away from germs and other microbes so that they do not cause any infection. You’ll also want to double-check that all of your workplace tools are appropriately stored or placed within easy reach for employees.
Provide Proper Communication for all Employees
Communication is essential for all employees to ensure that everyone understands the objectives of the daily tasks, when each job will be completed and what other team members are doing. This can be accomplished by providing signs or notices at the workstation where each employee will be working or having a place where there is a meeting area from which employees can communicate with one another.
Provide Proper Documentation
The documentation of all the processes and requirements in the workspaces should be maintained in a way that is easy to access for employees and other team members. This will help track the progress of each work area each day and provide details on what employees are doing at all times.
Having excellent and easy to read documents with detailed descriptions can also help reduce errors that may cause mishandling or misuse of workplace tools. All workplace tools must also be appropriately documented for employees.
How may LEED Ergonomics Credits be Improved Further?
According to the list mentioned above, builders will give many points to improve the LEED certification. When a project is completed with such credit points to its name, it can improve its ranking and may even get several credits for being sustainable and environmentally friendly. For each of the above factors, additional LEED certification credits may be applied to improve the workplace design.
They include:
Incorporate an Ergonomic Workstation Design into their Job
Incorporating an ergonomic workstation design allows the employee to be more productive and comfortable in the workplace. This lowers injury rates and higher worker morale, product quality, and employee satisfaction. The workstation should have a good height so that employees can be as comfortable as possible and adjust them with different tasks they will be performing to fit their preferences.
Employee Feedback
Providing employees with a chance to voice their concerns can help modify the design of the workspace and increase worker morale. This will show that they are being taken into consideration and their ergonomics. Complaints can help improve the current scenario and create an even more comfortable environment for employees.
Make an Ergonomics Investment
Ergonomic equipment helps keep employees healthy, increases motivation, and decreases accidents. The right tool for exemplary work is crucial for employee and employer satisfaction to assist workers in improving quality work performance.
Using proper tools also helps reduce health care costs as people tend to use lower grade products due to not being aware of what is considered good quality or bad quality tools.
Invest in Ergonomic Design
Investing in ergonomics centered design encourages employees to work in a healthy and safe environment. This can save healthcare expenses, raise productivity, boost confidence, and improve employee satisfaction. By incorporating an ergonomic workspace into the design of the building, you are making sure that employees are as comfortable as possible and performing their best in this environment.
Reduce Task Interruptions
Reducing task interruptions can positively impact all of the above tasks. Ergonomic design elements such as lighting, furniture, proper tools and ergonomic furniture will eliminate distractions and allow workers to focus more effectively on their work. This will enable employees to be more comfortable performing their tasks, resulting in less strain on their bodies and reducing the chance of suffering from possible injuries or illness.
Why are LEED Ergonomics Credits Essential?
LEED certification is a way to prove that a building has met the sustainability guidelines and is also good for the environment. LEED certification will encourage builders to improve projects by providing them with credits they can benefit from. These credits can help the projects achieve their goal of being environmentally friendly, safe, and sustainable.
Another essential factor about LEED certification is that it provides a way for builders to track and keep on improving their projects so that they may get the credits they need to achieve a better rating. If a building does not have LEED certification, it will have limited benefits for the owner. A business will not be able to show off its LEED status when trying to convince clients to work with them.
Conclusion
LEED certification has also been integrated into other areas of architecture, such as transportation and water infrastructure. The Green Building Council plans on expanding its environmental footprint with renewable energy credits. It will be easy for builders to apply for LEED certification. People need to understand how these standards help those in management around the country.
We’d love to be your green partner if you’re ready to start or continue your green journey. Obtaining green accreditation through Knowella is a simple and cost-effective way to demonstrate that you care about the environment to your customers and community.
- 25.05.2023
Businesses can obtain certification in a standard for occupational health and safety management in order to prevent and reduce onsite work accidents…
OSHA’s record keeping rules require employers to maintain accurate and detailed records of workplace injuries and illnesses.
The primary goal of any strategy is to prevent accidents or injuries caused by the employer’s or employee’s carelessness or bad judgment. Injury prevention can be accomplished…