Ergonomic Advice

Workplace Pollution and 4 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Employers must consider how to improve indoor air quality in office conditions because workplace pollution can be detrimental to employees' health. Pollutants can trigger asthma, headaches and other unpleasant symptoms for those who are susceptible.
By addressing some of the common components of workplace pollution, employers can help improve quality of life for their employees.
Workplace Pollution and Its Impacts on the Workforce
Employees are often concerned about workplace air quality. For example:
- Temperatures are too hot or too cold.
- Air ventilation is too drafty or too stale.
- Humidity is too high.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, explains that poor air quality can cause a variety of health issues if not properly addressed. For instance, warm and humid environments can create mold. As the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) explains, many studies show that poorly ventilated workspaces can increase cold and flu germs. The repercussions of these outcomes are obvious: Workers are more likely to be sick or be affected by the poor air quality inside the office environment.
Preventing Poor Air Quality Issues
OSHA requires employers to provide safe environments free of known hazards. Luckily, the AIHA, OSHA and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) all offer suggestions for how to improve indoor air quality in office conditions. The list below includes some of the common elements of a healthy work environment:
- Clean regularly. Vacuuming and cleaning work surfaces on a regular basis can keep mold spores and dust from building up over time. T

Protect Your Spine by Optimizing Your Sleeping Position
You can do everything within your power to protect your spine during the day—sit and stand with proper posture, alternate between sitting and standing at your desk, using correct form when lifting weights, and use a backpack instead of a shoulder bag—but your unconscious hours can undo a lot of your hard work. That’s right—your sleeping position at night can have a huge impact on your overall spinal health.
There’s much discussion online about how to get more sleep or to get better, more restful sleep. But you don’t hear as much about how the position you sleep in affects your health, even though a poor sleeping position can cause everything from heartburn to wrinkles—and, of course, neck and back pain. Ever woken up with a stiff neck or a sore back? You can blame your sleeping position.
The position you sleep in at night plays a big role in your spine and neck health. Some positions can help prevent you from developing back problems, while others can help increase comfort if you already suffer from chronic back pain. In fact, according to the Global Burden of Disease study, the most common cause of back pain isn’t serious medical conditions—it’s lifestyle factors, such as awkward sleeping positions!
Read on to learn which sleeping positions are the best for your back—and which are the worst.
GOOD: Sleeping on Your Side With a Pillow
If you sleep on your side already, you can count yourself in good company. The vast majority of people report sleeping on their side. With the weight of popular opinion behind this option, it may come as no surprise that it’s good for your back.
Positioning a pillow between your legs helps to align your spine, hips, and pelv