InformationWeek

One reason that the office environment hasn't gained more prominence is because other occupations, such as agriculture and poultry workers, have a greater number of injuries.

IT employees have a greater potential for problems because their workstations are more crowded than the typical user's desktop. "Often you have an IT person working on two or three systems, which are crowded on a desktop, and it's a very stressful environment," Sawyer says. "The physical setup, the equipment used, and the job demands all impact a worker's health and safety."

At SAS, the ergonomic effort is spearheaded by a committee that represents nine business units, including facilities management. The company's microcomputing department orders equipment for the lab and tracks down any special devices. Kitts says having this strong connection with the IT department is crucial, but so is giving the individual a strong role in selecting the right products.

"There's no set standard in that sense, and it's so very individualistic," she says. "What's right for someone who's 5 feet 2 and has short arm length won't be the right choice for a 6-foot-3 employee who needs much more legroom under his desktop."

That's why the SAS lab carries a wide product line: five mice, 15 track balls, five ergonomic keyboards, two touch pads, and three nontraditional keyboards, including one that's split to sit on the arms of a chair. Some products stretch current images of desks and computers: a foot mouse, an adjustable workstation that lets users stand or sit, and voice recognition devices for reducing keyboard use. "No one device, whether a mouse or keyboard, is better than another. It's a completely individual determination," Kitts says.

Kitts won't say what SAS's ergonomic program costs, but she defends it from a cost-benefit viewpoint. For example, she estimates that one carpal tunnel injury will cost a company a minimum of $20,000 in medical bills and lost productivity. SAS estimates it spends, at most, $1,500 in prevention each year for an employee facing several ergonomic injuries. An adjustable keyboard, she notes, costs about $200.

"That easily all pays for itself in terms of savings on medical costs and increased productivity," Kitts says. "Ergonomics doesn't have to cost a lot, and it's something that one staff member at a small or midsize company can handle."