Sitting at Work

While it may seem harmless, prolonged sitting is a serious health and safety issue. Maintaining a neutral posture while sitting and alternating between sitting and standing can help.

Did you know?

Prolonged sitting may increase the risk of:

• Muscle strains, tightness, weakness, tenderness, and aches
• Back pain and neck stiffness
• Numbness and varicose veins in the legs
• Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and mental health impacts

Tips to get you out of your seat

• Set reminders to stand up and move around
• Stretch frequently throughout the day
• Get physically active during breaks and after work

What employers can do:

Workplace design

Tasks

• Offer a variety of tasks to encourage physical movement and frequent changes in body position
• Provide materials at the working level and position tasks within easy reach
• Position visual tasks to keep the head and spine vertically aligned
• Provide armrests where appropriate
• Position foot tasks to avoid twisting of the hips

Workstation and chair

• Arrange the workstation to keep the spine vertically aligned and neutral
• Consider sit/stand workstations and adjustable work benches
• Adjust the workstation to workers’ needs
• Provide comfortable seating with adjustable height and tilt of the seat and backrest, with controls operated from a sitting position

Job design

• Incorporate breaks into job planning, such as 5-minute activity breaks for every 40-50 minutes of sitting
• Try walking or standing meetings
• Introduce job rotation
• Ask for feedback and tailor solutions to workers’ needs

Education and training

• Provide education and training on the health hazards of prolonged sitting, safe work practices, and how to improve working positions
• Emphasize the importance of active breaks