Poor Ergonomic Setup of Workspace Caused Worker’s Neck Strain

A worker claimed that he developed a neck strain due to increased computer use at work, missing four days of work as a result. The WCB denied his claim, finding that the injury was due to his posture and need to wear trifocal eyewear. The worker appealed. The Appeals Commission noted that the worker began to have neck pain after the employer switched from using paper documents to an electronic audit program. The Commission explained that it’s ‘a well understood and commonly accepted requirement for employers to provide appropriate ergonomically sound workspaces to ensure the health and safety of employees. And it found that the ergonomic setup and nature of the worker’s workspace constituted a workplace hazard, which caused his compensable neck injury [2015-0713 (Re), [2015] CanLII 61757 (AB WCAC), Oct. 1, 2015].