Villingen-Schwenningen, October 2014: Waldmann is the first luminaire manufacturer to be awarded the seal of approval by Aktion Gesunder Rücken (AGR) e.V. for its TANEO and TEVISIO industrial task luminaires, an award that distinguishes especially ergonomic products.

Around 5.8 million people work at industrial work stations in Germany and are therefore exposed to the associated physical strain. This can often cause shorter or more extended absences. Musculoskeletal disorders top these health statistics and are thus responsible for around a quarter of all working days lost.

An ergonomic work station prevents this. It demonstrably reduces absenteeism due to illness and promotes productivity. However it is not just a work desk system and work chair that contribute to an ergonomic and back-friendly workplace, rather also the lighting.

Waldmann's TANEO arm-mounted luminaire and TEVISIO magnifier luminaire are now "tested & recommended" for ergonomic workplace systems. Only products that pass a demanding verification procedure before an independent interdisciplinary committee are awarded the AGR seal of approval – which by the way has been rated as "very good" by consumer magazine ÖKO-TEST and "especially recommendable" by the portal Label-Online. AGR has made it its mission to provide a reliable decision-making aid for purchasing especially ergonomic, back-friendly products.

While the lighting obviously does not have a direct impact on the musculoskeletal system in the same way as a chair for example, it has what are known as asthenopic effects, in other words eye fatigue.

This is linked to the fact that people process 80 percent of all information visually. Light therefore has a considerable impact on information processing and on the body posture adopted. Optimal illumination of the work station prevents forced postures, which are otherwise adopted unconsciously to correct unbalanced visual conditions. If the light is wide-range, homogeneous, glare-free and shadow-free, it is not necessary to constantly adjust the eyes and eyesight. A luminaire with zoom function additionally supports visual tasks at close range. This results in optimal visual conditions that allow an upright sitting position and considerably reduce the impact on the eyes.

The work station-oriented TANEO and TEVISIO luminaires distinguished by AGR fulfill these requirements. The possibility of continuous dimming with memory function is ideal for adjusting the light to individual and task-related lighting needs. Moreover, both luminaires avoid reflective glare and multiple shadows. Even illumination of the central and peripheral field of vision is especially effective in term of eye adaption, while contrast sensitivity and color recognition are also supported. Visual conditions are also optimized through individual and simple adjustment of the luminaires thanks to an especially flexible and balanced arm with a large radius of action. TEVISIO supports especially demanding visual tasks at close range through its zoom function.

A work station that takes care of users and supports them in their work is a sustainable investment. Worthwhile rewards are achieved by taking account of all elements of an ergonomic workplace system, such as work desk, work chair and work station lighting.

Please refer to www.agr-ev.de for further information on Aktion Gesunder Rücken e.V..