Office Ergonomics

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Office Ergonomics
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What Is Office Ergonomics?

• Office Ergonomics is taking a look at the design
  of your office system to match the design of your
  monitor, mouse, keyboard, and input devices.
• We look at how these devices interact with your
  workplace, working environment, and work tasks.

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Ergonomics Applies To

• The layout of the office, including the floor
  plan and storage systems
• The choice of office equipment such as input
  devices, monitors, and keyboards
• Set-up of the office workstation such as choice
  of office furniture (desk, chair, and
  accessories) and how they are arranged
• The office environment including temperature, air
  quality, and noise

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• The best furniture and equipment will not
  prevent problems unless staff know

• How to adjust it
• Why they should be concerned about adjusting it

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• Jobs that require excessive repetition, awkward
  postures, and/or forceful exertions are
  associated with musculoskeletal disorders
  (WMSDs) such as tendonitis, carpal tunnel
  syndrome and bursitis.

• Jobs that require excessive bending, twisting,
  and materials handling (lifting, pushing,
  pulling, etc.) are associated with increased risk
  of back strain.

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• Recognizing the early signs and symptoms can
  help prevent more serious health and safety
  concerns from developing!

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Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)

• RSIs are common among adults who work long
  hours at computers.
• This injury occurs when too much stress is
  repeatedly placed on one part of the body such
  as a wrist from clicking a mouse over and over
  resulting in pain and swelling, muscle strain or
  tissue and nerve damage.

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Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)

• The early warning signs of RSIs include

• Tingling
• Numbness or pain in the affected area
• Stiffness or soreness in the neck or back most of
  the time
• Feeling of weakness or fatigue in the hands or
  arms that does not improve with rest

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Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)

• Many put up with the pain thinking it will go
  away. Musculoskeletal-type injuries are
  cumulative in nature. They build up over time
  and people often ignore it until it stops them
  from doing the things they enjoy.

The longer you let it go, the longer it takes to
heal.
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Benefits Of An Ergonomic Program

• Less pain and fatigue
• Increased productivity
• Improved quality of work
• Better employee morale

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Workstation Design

• Considerations include
• The chair
• The line of sight angle
• Work surface
• Keyboard and mouse height
• Thigh, knee, lower leg and foot clearance
• Forearm inclination
• Elbow height
• Wrist posture

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Guidelines For Work Reaches

• When arranging items on a desk, how do you
  decide what should be placed close and what can
  be placed far away?
• Primary Zone frequent reaches
• (approx. 360 mm) Ex phone, calculator
• Secondary Zone infrequent reaches
• (approx. 500 mm) Ex pens, paper, files
• Tertiary Zone occasional reaches
• (approx. 700 mm) Ex binders, books, pictures

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• Where are the things YOU use most?

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Your Chair

• Adjusting Your Chair
• Take the time to get to know your chair! Play
  with all the adjustments.

Chair (side view)
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Your Chair

• Chair Height should be adjusted to accommodate
  a comfortable relaxed posture of the upper arms
  and shoulders. Adjust the chair so the arms hang
  relaxed, with the elbows roughly at right angles,
  and the wrists straight on the keyboard.

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Your Chair

• Backrest The backrest should be adjusted up or
  down so that the lumbar support fits within the
  small of the back.

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Your Chair

• The Seat Adjust the seat forward or backward to
  an angle comfortable for the back and legs,
  making sure the feet can remain on the floor.

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Your Chair

• Armrests If you have adjustable armrests on
  your chair, adjust the armrest height, angle and
  width to a position that supports the elbows and
  forearms. Maintain the preferred posture with
  the elbows close to the body. If the armrests
  get in the way, they can be removed.

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Your Keyboard

• Locating the keyboard at an appropriate height
  and angle for a worker is critical for
  maintaining comfortable hand, arm and shoulder
  postures.

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Your Keyboard

• Keyboard Placement The keyboard should be
  located at a height that allows the worker to key
  with the upper arms hanging relaxed from the
  shoulders and the elbows at roughly right angles.
  This will allow the wrists to be fairly straight
  while keying.

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Your Mouse

• Mouse Placement - The elbows and arms should be
  close to the body and the shoulders should be
  relaxed. Placing the mouse at the same height as
  the keyboard and as close to the keyboard as
  possible will minimize postural stress.

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Your Mouse

• If the mouse is the main interface with the
  computer, it may be preferable to locate it
  directly in front of the worker.

• The keyboard, if used as secondary interface, may
  be placed off to one side.

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Your Monitor

• Monitor Placement The monitor should be
  positioned slightly below the workers eye height.

• A suitable viewing distance to your monitor has
  been found to be between 15.8 inches and 29.2
  inches

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Your Monitor

• The monitor needs to be adjusted for those
  wearing bifocals or trifocals. Monitor height
  should be lowered so the neck is in a neutral
  position when looking at the top row of text on
  the screen.

• The worker should be able to view the entire
  content of the screen with no forward bending of
  the head and neck. The postural goal is for the
  head to be upright and facing forward.

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Your Monitor

• Monitor Stands

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Your Documents

• Document Placement A document holder should be
  used to locate the documents at such a height
  that the worker is not excessively bending his or
  her neck.

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Other Considerations

• Printer/Scanner The frequency of use,
  importance, and sequence should be evaluated to
  help determine optimal placement.
• Sometimes it is preferable to locate such
  equipment at a distance from a worker,
  necessitating a walk and physical change of
  posture to use the equipment.

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Other Considerations

• Task Lamp Make it easy to see what needs to be
  seen. A well-designed lighting system is
  flexible and takes into account frequent changes
  in workstation layout and equipment.

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Tips To Help You Through The Day

• LOOK away from the computer screen and rest your
  eyes.
• TAKE regular rest breaks to ease muscle aches,
  eye strain and stress.
• USE rest breaks to stand up, move around and
  change mental activity.

STRETCH !
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Case Study
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Now What?

• When you get back to your workstation, what are
  you going to do?

• Get a partner . . . assess each others
  workstation. Use the checklist provided.
• E-mail Marj with any changes you make to your
  workstation.

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Why?
Because it will make you feel better at work!
The End