General Office Ergonomics

VDT’s Chairs Workstation

What is neutral positioning?

• Non-stressed postures • Relaxed, right angles at – Knees, hips and elbows – Wrists straight rather than flexed (down) or extended (up) – Lower and upper back supported

Good Working Postures

•

Hands, wrists, and forearms

are straight, in-line and roughly parallel to the floor.

•

Head

is level, or bent slightly forward, forward facing, and balanced. Generally it is in-line with the torso.

•

Shoulders

are relaxed and upper arms hang normally at the side of the body.

•

Elbows

stay in close to the body and are bent between 90 and 120 degrees.

•

Feet

are fully supported by floor or footrest.

•

Back

is fully supported with appropriate lumbar support when sitting vertical or leaning back slightly.

•

Thighs and hips

are supported by a well-padded seat and generally parallel to the floor.

•

Knees

are about the same height as the hips with the feet slightly forward.

• Viewing Distance: • Viewing Angle:

Monitors

20”-40” 15-20 degrees below horizontal • Viewing Time • Viewing Clarity

Desks

• Work Surface Depth • Location of Frequently Used Devices Should be Located in Repetitive Access Zone Recommended Zones for Workplace Components

Chairs

Chairs should contain:

• 5-pronged swivel base with castors; • Padded, height-adjustable seat pan with a rounded front edge, preferably adjustable from the seated position; • Height- and tilt-adjustable back rest; • Height-adjustable lumbar support; • Height- and width-adjustable arm rests.

Chair Adjustment

• Pull chair away from workstation; • Adjust height of seat pan so thighs are parallel with the floor and feet are flat on the floor; • Use foot rest if necessary; • Adjust the height of the back rest so that it supports the lower portion of the back;

Chair Adjustment

• Adjust back rest to enable a 5-10 degree backward tilt; • While seated comfortably, arm rests should gently support the arms, and should be adjusted for width so leaning to the side is not required.

Keyboard Adjustment

• With fingers on the home row of the keyboard, adjust keyboard height so forearms are parallel with the floor.

• Use a wrist rest to support the hands and wrists in a neutral position during rest periods while keying.

Keyboard Accessories

• Ensure that the keyboard tray is wide enough to accommodate a mouse to enable a neutral posture during mouse use.

General Workstation Requirements

• Ensure adequate leg room.

• Ensure adequate space for documents, holders, and supplies.

• Place frequently-used items nearest the operator.

General Recommendations

• Properly adjust workstation • Alternate work activities.

• Take micro-breaks lasting 2-5 seconds every twenty minutes: looking at a distant object.

• Take mini-breaks lasting a few minutes every 30-60 minutes: getting a drink, making a phone call, filing

Citation

• Slides 2-7 come from: Burkett, Guy, “Office Ergonomics 2005” Powerpoint presentation. College of the Mainland. 2005