Office Ergonomics & Work Station Set-up
There are four areas that a computer user interfaces with: the monitor, the keyboard and mouse, the chair, and the lighting of the environment. Setting up the interfaces with these ergonomic guidelines as well as maintaining a good posture will enhance your comfort and efficiency as well as prevent repetitive stress injuries.
The Monitor
- Position the monitor to minimize glare by placing it at a right angle to light sources or windows
- Place the monitor as far away from you as possible while maintaining the ability to read without consciously focusing. Keep a minimum distance of 20 inches.
- Place the center of the screen at a 15 degree down angle from your eyes with your neck only slightly bent holding your head perpendicular to the floor.
- Align the monitor and the keyboard / mouse
- Set the refresh rate at a minimum of 70 Hz to limit flicker
Lighting
- The office should be moderately bright (20-50 foot candles or equal to a nice day where sunglasses aren’t needed).
- Do not use task lighting for computer work.
- A mix of incandescent and fluorescent lights reduces flicker and provides good light color.
The Keyboard & Mouse
- Position the keyboard / mouse slightly below the elbow and at a negative angle to allow the wrists to remain straight
- Do NOT use a wrist rest while actively typing. It’s meant to rest on. Hold your hands and arms off of any supports while typing.
- Place the mouse next to and at the same level as the keyboard.
- Do NOT use the keyboard supports to raise the back up. Do NOT tilt the keyboard tray so that the back of the keyboard is higher than the front. Though design and a lot of prevailing information say you should tilt the keyboard to a positive angle like this, it is wrong. A negative angle that allows the wrists to stay in their natural position is proper. A positive angle is an injury waiting to happen.
The Chair
- Use arm rests.
- Place the lumbar support slightly below the waist line.
- Adjust the height of the chair so your feet can rest completely on the floor.
- Allow 1-3 inches between the edge of the seat and the back of your knees.
- Use a high back chair that supports your shoulder blades if at all possible
Posture
- Position your hips so that they are slightly higher than your knees while your feet are flat on the floor.
- Don’t keep your feet flat on the floor. Move them around often. Use a foot rest if you have one, but only part of the time. Do NOT cross your ankles.
- Lean back slightly. Leaning the trunk back to somewhere between 100-130 degrees from parallel to the floor will open up the hips and ease pressure on the pelvis. I like 104 degrees myself. Make sure your chair back will support your shoulders at this angle while still providing good lumbar support.
- Hold your head slightly up so that it is roughly perpendicular to the floor.
- Let your upper arms hang naturally from your shoulders.
- Let your lower arms rest on the arm rests of your chair either parallel or slightly below, to the floor.
- Keep your wrists straight.
- Take frequent breaks. 10 minutes for every hour of work and 30 second micro-breaks every 10 minutes is a good schedule.
- Stretch during those breaks.
- Change your position frequently. Move your feet, lift your arms, adjust your hips, and just make sure to subtly alter your posture continuously throughout the work day.
|
Body Part |
Proper Alignment |
Poor Alignment |
|
Head / Eyes |
20+ inches away
15 degree angle |
Too close
Height: High or Low |
|
Shoulders |
Neutral Position |
Shrug |
|
Elbows |
Slightly bent downward |
Greater than 90 degree |
|
Wrists |
Neutral Position - straight |
Flexed upward angle |
|
Back |
Supported |
|
|
Legs / Feet |
Slight 100-130 angle
Resting flat on floor or Rest |
90 or above
Feet dangling |
Comfort Survey
Complete the following SURVEY and forward to Deb Calkins, Safety Officer.
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