Office Ergonomics

Work System
Task Environment

Employee

Workstation

Work Structure

Employee
This is the most important part, because it is the only part you cannot design out!

Age Weight Height Capabilities Previous Injuries Anthropometrics Training History Job Experience

Task
What is the job description What are the essential steps Physical Demand Description (PDD) Safety Skill requirement

Workstation
Equipment and Tools Machinery Workstation layout Measurements such as height, width, depth Weights of objects

Environment
Light levels Noise levels Vibration levels Temperature Air Quality

Work Structure
Production Rate
Training Supervisor Management Style Policies and Procedures Workload

Equipment

Equipment
Mouse
Keyboard Chairs Desks Document Holders Telephone and headsets Pens

Etc

Mouse and Keyboard

Mouse

Mice

Mice

Mice

Mice

Mice

Mice

Mice

Mice

Keyboard

Keyboard Position

Keyboard Shape

Keyboard Shape

Keyboard

Keyboard

Keyboard

Keyboard

Keyboard

Keyboard

NIOSH Keyboard Review

Keyboard review document

Mouse and Keyboard

Your Keyboard and Mouse should be just at or slightly below elbow height
The mouse should be placed near the end of the keyboard

Mouse and Keyboard

Keep wrists in a neutral position; avoid reaching forward or to side when using mouse. Upper arm should be relaxed at side of body.

Mouse and Keyboard

Working with wrists bent more than a few degrees up, down or to the left or right can lead to problems

Mouse and Keyboard

Mouse placement
Dont reach for your mouse

Do place mouse on same level as keyboard or lower than keyboard.

Mouse and Keyboard

Wrist Rests
Unless used properly are more of a danger than a preventative tool They are not to be used on your WRIST, rather on the fatty pad in the palm of your hand, and only occasionally

The Phone

The Phone

The Chair

Anderson et al. (1974c)

Sitting and the Spine

Standing

Sitting Erect

Sitting Relaxed

Hamstrings and the Spine Continued

So why do we sit slouched rather than erect?

Energy conservation
Sitting with a forward slouch requires significantly less muscle activity. Although this posture increases the stress on the lower back the muscular effort required to hold this position is significantly less than sitting up straight Your body will choose energy conservation over tissue damage

 We have to combat this by leaning reclining

Incline

So what is an ergonomic chair?

Google Ergonomic Chair

Ergonomic Chair
Necessary ergonomic chair features: Requires height adjustable lumbar support Armrests if desired Adjustable seat & back height Adjustable seat & back tilt

Ergonomic Chair
Necessary ergonomic chair features:
ADJUSTABILITY! Rounded (waterfall) front Stable 5-point base Ability to swivel ADJUSTBILITY!

Ergonomic Chair
Seat height
Stand in front of the chair, Adjust seat height so that the highest point of the seat is just below the kneecap

Ergonomic Chair
Seat height
Sit on the chair & keep your feet flat on the floor Sit so at least a clenched fist fits between the front edge of the seat & the lower part of the legs

Ergonomic Chair
Backrest Support
Adjust the backrest of the chair so it supports the hollow in the lower back (lumbar support) Properly adjusted lumbar support puts the back in its most natural position Keep the backrest tilted back between 90 and 100 degrees

Ergonomic Chair
Feet on Floor / Footrest
Feet on the floor or footrest Knees at approx. 90 Wrapping feet around chair legs puts pressure on the knees Unsupported feet puts pressure on the lower back

Ergonomic Chair
Armrests
Elbow angle should be at, or slightly greater than, 90 Adjust armrests just below your elbow height Ensure shoulders are relaxed & elbows/upper arms are close to your body

Ergonomic Chair
Other Chair Tips
Many different ergonomic chairs on the market Designs to meet every need & budget If possible try some chairs before making a decision

Ergonomic Chair
Other Chair Tips cont.

Ensure that employees know how to properly adjust their chairs

Expensive chairs are a WASTE if not used properly to fit the employee

People who are very tall, very short, or very large often require a non-standard chair
People who have had a severe neck injury may require a high back chair

Workstation/Desk

Work Surface
Create a proper reach zone
A good reach zone is achieved by placing the most frequently used items closest to the employee. Less frequently used items should be placed further away from you. Rarely used items should be placed furthest away. Dont sit and reach for heavy or awkward items. Place them at a distance and walk to retrieve them.

Work Surface
Create a proper reach zone
If the worker makes or receive many phone calls place the phone near them. Consider a head-set. When retrieving items, employees should avoid twisting and swivel their chair in the direction of the item

Monitor

Monitor
Operator must be able to adjust distance to screen
1228 (30-70 cm) for a standard 14 screen 2432 (60-80 cm) or greater for larger screens Other references say to use the greatest possible distance as long as the screen can be read comfortably

Monitor
Monitor height
Top line of text 26 below eye level Avoid placing monitor on CPU or other objects as this usually raises the monitor too high. Persons using bifocals usually need the monitor placed as low as possible.

Monitor
Monitor must be on a stable surface
Normally position the monitor directly in front of employee; if most of the time is spent looking at a document holder, place it directly in front of the employee Angle of monitor screen must be adjustable by the employee

Adjust monitor angle to reduce glare from lights & sunlight entering windows

Monitor
Set screen color, brightness & contrast appropriately Throughout the day, close your eyes for a few seconds; blink frequently.

Throughout the day, focus your eyes on an object far away

What is the most important thing you need to consider when making office purchases?

Adjustability to the individual needs!

Sketch Ideal Office Ergonomic Position

Office Layout

Conventional Office Layout

Landscape Office Layout

Open Plan Office

Typical Workstation Linkages

Six One-Person Office Arrangements

Four Personal Space Zones

Alternatives to Cubicles
Shift sharing
Virtual office Telecommuting

Advantages of the Open Plan and Modular Furniture

More people/square feet
Lower rearrangement costs Lower energy costs More productivity (possibly)

Office Examples

Ranges in height from 24.5 in height to 46.5 high and can have up to 3 preset heights