ergonomic guidelines

8/11/2019 Ergonomic Guidelines

1/16

OFFICE ERGONOMICSGuidelines for preventingMusculoskeletal Injuries

JANUARY 2010


2/16


3/16

INTRODUCTION 4 The p rpose of this g ide

Getting familiar with the jargon

GOOD POSTURE VERSUS POOR POSTURE 5

CHAIRS 6 Height

Ba k s pport Seat tilt Depth Width Armrests

YOUR WORK SURFACE 7

INPUT DEVICES 8 Keyboard

Mo se

YOUR MONITOR 10 Distan e

Height and lo ation Glasses and bifo als Lighting and glare

LAPTOPS 11

Do king station On the go

ADJUSTABLE WORKSTATION SIT STAND STATION 11

OTHER ACCESSORIES 12 Palm rest/s pport (wrist rest)

Do ment ramps Phone

OFFICE SET UP CHECKLIST 13

OFFICE ERGONOMICS CHECKLIST 14

DISCOMFORT SURVEY 15

REGIONAL OFFICES 16

TABLE OF CONTENTS


4/16

INTRODUCTIONTHE PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDETis guidebook will help determine i your computer workstation is a good t or you. It will provide the basic tools to sup and maintain a healthy workspace in the office. Tis guide is not designed to address specic injuriesin this situation,

pro essional in the eld should be contacted.The guide includes:

Denitions making your way through the jargon.Posture and equipment guidelines and standards.

Warm-up and stretch examples.Checklist for assessing workstation layout and posture to help reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries (MSI).

GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE JARGONTere are many words and denitions that can be con using. Some o these are:

Ergonomi sTe science of studying people at work and then designing tasks, jobs, information, tools, equipment, facilities andthe working environment so people can be safe and healthy, effective, productive and comfortable.(Ergonomic DesignGuidelines, Auburn Engineering, Inc., 1998).

M s loskeletal Inj ry (MSI) An injury or disorder of the soft tissues, including tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves or related soft tissuesarising from exposure to risk factors such as awkward posture, repetitive motions, and forceful exertions. Tese injuries canbe acute or cumulative.

Soft Tiss esMuscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves.

Signs and symptoms of MSIsTese can include tenderness, weakness, tingling, disturbed sleep, swelling, numbness, pain, unreasonable fatigue, and

difficulty performing tasks or moving specic parts of the body.Stages of MSIsSTAGE 1: Mild discomfort, present while working, but disappears when not working. Does not affect work or daily living

tasks. Completely reversible.STAGE 2: Pain is present while working and continues when not working. May be taking pain medication (non-prescription).

Begins to affect work and daily living tasks. Completely reversible.STAGE 3: Pain is present all the time. Work is affected. May not be able to complete simple daily tasks. Not reversible, can

improve (but not a full recovery).MSI risk factors:

Force-Posture-

Static

AwkwardRepetition-

Warm- p Activities performed before stretching used to warm the body.

Stret h Activities and positions used to increase the range of motion (ROM).

Palm rest (wrist rest) A soft surface used to rest the palms. Often mistakenly used to rest the wrists.

4 WO RKS A FENB


5/16

GOOD POSTURE VERSUS POOR POSTUREo identi y poor posture, you need to be able to answer: what is good posture? When using a computer, we may start w

correct posture, but quickly resort to slouching and reaching. At your computer workstation, ideal posture can be described a

Tis image depicts ideal sitting posture, however, it should be noted that no posture is ideal indenitely. You must change your posture and position requently by adjusting the setting on the chair and alternating tasks (typing, writing, walking astanding) as ofen as possible. Tis will ensure proper blood ow and reduce the risk o injury.

Feet f lly s pported and at on the oor.If this isnt possible, then the feet sho ldbe f lly s pported by a footrest.

Chair

Personalhabits andeducation

Worksurface

Inputdevices

Accessories

Monitor

POSTURE

Posture is the most important aspect whenlooking at workstation design.Chairs, work surface, accessories, monitor and inputdevices can help, or hinder, in maintaining good posture,but they cannot cause good posture. Simply having anergonomic chair does not guarantee good posture, butmerely facilitates neutral posture. It is up to the individualto learn and practice proper posture.

Head pright and over yo r sho lders.Eyes looking slightly downward(30 range from horizontal line of sight)witho t bending from the ne k.

Elbows bent at 90, forearms horizontal.Sho lders sho ld be relaxed, b t notdepressed.

Wrist in a ne tralpost re (straight).

Ba k sho ld be s pported by theba krest of the hair that promotesthe nat ral rve of the lower ba k.

Thighs horizontal with a90110 angle at the hip.

OFFICE ERGONOMICS


6/16

Knee height

L mbar s pport

Depth of seat

CHAIRS When workstations go wrong, the rst place people typically look is their chair. Providingan ergonomic chair does not benet the user i the user does not know how to use andadjust the chair. Tere are some basic guidelines to look or in a suitable office chair:

HEIGHT While standing, adjust the height o the chair so the highest point o the seat is just below your kneecap. Tis should allow your eet to rest rmly on the oor when seated. I you eel pressure near the back o the seat, raise you chair. I you eel pressure near the ront o theseat, lower your chair. Te goal is to evenly distribute your weight.

BACK SUPPORT When sitting, adjust the height o the backrest so the lumbar pad supports the natural

curve o your lower back (lumbar curve). Te tilt o the back support should allow you tosit with your upper body slightly reclined (110 degrees is usually recommended).

SEAT TILTSeat tilt can be adjusted to improve your com ort. Tis will also affect your weightdistribution. A tilt o ve degrees is usually recommended.

DEPTH When sitting, the seat pan (part of the chair you sit on) should allow you to use the backsupport without the front of the seat pressing against the back of your knees. If the seat istoo deep, try a back support ( lumbar roll, or Obus Forme) to reduce the size of the seat pan.

Some chairs have adjustable seat pans. Te adjustment lever is usually located under thefront of the chair, much like the lever that moves the seat forward and backward in a car.

WIDTHTe seat pan should be wide enough so it does not apply pressure to your thighs. Conversely, theseat should be narrow enough to be able to reach the armrests when they are properly adjusted.

The following sections provide information on how to adjust your chair and workstation, andhow to work to maintain the best posture possible for as much of the workday as possible.

Provides l mbar s pport.1.

Height an be adj sted.2.

Width is appropriate for the individ al3.sing the hair.

Ba krest is adj stable.4.Seat depth well- tted or adj stable.5.

Adj stable or removable armrests.6.

Five-prong base.7.

Breathable fabri .8.

Well- tted small, medi m or large hair.9.

6 WO RKS A FENB


7/16

ARMRESTSArmrests can provide support or the upper part o your orearms, thereby reducing the stress on your shoulders and baHowever, the armrests should not prevent the chair rom being drawn close to the desk, nor restrict natural movements. I yarmrests cannot be adjusted to allow or this, then consider removing or replacing them. Also keep in mind that sof armre will minimize contact stresses on your elbows. Gel wraps can be purchased to go over armrests that may be too hard.

YOUR WORK SURFACELike your chair, your work sur ace should t you. Once you have adjusted your chair, you can determine the appropriate hei

or your work sur ace. Te top o your work sur ace should be at your elbow height. Elbow height is measured while your uarms are hanging relaxed by your sides and your lower arms are bent at a right angle. Make any necessary adjustments by raor lowering your work sur ace or chair. I your work sur ace cannot be lowered or raised to accommodate your elbow he you can raise your chair and use a ootrest. Te ootrest should be large enough or both eet.I necessary, a keyboard tray can be used to bring the keyboard and mouse to elbow height. A keyboard tray should be heand tilt adjustable, have room or both the keyboard and mouse, and should not compromise legroom.Materials used requently should be located within easy reach (a good way to arrange work materials is in a semicircle shBy keeping materials you do not use requently out o reach, you will have to get out o your chair or them. Tis will problood circulation and reduce overall discom ort.

Usual work

Occasional work

Non-working area

Armrest should be adjusted to elbow height.Too high, and the shoulders will be shrugged, which can causediscomfort. If they are too low, the shoulders may be depressed,which can affect the posture of the back and neck.

OFFICE ERGONOMICS


8/16

INPUT DEVICESTere are several different types o inputdevices. Te most popular and widelyused are the keyboard and mouse. When using a keyboard and mouse, theupper arms should be relaxed and by yourside, your elbows bent at a right angle(90 degrees) and your wrists straight.

KEYBOARDTere are many types o keyboardsdesigned to place the hands ina more neutral position to help prevent musculoskeletal injuries. Teeffectiveness o alternate keyboardsdepends on the user and the type o work being per ormed. Tey have beenshown to promote neutral wrist andhand posture, but available research doesnot provide conclusive evidence thatalternative keyboards reduce the risk odiscom ort or injury. Since purchasing a

keyboard is a matter o pre erence, youshould ensure a trial period o at leasta month.

MOUSETe mouse should be at the same level as the keyboard and easy to reach. You may wantto switch the side o the keyboard on which your mouse is located (by changing hands, you are using different muscles, thereby reducing the risk o injury). It also relieves those who are right-hand dominant, since most tasks are already per ormed with the right hand.

Changing hands can take time and patience, so a gradual change is recommended. Tebuttons on the mouse can be changed in the Windows Control Panel to accommodate theuse o a lef-handed mouse.

Your keyboard should lie at ornegatively inclined (tilted slightly away from you), not propped up onkeyboard legs. If a tilting

keyboard tray is used,the end of the keyboardclosest to you should beon the same plane as your forearms.

Neutral wrist posture

Awkward wrist posture

Correct wrist posture

Keyboard on same plane as forear

Tilted keyboard

Negatively tilted keyboard

8 WO RKS A FENB


9/16

To further reduce the risk, limit the use of the mouse and use the keys and functionson the keyboard instead. The best mouse to use is no mouse at all. Here are some examples ofkeyboard shortcuts that can be used in most popular software programs.

BASIc FuNcTIONS

YOu PRESS IT DOES

ctrl+Es A tivate Start MenShift+F10 Right- li k/ ontext

Tab Next eld

ctrl+Tab Previo s eld

ctrl+F4 close s b-window

Alt+Tab Next program

Alt+F4 close program

EDITING AND FORMATTING

YOu PRESS IT DOES

ctrl+B Bold sele ted area

ctrl+I Itali ize sele ted areactrl+u underline sele ted area

ctrl+Enter New page

ctrl+Z undo

ctrl+A Sele t all

cLIPBOARD RELATED cOMMANDS

YOu PRESS IT DOES

ctrl+X c t sele ted area

ctrl+c copy sele ted area

ctrl+V Paste sele ted area

OFFICE ERGONOMICS


10/16

YOUR MONITORDISTANCEHow ar you sit rom you monitor will depend on your vision, your age and the size and resolution o your monitor. Ageneral rule, it is best to move the monitor as ar away as possible and increase the size o the ont. Studies have ound m

distance should be between 60-90 cm. Tis is why it is difficult to recommend one specic distance. A good way to see i ymonitor is ar enough is to sit in your neutral position (with the chair pulled in where you would normally sit) and straight your arm in ront o you. I your hand touches the monitor, it is likely too close.

HEIGHT AND LOCATIONTe monitor should be positioned directly in front of you with the top of the monitor just below eye level. A common practiis to place the monitor on a computer case or stand (sometimes even stacks of paper and phonebooks); however, this placesmonitor much too high for most individuals and causes neck discomfort and pain, leading to injury. Te monitor should alsbe tilted 15 degrees for proper accommodation of the eye.

GLASSES AND BIFOCALSI you wear bi ocals, the monitor will need to be even lower. Depending on vision levels, and the amount and type o com work being done, people have ound that a second pair o glasses or computer-use only works better. Another alternativehave a computer prescription in the upper part o the lens. Your optometrist will be able to determine the best solution, bason your vision.

LIGHTING AND GLAREFor computer use, only about 300-500 lux (SI unit o illuminance) is needed, whereas most offices are lit to 1,000 lux. Tisnot only a potential cause o glare, but it also wastes a signicant amount o energy.

o test or glare, turn off your monitor. I the screen provides reections, you have glare. Since this glare is caused by shining directly onto your screen, check its source. I it is a window, this can be corrected by positioning your monitor so t your line o sight is parallel to the window. I this is not practical, cover the window with vertical blinds. I lighting is cathe glare, the lights should be shaded or removed. A desk lamp will provide the extra lighting to see paper documents (whavoiding excessive light near the monitor). I you are right-handed, the lamp should be on the lef side (and vice versa) to redshadows.

i l

0

10 15 N o r m a l l i n e o f s i g h t

3 5

M a x i m u m l i n e o f s i g h t a n g l e

l l

l

Hip angle:90 - 120

Ankle angle:100 - 120

Knee angle:90 - 130

10 WO RKS A FENB


11/16

Anti-glare screens can be used as a last resort i all other options are not possible. Tese collect dust easily and shouldcleaned requently.

ake regular eye breaks. Get into the habit of taking your eyes off the screen every few minutes and focusing on somefar away. You can also move your eyes up and down, and side-to-side without moving your head. Tis will help decrease eye sFor more in ormation on lighting, re er to the Canadian Centre or Occupational Health and Sa ety website at:http://www. ohs. a/oshanswers/ergonomi s/lighting_s rvey.html

LAPTOPSLaptop computers offer a convenient and compact way to take your work with you. Tey provide the ability to telecommuteand work away rom the office. However, laptop design hascompromised posture or portability. With increased use olaptop computers we should be aware that the same principlesapply as with any computer workstation.

DOCKING STATION When possible, use a docking station where the laptop willbe most used (at the office, or home office). Tese allow youto connect a keyboard, mouse and monitor to your laptopessentially turning it into a desktop computer and making itmore user- riendly. When a docking station cannot be used, a keyboard and mousecan still be connected to the laptop to make the users posture asneutral as possible.

ON THE GOSince all the same principles apply to laptops, use o the laptop without being docked or with external input devices should beminimized. Breaks should be taken more requently when usinga laptop, since awkward positions are more likely.

ADJUSTABLE WORKSTATION SIT STAND STATIOSit-stand workstations are becoming more popular in office workspaces.Sit-stand workstations are encouraged as they allow for more changes in posture throughout the day.This can increase circulation and productivity as well as decrease the risk of developing an MSI. If using anadjustable workstation, the same principles apply. The keyboard and mouse should be at elbow height, themonitor should be directly in front of the user and at least an arms length away, and the top of the monitorshould be at eye level or slightly lower.

OFFICE ERGONOMICS


12/16

OTHER ACCESSORIESPALM REST/SUPPORT WRIST RESTPalm rests are designed to raise the palm to keep the wrists in a neutral position. Tey arenot meant to be used positioned under the wrists; this will cause pressure on the underside

o the wrists (which will compress the tissues and blood vessels, resulting in decreasedblood ow). Tey may also compress the carpal tunnel, that can lead to long-term injury as well as short-term numbness and tingling.Palm supports are not to be used while typing, but only while resting or during short breaks.Planting your palms on the support while typing can place the wrists in an extended postureand limit mobility to the keys, causing the small muscles o the ngers to be overworkedand overextended. Te hands should be aoat over the keys while keyboard work is being per ormed. Tis also applies to the mouse and other input devices which have a palm rest.

DOCUMENT RAMPS When using a document ramp, place it between your keyboard and monitor. Tis willminimize re ocusing when your eyes go rom one to the other. A vertical documents holdershould be positioned next to the monitor or the same reason. I you spend the majority o your time reading rom a paper copy, you may want to position your vertical holder directlyin ront and place your monitor to the side.

PHONEKeep your phone within easy reach. I you use it while keying or writing, use a headset ora speakerphone to avoid awkward positioning o your neck.Using a wedge on the receiver is not considered acceptable,as it still requires the individual to raise the shoulder andbend the neck in an awkward posture.

Document holder

Do ment ramp

12 WO RKS A FENB


13/16

OFFICE SET UP CHECKLISTCOMPUTER & DESK STRETCHES(Approximately four minutes)Sitting at a computer or long periods ofen causes neck and shoulder stiffness and, occasionally, lower back pain. Do thstretches every hour or so throughout the day, or whenever you eel stiff. Photocopy this and keep it in a drawer. Also, be

to get up and walk around the office whenever you think o it. Youll eel better!

4

10-20 se onds, two times

1 2 3

10-15 se onds, two times

3-5 se onds, three times

10-12 se onds, ea h arm 10 se onds 10 se onds

Shake o t hands, 8-10 se onds

8-10 se onds, ea h side



15-20 se onds

85

9

6

10

7

11

OFFICE ERGONOMICS 1


14/16

OFFICE ERGONOMICS CHECKLIST

Chair Yes No N/A (If no, s ggested a tions)can the height, seat and ba k of yo r hair be adj sted? Obtain a properly f n tioning hair

Are yo r feet f l ly s pported by the oor when yo are seated? Lower the hairAdd footrestReadj st for footwear height

Are yo able to sit witho t feeling press re from the hair seat onthe ba k of yo r knees?

Adj st seat panAdd a ba k s pport

Does yo r hair provide s pport for yo r lower ba k? Adj st hair ba k Obtain proper hairObtain l mbar roll

Do yo r armrests allow yo to get lose to yo r workstation? Adj st armrestsRemove armrests

Keyboard and Mouse Yes No N/A (If no, s ggested a tions)Are yo r keyboard, mo se and work s rfa e at yo r elbow height? Raise or lower workstation

Raise or lower keyboardRaise or lower hair

Are freq ently sed obje ts within easy rea h? Rearrange workstation

When sing yo r keyboard and mo se, are yo r wrists straight andyo r pper arms relaxed by yo r side?

Re he k hair, raise or lower as neededche k post reche k keyboard and mo se height

Is yo r mo se at the same level and as lose as possible to yo rkeyboard?

Move mo se loser to keyboardObtain larger keyboard tray if ne essary

Do yo alternate the hand sed for ontrolling yo r mo se? Swit h hands and adjust buttons in control Panel

Work Surface Yes No N/A (If no, s ggested a tions)Is yo r monitor positioned dire tly in front of yo ? Reposition monitor

Is yo r monitor positioned at leas t an arms length away? Reposition monitorObtain at s reen or deeper work s rfa e if thereis not eno gh spa e

Is yo r monitor height slightly below eye level? Add or remove monitor standAdj st monitor height

Are yo r monitor and work s r fa e free from glare? Windows at side of monitorAdj st overhead lightingcover windows Tilt s reen downwardObtain anti-glare s reen

Do yo have a desk lamp for reading or writing do ments? Obtain desk lampPla e on left if right-handed pla e on right ifleft-handed

Breaks Yes No N/A (If no, s ggested a tions)Do yo take stret h breaks every 30 min tes? Set reminders to take breaks

Do yo take reg lar eye breaks from looking at yo r monitor? Refo s on a pi t re on wall every few min tes

Accessories Yes No N/A (If no, s ggested a tions)Is yo r do ment ramp positioned dire tly in front of yo ? Obtain a di erent do ment ramp

Adj st workstation set- p

Are yo sing a headset or speakerphone if yo are writing orkeying while talking on the phone?

Obtain a headset if sing the phone

Name: Date:

completed by:

14 WO RKS A FENB


15/16

DISCOMFORT SURVEYName: Date:

Job title: Male Female

Job des ription:

1. How many years or months have you been working in this particular job or set o tasks? years months

2. Please indicate all the body part(s) where discom ort occurred during the last six months.

Body part Rate yo r physi al dis omfort sing the s ale below:

0=no dis omfort, 10=worst imaginable dis omfort Tasks that s ally

a se dis omfort

Ne k 0----1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10

Left sho lder 0----1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10

Right sho lder 0----1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10

Left elbow 0----1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10

Right elbow 0----1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10Lef t wr ist/hand 0----1--- -2----3----4----5----6- ---7----8----9-- --10

Right wrist/hand 0----1--- -2----3----4----5----6- ---7----8----9-- --10

Ba k 0----1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10

Left knee 0----1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10

Right knee 0----1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10

Legs 0----1----2----3----4----5----6----7----8----9----10

3. Which body part rated above represents the one in which you eel the most discom ort?

4. Have you sought or received medical assistance or treatment (chiropractor, physiotherapy, amily doctor, etc.) or other or this spbody part?

Yes No

I yes, please speci y:

5. Have there been any changes made to your job, workstation or activities that you must perform to do your work?

I yes, please speci y:

6. What do you think could improve your job?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

OFFICE ERGONOMICS 1


16/16

Grand Falls

Bathurst

NortheastRegion

SoutheastRegion

SouthwestRegion

NorthwestRegion

Dieppe

Grand Bay-Westeld / Saint John

REGIONAL OFFICES

1 800 222 9775

NORTHWEST

Phone: 506 475-2550Fax: 506 475-2568

NORTHEAST

Phone: 506 547-7300Fax: 506 547-7311

SOUTHWEST

Phone: 506 632-2200Fax: 506 738-4206

SOUTHEAST

Phone: 506 867-0525Fax: 506 859-6911

ergonomic guidelines

Documents