How to Improve Workstation Ergonomics

Date July 13, 2010

Employees in typical office settings sit in the same chair and work on the same computer tasks for eight hours a day, five days a week. While office jobs may not be physically demanding, they can very easily lead to repetitive strain injuries which develop overtime. These injuries, caused by being in the same position and using the same muscles day in and day out, can lead to long term disability. Ergonomics is the science of designing and engineering workplace equipment that will prevent the onset of repetitive strain injuries.You can improve the ergonomics of your workstation by making minor changes to your computer using habits. In your chair, place your feet flat and your thighs parallel to the floor. Adjust the seat in the most comfortable position so that there is optimal coverage of your legs and bottom. When you type, your elbows should be at a 90 degree angle close to your sides and your wrists should be level and relaxed. When looking at the monitor, keep your eyes on the upper two thirds of the screen. If there is a reflecting light problem, try tilting the screen down or using a glare guard. For optimum typing comfort, use a keyboard tray platform that can be adjusted to the desired height and distance. When you use your mouse, use your entire arm to move it. This minimizes the strain on your wrist. You can customize your mouse settings on the control panel of your computer to adjust the speed of your cursor.Despite the improvements in ergonomically designed office equipment, you should still take short breaks from constant keyboard use. Every 30 minutes, take a 90 second break from your computer. Stand up and stretch your arms and fingers while looking away from your monitor. It’ll feel good to get a good stretch in and your eyes will be thankful for the change of scenery.

Category Posted in Ergonomics

Comments are closed.