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ComputeruseisaroutinepartofmanyColbyemployees’workday.Ifyouworkonacomputerinapoorlysetupworkstationformorethanfourhours,youareatagreaterriskfordevelopingpainoraninjury.
Topreventthis,improveproductivityandyouroverallcomfort,therearesomesimplestepsyoucantaketoevaluateandarrangeyourworkstation.
ThefollowingSafetyTalkwillintroducesomebasicofficeergonomicsconceptsandshouldbereviewedbyallemployeeswhoworkatacomputerforatleasthalfoftheworkday.
Ergonomics
isathattermwe'rehearingmoreandmoreoften.Whatdoesitmean?Ingeneralterms,ergonomicsisthestudyoffittingthejobtotheworkerratherthantheworkertothejob.Inrelationtocomputeruse,Colby’sgoalistoprovidetherightequipmentandteachyoutoadjustyourworkstationtobeergonomicallycorrectwithaslittlephysicalstrainaspossible.
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Injuryconcernsrelatedtoworkstationsetupfocusoncumulativetraumadisorders(CTDs)ormusculoskeletaldisorderssuchascarpaltunnelsyndrome,painintheneckandback,headaches,generaltension,dizzinessand,eyestrain.Let'stakealookatsomethingsyoucandotoavoidoralleviatethesetypesofproblems.
CHAIR:Chairsetupisthefirstandmostcriticalpartofworkstationergonomics.q
Setchairheightsoyourfeetrestcomfortablyonthefloorq
Seatpanandbackmustbesizedtofityouq
Goodlumbarsupportinthesmalloftheback,relaxedshouldersq
Adjustarmrestslightlyforwardofhipsandinclosetoyourbody(orremove)
KEYBOARDANDMOUSE:Properpositionisessentialforpreventingwristarmandshoulderpain.
q Positionkeyboardslightlybelowelbowheightq
Closeenoughthatyourelbowsarejustpastyourhipsq
Mouseparalleltokeyboard
MONITOR/REFERENCEMATERIALS:Incorrectmonitorplacementcanleadtoneckpainandeyestrain.
q Positionmonitor900 infrontofyourchair
q Topofscreenateyelevelorslightlybelow
q Monitorshouldbeapproximatelyanarmslengthaway
q Duelmonitorsshouldbethesameandpositionednexttoeachother
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Positionreferencematerialsasclosetothemonitoraspossibleandatthesameheight(useadocumentholder)
q Closeenoughthatyourelbowsarejustpastyourhips
q Mouseparalleltokeyboard
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.EYESTRAIN:Computer-relatedeyestrainisalsoverycommonandcancauseheadachesandfatigue.Eyestrainiscausedprimarilybyimproperlightinginyourworkstation.Takethefollowingstepstoimprovelightinginyourworkstation:
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Positionyourselfandyourcomputertoeliminateorminimizeglareonyourscreen.
q Nevershinealampdirectlyontothescreenq
Ifyouworknearawindow,adjusttheblindsor
shadestoimprovethelightingandcuttheglareq
Placethecomputeratrightanglestothewindowq
Anglethedisplayscreentoavoidblacklight glareq
Movebrightobjectsawayfromyourterminalq
Adjustthebrightnessandcontrastonthescreenq
Giveyoureyesbreaks,takingyoureyesofthedisplayscreenandfocusingona
farawayobjectforafewseconds(20feetfor20seconds)
WORKHABITCHANGES:Asimportantasyourworkstationsetup,workhabitscandramaticallyeffectyourchanceofgettinginjured.Incorporatethefollowing“goodhabits”:
q Changeyourpositionfrequentlyduringthecourseoftheworkdayq
UseAltfunctionasmuchaspossibletoreducemouseuseq
Useaheadsetifyouareonthecomputerandphoneatthesametimeq
Standtoreachitemsnearoraboveyourdeskq
Squatandusegoodliftingtechniqueswhenremovingitemsfrombottomshelvesor
drawersq
Makephysicalfitnesspartofyourday.Getawayfromyourworkstationduringdown
timesandbeactive.Trytakingawalkatlunch.
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.SAFELAPTOPUSE:Highlyportable,alaptopscompactdesign,withattachedscreenandkeyboard,forceslaptopusersintoawkwardpostures.Whenthescreenisattherightheight,thekeyboardpositionistoohigh;andwhenthekeyboardisattherightheight,thescreenistoolow.
Laptopsposelessriskwhenusedforshortperiodsoftime,butnowadays,manypeopleuselaptopsastheirmaincomputer.Thiscreatesanongoingtradeoffbetweenpoorneck/headpostureandpoorhand/wristposture.
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Maintainaneutralneckposturebyplacingthetopofthescreenatabouteyelevelq
Usealaptopstandorplaceyourlaptoponastablesupportsurface,suchas
monitorrisers,reamsofpaper,orphonebookssothatthescreenheightcanbeadjusted.
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Attacharegularsize,externalkeyboardmousetothelaptop,andplacethemonanadjustablekeyboardtrayordesk.Thekeyboardandmouseshouldbepositionedatorslightlybelowelbowheight.
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Useadockingstationwheneverpossibletomorecloselyresembleastandarddesktopworkstationwhereinputdevicescanbeattached.
WORKINGFROMHOME:Covid-19hasforcedmanyemployeestoworkremotely.Thesameworkstationprinciplesstillapply.Inaddition,utilizethefollowingsafetymeasuresasmuchaspossible:
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Usdedicatedhomeofficespacewheneverpossible.Thisspaceshouldmeetthebasicergonomicrequirementsofanyotherworkspace
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Yourofficeshouldbeequippedwithadesk,adjustableofficechair,anddesktopcomputer
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Ifnotinadedicatedofficespace,orusingalaptopastheprimarycomputer,thelaptopshouldbeelevatedtopositionthescreenateyelevel….Morebelow
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BYTHENUMBERS:675,000 Thenumberofcomputerworkstations
inuseacrosstheUSin197650Million Currentestimateofnumberof
computerworkstationsinuseinUS11%
Averageincreaseinproductivitydue
toergonomicworkplacedesign
ThisSafetyTalkonlybrieflyaddressessomeoftheconceptsandpotentialactionsyoucantaketoassessandcorrectyourofficeworkstation.AdditionalinformationalmaterialcanbeaccessedbyfollowingthelinksbeloworbycontactingColby’sEHSDirector:
Ø OfficeErgonomicsTraining:
AninteractivepresentationdesignedbyTravelersInsurancetohelpindividualsselfevaluateandrecognizeissueswiththeirworkstation.q
https://moodle.colby.edu/course/view.php?id=5324
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SafetyWorksMaineVideoDisplayTerminal(VDT)LawandTrainingProgrampresentation:79slidesonMaine’sVDT,properworkstationsetup,andcorrectiveactions.q
http://www.safetyworksmaine.com/training/online_classes/vdt/VDT-
Main.htm
Ø WorkplaceErgonomicsReferenceGuide:
Checklistsandstrategiestorecognizeandpreventworkstationrelatedinjuries.q
http://www.colby.edu/humanresources/wp-
content/uploads/sites/170/2015/10/CAP_Ergo_Guide.pdf
https://moodle.colby.edu/course/view.php?id=5324http://www.safetyworksmaine.com/training/online_classes/vdt/VDT-Main.htmhttp://www.colby.edu/humanresources/wp-content/uploads/sites/170/2015/10/CAP_Ergo_Guide.pdf
