Bailey-Hughes

Workable workplace...

Brenda says...
'Ergonomics is good!'

By Susan Williams

Work habits

Do you take short and frequent breaks throughout the day to reduce fatigue?    yes   no Do you frequently change body positions while working?    yes   no Do you provide your eyes with vision breaks every hour?    yes   no Do you work fairly regular hours without a lot of overtime?    yes   no Are you able to meet deadlines without excessive stress?    yes   no Are you comfortable and free of pain while working?    yes   no

In a workable workplace, proper ergonomics--the physical configuration of an occupationally fit work space--is a major factor in the good health of employees. A properly equipped and arranged work space can limit neck, shoulder and back muscular pain, prevent eye strain, maintain healthy spinal alignment, and aid circulation to the arms and legs.

Your physical health and comfort is not all that matters, though. Ergonomics also contributes to mental health and fatigue. In addition to a well planned work space, employees should be encouraged to adopt and maintain health-promoting work habits.

IU training specialist Brenda Bailey-Hughes of Human Resources Management, offers a checklist, courtesy of the Council on Education in Management, to help you evaluate your office.

For a great tutorial on the subject, go to the Cornell University Ergonomics Web site:

http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/

Chair adjustment:

• Is your chair height adjustable?
• Does your chair support your lower back?
• Is there room between the front edge of the seat pan and the back of your knees?
• Can you easily reach your work without interference from the arms of your chair?
• Are your arms and shoulders relaxed without interference from the arms of your chair?
• When typing or using a mouse, are you able to keep your arms in a comfortable position without resting them on the armrests?
• Do your feet rest flat on the floor or footrest?
• Are your knees bent at approximately a 90 degree angle?

Monitor adjustment:

• Is the viewing distance to your computer monitor somewhere between 16 and 24 inches?
• Is the top of your computer screen at or just below eye level?
• Is your computer monitor protected from excess glare?
• If you wear bifocals or trifocals, are you able to look at the monitor without tilting your head?

Workstation accessory arrangement

• Are your input devices (mouse, trackball, digitizing tablet) at the same level as your keyboard?
• Are your primary work materials/input devices located in front of you?
• Do you have enough room on your work surface for all your computer accessories?
• Are your most frequently accessed items (phone, manuals, etc.) easy to reach?
• Do you have an adjustable document holder to hold reference materials?
• Are you able to keep your arms from resting on any hard or square edges on your worksurface?
• If a large percentage of your time involves using a phone, do you use a phone headset?

Work surface/keyboard adjustment:

• With your chair adjusted properly, is your keyboard at approximately elbow level?
• Are your arms resting at your sides rather than stretched out in front of you?
• Are your shoulders relaxed and not elevated when you work at your work surface?
• When typing or writing at your work surface, is there approximately a 90 degree angle between your forearms and upper arms?
• When typing at your work surface, are your wrists in line with your forearms and not bent upwards, downwards or to one side of another?
• Is there at least two inches of clearance between the bottom of your work surface and the top of your thighs?

...and ta ta for now!

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