Computer Workstation Ergonomics

(Office Ergonomics)

Monitor

1 Monitors should have flat screens to reduce eyestrain.

2 The top of the display screen should be no higher than the worker’s eye level and the
bottom of the screen no lower than forty degrees below the worker’s eye level. This is
so that the screen work area is slightly below the horizontal plane.

3 Users who wear bifocals may find that a lower monitor height will avoid the necessity
to tilt the head back to view the screen.

4 Monitors should be placed directly in front of the user with an eye-to-screen distance
of 18 to 24 inches (45 – 60 cm) to reduce stress on the eyes and neck.

5 Monitor pedestals, swivel arms or phone books may be used to adjust monitor height.
If the monitor is too high, do not put it on top of the disk drive unit.

6 Use a monitor that tilts and rotates.

7 The better colour combination for legibility and comfort is dark letters on a light
background. Green, blue and orange are generally found to be more soothing than red,
yellow and other bright colours.

8 Because monitors tend to attract dust and then send it toward the user’s face, they
should be cleaned often.

Keyboard

1 The keyboard should be positioned in front of the worker to avoid placing the body in
a position where the back and neck must be twisted in order to use the keyboard.

2 The keyboard, in combination with the seating and work surface, should be adjustable
so that the user, while seated in a normal, upright position, is able to operate the
keyboard with his or her forearm, wrists and hands in a neutral position,
approximately parallel to the floor.

3 The keyboard should be at the fingertips with the arms and hands in a slightly
downward slope. Your hands should float over the keys: don’t reach too far with just
your fingers. Position the keyboard approximately at elbow height. The keyboard
should be kept at an angle that causes the fingers to land on the home row at a 90-
degree angle. This prevents strain on the wrists.

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4 Keyboard shelves and under-the-desk trays should not be used if they interfere with
leg placement or cause a bending of the wrists.

5 Wrists should be kept straight, and not rested on a hard or sharp work surface, such as
a desk edge. Palm, hand, wrist or arm supports may be useful to help keep wrists flat.
A wrist rest allows you to rest your wrists while not typing.

6 The space in front of the keyboard should be sufficient to provide support for the
hands and arms of the user.

7 If you learned to type on a manual typewriter, you may be using too much force. With
computer keys, a light touch is all you need.

Mouse or Trackball

1 Move the mouse using your whole arm, not just your wrist.

2 Your mouse or trackball should be at the same height as your keyboard and within
easy reach.

3 When using a mouse or trackball, rest the arm and hand close to the body

Document Holder (or Copy Stand)

1 Use a document holder that has an adjustable height and position it beside and parallel
to the display screen. Ensure that it is at the same height and distance as the display
screen. Such positioning minimizes the amount the operator has to turn his or her head
to look from the document to the display screen and reduces eye muscle fatigue by
maintaining the same focal distance.

2 Use a document holder large enough to support the documents the operator uses.

Chair

1 A good backrest is an important feature of the chair. It should be adjustable up and

down, and backward and forward. The height of the backrest should be adjusted so
that it supports the inward curve of the lower spine (lumbar). If the lumbar support is
inadequate, a back support pillow may be used. The backward/forward adjustment is
to be used to maximize the support of the thighs without pressing against the back of
the knees which may cut off circulation. The angle between the trunk and the thighs
should be greater than 90 degrees. Backrests should allow for the worker to lean back
to a comfortable resting position.

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2 The seat surface should be of a material so that the user does not suffer pressure from
a hard seat or become engulfed in a soft seat.

3 Chair stability and mobility are critical for ease of movement while in the chair. There
should be five legs for stability and the castors must be matched to the surface, i.e., for
carpet or hard surface. The chair base should be as wide as the seat.

4 The cushion should have minimum contouring and ridges. Upholstery should be
durable, porous and non-slip. Seats should be gently rounded on the front to avoid
interference with blood flow to the lower legs.

5 The seat should have a slight incline to tilt the body against the backrest.

6 The height of the seat pan should be adjustable so that the user’s feet are firmly rested
on the floor. The thighs should be approximately horizontal and the lower legs
vertical.

7 Armrests, if provided, should be half-length, at least 18 inches apart and allow the
upper arm to hang naturally from the shoulder when the forearm is on the armrest.
Use the armrests if they allow maintaining elbows between 90 and 110 degrees.

8 Armrests should be removed from the chair if they obstruct sitting posture, interfere
with the furniture and prevent normal positioning with the keyboard and monitor.

9 A footrest may be necessary if the operator cannot rest his or her feet comfortably on
the floor. Use a footrest that is large enough to allow for operator movement, and has
an adjustable height and heel stop.

10 The various adjustments should be simple and easy to perform.

Table

1 Tables should be adjustable when needed for proper screen and keyboard heights and
adequate leg room.

2 An adequate work area for paper work should be provided on one side of the
computer.

3 If you use the telephone often, don’t cradle it between your neck and shoulder. See if
a headset can be adapted to your phone, or try a receiver shulder rest.

4 If possible, use a bi-level sit/stand adjustable table that has an adjustable top height;
the lower level for the keyboard and mouse or trackball, and the upper level for the
computer monitor. The height of each level should adjust separately.

5 The edges of tables and desks should be smooth and rounded to avoid injuries.

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6 A medium and light-coloured surface helps ease eyestrain when reading. Surfaces
should have a dull finish to reduce glare.

Lighting

Large contrasts with the general environment should be avoided. Reduce the room lighting to
below that associated with normal office lighting. A luminance in the range of 200 – 500 lux
is recommended for workplaces with visual display terminals.

Use of directional lamps for hard copy is beneficial where both the computer and paper copy
are necessary for normal work activities.

Avoid having lights (or windows) in the visual field of the operator.

Avoid having lights (or windows) behind the operator that will reflect on the screen.

Ideally, fluorescent lights should not be directly overhead and should be perpendicular to the
screen.

Lights should not flicker because this causes eyestrain.

Effective Glare Control can be maintained through one or more of the

following measures:

1 Provide windows with curtains or blinds.

2 Design workstations to allow monitor orientation to avoid harsh light sources.

3 If a workstation is located near a window, place the monitor at a right angle to the
window. Do not face a window.

4 Position the worker so that light comes from the side or behind the worker to avoid
shining directly onto the screen and into the worker’s eyes.

5 Provide screen hoods to block angular reflections/glare.

6 Provide detachable anti-glare filters. Keep the screen clean.

7 If you have trouble reading what’s on the screen, adjust the brightness and contrast
controls. Troublesome reflections may be eliminated by tilting the display.

8 Use furnishings with a matte, non-reflective finish.

9 Paint walls in a matte, non-reflective coating. The colour of workrooms should be

neutral and soft. Pure white, very dark or shiny surfaces can cause tiredness.

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Visual Problems

Visual problems are the most frequently reported problems by computer workers. Complaints
include eye discomfort, eyestrain, burning, itching, irritation and aching. Other less frequent
symptoms include blurred vision, colour fringes and deterioration of visual acuity. Severe
optical discomforts (eye irritations, soreness and tiredness) may not go away within a short
period of time following work and may even be present at the start of the next day’s shift.

Prolonged attention to visual detail with reduced eye movement in a restricted visual field can
cause eyestrain and other problems. In addition, eyestrain is caused by high light levels and
glare from outside light sources and/or reflections from surfaces in the environment. Air
temperature and humidity can also lead to sore eyes.

Vision

Between the ages of 20 and 60, the focusing capacity of a normally sighted person reduces by
almost 25 percent as the lens in the eye become less flexible. Because of the natural
deterioration of eyesight with age, the majority of computer workers over 40 wear glasses or
contact lenses. They may cause additional eye fatigue if not properly fitted. Failure to
accommodate the computer worker’s visual needs may result in increased eyestrain and
stress. In order to maintain optimum work performance, it is recommended that computer
workers obtain pre-placement eye examinations. Also, workers should receive an eye
examination when symptoms of eye deterioration or excessive fatigue occur.

When wearing bifocals, the head should not be tilted back to see the screen. This may strain
the neck and shoulder. A second pair of glasses dedicated for use with the computer may be
needed. Special computer bi- and trifocals, containing a wider intermediate viewing segment
are available.

Users should keep glasses or contact lenses and the screen clean.

Users should blink fully and normally, especially if wearing contact lenses.

Short, frequent rest pauses should be taken. Eyes should be closed for a minute or two.

Eyes should be refocused by looking away from the monitor at something in the distance.

A good eye exercise is to roll the eyes up and down, left to right.

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Temperature

Owing to the effect of heat on eyestrain, the office should be kept around 22 degrees C (78
degrees Fahrenheit).

Plenty of air circulation (not drafts from open windows) is important as this helps reduce the
amount of bacteria and the amount of dust in the air, and this keeps the worker healthier.

Cleanliness is important because workers can develop allergies from exposure to dust, mold
and other particles in the air.

Because of the heat generated by computers, every effort should be made to locate
workstations at a reasonable distance from heating and cooling vents. Vents should be ducted
and shielded to divert airflow away from computer workers.

Noise

Excessive and annoying noise creates stress which can have an adverse effect upon the
workers. Acoustic pads should be installed under keyboards and printers. Impact printers
should be provided with acoustic covers where necessary. All noise sources in the
surrounding environment should be controlled to ensure that the total sound level measured at
the workstation does not exceed 70 dB(A).

Musculoskeletal Issues

Musculoskeletal problems are common to many sedentary jobs. Because the body is designed
for movement, a fixed position is more tiring than a dynamic one. Computer worker
complaints are most often related to the neck, shoulder, back and wrists.

Serious musculoskeletal health symptoms are most often associated with computer jobs
requiring constrained working positions for an entire work shift. In a seated position, the
computer worker is subject to continuous stress on almost all postural muscles. The amount
of stress is dependent upon the position of various parts of the worker’s body. Holding the
head to the side or forward may lead to neck and shoulder fatigue and pain. Other neck and
shoulder complaints result from the use or position of the worker’s arms. For example,
elevation of the arms will add to neck and shoulder strain. Prolonged, constrained postures
required by the job will make this condition worse.

Wrist disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis are often caused by:
- awkward positioning of the hands and wrists relative to the keyboard;
- repetitive motion as related to keyboard and mouse use.

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) occurs when a nerve in the wrist is used repetitively. The
result is that the worker will not be able to move his wrist properly, hence having difficulty
inputting data or holding objects in that hand.

Repetitive movements, combined with restrictive posture, can pinch nerves, irritate tendons
and inhibit blood flow. Conditions that have been associated with frequent, uninterrupted
workstation use and poor work habits include pain, tingling or numbness in the hands,
headaches and neck pain, soreness in the legs, arms and back, and eyestrain.

Good posture while using a computer is the primary defense against fatigue and stress. The
back should be kept straight and the arms and shoulders relaxed. Avoid placing the body in
awkward positions, such as lifting the arms above shoulder height, making long, extended
reaches, using one shoulder as a telephone rest, and working with elbows outstretched.

Rest Breaks

Other than musculoskeletal problems, prolonged and continuous use of computers also affects
stress level and eyestrain. Long period of viewing time, constant rapid muscular action, fixed
positions for extended periods of time, and highly repetitive and boring jobs are among the
culprits.

To alleviate stress, eyestrain and musculoskeletal problems, computer workers need to be

given an opportunity to relax the eyes by looking at distant objects and to move the body.
This will require rest breaks, a variation in the tasks to be performed or alternative work
assignments during some part of the day for heavy and moderate users.

Breaks from the computer should include movements to stretch, limber, relax muscles and
relieve the tedium of repetitious work.

Retrieving a document from the central printer, using the copy machine, or walking down the
hall to confer with a colleague are simple, productive ways to break up your computer tasks.
Remember to get up and move around periodically.

If you type continuously, a good rule of thumb is to do other tasks for ten minutes every hour.
If you do lighter work at the computer, do other tasks for fifteen minutes every two hours.

Remember: Short, frequent breaks are more beneficial than longer, less frequent ones.

Exercises

(The exercises can help you release muscle tension and reduce the risk of aches and pains.)

Tightly clench the hand into a fist and release, fanning out the fingers. Repeat 3 times.

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With elbows straight, bend the wrists back as far as they will go, hold for 3 seconds. Repeat 5
times.

Stand up straight, place the hands on the hips and bend backwards at the waist. Do this
gently.
Touch the fingertips of the hands together just behind the top of the head without letting the
hands touch the head. Move the elbows in a backward direction. Hold for 5 seconds, then
relax and release.

Tuck the chin in while holding the face level. Don’t tilt the face forward. Hold 3 seconds,
then relax. Repeat 5 times.

Make egg-shaped motion with the head, allowing the neck to stretch more towards each
shoulder. Repeat 5 times.

Note: Do stretches gently. Don’t do any stretch that causes pain.