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A Start on Office Ergonomics
Most of us have some general thoughts about
ergonomics, but this information can easily be out-of-date. Fortunately
for those involved with making decisions about office furniture and
setup current ergonomics encourages variety and movement rather than
rigid principles or an exact posture.
Many employers believe that you
have to spend a lot of money when buying ergonomic office furniture.
This is not necessarily true, and with a little effort and preparation
you can make a wise investment that will lead to a happier and healthier
team.
Ergonomics is not just a
product characteristic. It’s a process of matching furniture to the
people doing the work. The aim is to reduce the risk of injury and
discomfort without reducing productivity.
Consider the work that’s done by each member of your team. Different
tasks require different equipment and different layouts. Consider the
nature of the tasks to be done – is there a lot of keyboard work or very
little? Will a mouse be used for most of the time? How much time is
spent in front of the monitor?
Once you’ve sorted out these details you can start planning your
shopping list of furniture and equipment.
What’s the best distance for a computer monitor? Current thinking says
it’s as far away as possible while still being able to read it clearly.
Longer distances relax the eyes.
As for monitor height, the current recommendation is that eye height is
the highest a monitor should be. A low monitor has been found to be more
comfortable for the eyes and neck.
Keyboard height doesn’t necessarily have to be at elbow height.
Variation from elbow height is fine, especially in the lower-than-elbow
direction.
The keyboard doesn’t have to be at the front of the desk as long as the
forearms are supported and the elbows aren't resting on anything hard or
sharp. If the keyboard is pushed back the work surface should be higher
than elbow height.
Chairs are particularly
important when it comes to ergonomic considerations. It use to be
thought that the chair should be at a height that allows the feet to
reach the floor when the legs are bent 90 degrees at the knee. Although
this is not harmful, the legs should move very often and not stay fixed
in the 90-degree position. The chair should if possible below enough for
the feet to rest on the floor.
If the chair is at a good height but the keyboard height can't be
adjusted to elbow height or lower, then it's necessary to adjust the
chair upwards. In this case, a footrest is an option but footrests are
not ideal because the feet only have one place to be and leg postures
are limited.
Now to posture. Is it really best to have an upright posture, with the
hips at ninety degrees? Recent research supports the idea of a much
wider hip angle with one hundred thirty degrees or so as an "optimum"
angle.
Sitting upright is actually less desirable than reclining. When
reclining, the lower back muscles work less and the spine has to support
less weight since some of the body weight is held up by the chair's
backrest.
People who stand all day tend to have back problems and so do people who
sit still all day. The traditional fifteen minute break every two hours
or so isn’t ideal for someone who works at a keyboard all day. Very
short breaks done very frequently - for example, 30-second breaks every
ten minutes or so, relieve strain on the back from sitting.
Having made the initial assessment, you may start looking for suitable
purchases. Focus your attention on:
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furniture with a range of adjustability that can
accommodate all prospective users,
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a fully adjustable chair with height-adjustable
armrests,
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a desk with height adjustment,
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a footrest if you decide on a non-adjustable
desk, and
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monitors and keyboards that can be easily
adjusted.
Before you
actually purchase your office furniture give your team members a chance
to test everything. Having them actively involved in the
decision-making process is very important for the selection of furniture
and equipment that is suited to them and their work tasks.
Keep in mind that the manufacturer’s claim that its products are
"ergonomic" correct is no guarantee of comfort for your team members.
When people are correctly matched to their office furniture and
equipment the goals of modern ergonomics have been accomplished.
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