Body Posture & Positioning

Your workstation, equipment, environment and job design determine your posture & positioning.
Good positions
do not overload parts of the body

place minimum demands

comfortable for the individual minimize fatigue

Body Posture & Positioning

Problems occur when:

the body is held in one position for long periods

body or head is significantly tilted or bent over

the joints are near their extremes of range of movement forearm is rapidly twisted while the hands grip an object

Body Posture & Positioning

Problems occur when:

body twisted while holding an object arms raised for long periods same movements repeated frequently wrists & fingers bent in combination

Body Posture & Positioning

Why is there so much fuss about sitting?

new technologies have changed they way we

do work
more & more people work in a sitting position

sitting at work can be a cause of injury &

discomfort

Body Posture & Positioning

Why is there so much fuss about sitting?

sitting requires the muscles to hold the body in

a fixed position
a fixed work position squeezes the blood flow to working muscles insufficient blood supply accelerates fatigue & the muscles are prone to injury

Body Posture & Positioning

Ideal body posture

relax shoulders keep head directly over shoulders use a tucked chin vs. a poked out chin

Body Posture & Positioning

Ideal body posture

rest feet flat on the floor sit with legs bent at approximately 90 back supported by chair especially lumbar region

Body Posture & Positioning

Ideal body posture

sit with elbows resting at your sides, forearms approx. 90 adjust screen so the first line of text is 2-6 below eye level if wearing bi-focals, place the screen as low as possible

Keyboard & Mouse

keyboard and mouse to be at elbow height

position mouse close to the end of the keyboard

Keyboard & Mouse

keep wrists in a neutral position

Keyboard & Mouse

Harmful wrist positions, with bent and flexed wrists will cause problems

Keyboard & Mouse

Mouse Placement
Dont reach for you mouse

Do place mouse on same level as keyboard

Keyboard & Mouse

While keying:
use gentle keystrokes

move hand over keys instead of over-stretching fingers

use the wrist rest only while pausing

Chair

What is an Ergonomic Chair anyway?

an ergonomic chair provides proper support & is adjustable to suit the individual using it sitting is hard on the bodys discs & muscles a chair not providing support can cause overall tension & discomfort the chair needs to be adjustable, since not every body is the same

Ergonomic Chair

Necessary Ergonomic Chair Features

requires lumbar support armrests - if desired adjustable seat & back height adjustable seat & back tilt

Ergonomic Chair

Necessary Ergonomic Chair Features

rounded (warterfall) front stable 5-point base ability to swivel

Ergonomic Chair

Seat height
stand in front of the chair, adjust seat height so the highest point of the seat is just below the knee cap

Ergonomic Chair

Seat height
sit on the chair & keep your feet flat on the floor sit so a clenched fist fits between the front edge of the seat & the lower part of the legs

Ergonomic Chair

Backrest Support
adjust the backrest of the chair so it supports the hollow in the lower back (lumbar support) properly adjusted lumbar support puts the back in its most natural position

Ergonomic Chair

Feet on Floor / Footrest

feet on the floor or footrest

knees at approx. 90
wrapping feet around chair legs puts pressure on knees unsupported feet puts pressure on the lower back

Ergonomic Chair

Armrests
shoulders should be relaxed

elbows should be bent at 90

adjust armrests just below your elbows

ensure shoulders are relaxed & elbows are close to your body

Ergonomic Chair

Overall Chair Tips

many different ergonomic chairs on the market designs to meet every need & budget if possible trial some chairs before making a decision

Ergonomic Chair

Overall Chair Tips

have someone with chair adjusting experience show you how to adjust your chair even the best most expensive chair will be a waste if not adjusted properly to fit you

Work Surface

once your chair is properly adjusted you can sit comfortably at your workstation, neutral wrist position you should have enough room to move your legs freely under you workstation you should not have to elevate your arms in order to place them over the work surface

Work Surface

chair height maybe adjusted to align shoulders & neutral wrist position
if chair height takes feet off the floor consider a footrest consider adjusting the height of the work surface the chair should have the ability to swivel so that you avoid twisting

Work Surface

Create a varied reach zone

a reach zone is achieved by placing most frequently used items in the usual work area occasionally used items place farther away in the occasional work area rarely used items place furthest away in non working area

Work Surface

Create a varied reach zone

do you make or receive many phone calls if so place phone in usual work area do you use manuals, phone book or files place these items in your usual work area when retrieving items avoid twisting, swivel your chair in the direction of the item

Work Surface

Create a varied reach zone

if you use your computer & write at the same time do not twist, swivel your chair in the direction of each item ensure there is room for you legs to be under your work surface ensure enough area for all tasks to be performed

Monitor

distance from operator

12-28 (30-70cm) for a standard 14 screen 24-32 (60-80cm) for larger screen

monitor height
top line of text 2-6 below eye level persons using bifocals usually need monitor height considerably lower be careful placing monitor on CPU this may raise monitor too high

Monitor

monitor shall be on a stable surface

position monitor directly in front of you

angle of monitor screen may be adjusted by the operator adjust monitor angle to reduce glare from lights & sun entering in windows

Monitor

set screen colour, brightness & contrast appropriately

throughout the day close your eyes for a few seconds throughout the day focus your eyes on an object far away

Document Holder

consider a document holder when typing from files & letters

use an adjustable document holder place as close to monitor as possible height should be the same as your monitor the document holder reduces twisting the neck & head

Using a Telephone

place the phone in the usual work area if you get or make many calls
on the right side of your desk if you are right handed try not to talk on the phone & type at the same time

Using a Telephone

cradling the telephone between your ear & shoulder will strain the neck & shoulder cradling results in muscle tension causing discomfort & may lead to other ERI problems if you use your phone frequently use a headset to reduce awkward neck postures

Additional Factors

Office Noise Levels

Ventilation Temperature & Humidity Lighting & Vision

All these factors play a part in your comfort at your workstation. When performing your workstation assessment consider these other factors.