Office Ergonomics

Office Work &

Human/Computer Interactions

 Work station design

 Posture
 Keyboards
 Software/human interactions
 Human Behavior
 Office Work &
Human/Computer Interactions
Early studies 1980’s
 Eye problems
 Shoulder problems


Lower back problems
Neck strain
 
                                

 Hand & wrist problems

 Office Work &
Human/Computer Interactions
1991 study of 420 medical
secretaries
 63 % reported neck/shoulder pain

 51% low back pain

 30 % hand/wrist pain

 15 % elbow pain
 Who’s At Risk?
 Nearly everyone, but women report more
incidents of discomfort

 Low motivation

 Poor workstation design

 Many short term studies, few long term or

independent studies.
 Are some people at greater risk
than others?
Some researchers think so….

Studies quoted on Cornell’s ergo web site

link repetitive motion injuries to…
 Working with the wrists in deviated postures for any
reason: causes compression of the median nerve

 Static postures, especially using a pinch grip to hold

something in place
Some studies have shown greater risks
for people who are…
 Pregnant

 Obese

 Lack general physical capabilities, such as

strength

 People who feel as if they lack control over work

pace, environment, and communication
 Prevention is crucial to Cost
Containment

Evaluate all contributing factors

=
Hazard Identification

Environment Task/Processes

Workers Equipment/Materials
Hazard Prevention

Neutral positioning
Workstation design
Work/rest periods
Task rotation
Exercise
 What is neutral positioning?
 Non-stressed postures
 Relaxed, right angles at
 Knees, hips and elbows
 Wrists straight rather than flexed (down) or
extended (up)
 Lower and upper back supported
Computer Workstations

Key Elements
Good Working Positions
Work Process
Workstation Environment
Workstation Components
 Good Working Postures

 
•Hands, wrists, and forearms are straight, in-line and
roughly parallel to the floor.

  slightly forward, forward facing, and

•Head is level, or bent
balanced. Generally it is in-line with the torso.
 
•Shoulders are relaxed  and upper arms hang normally at the
 
side of the body.
 
•Elbows stay in close  to the body and are bent between 90
                                         

and 120 degrees.

 
  by floor or footrest.
•Feet are fully supported

  with appropriate lumbar support

•Back is fully supported
when sitting vertical  or leaning back slightly.

•Thighs and hips are  supported by a well-padded seat and

  floor.
generally parallel to the

•Knees are about the same height as the hips with the feet
slightly forward.  
 Work Process
Task Organization
 Impacts repetition
 Prolonged periods of activity
 Medical awareness & training
 Work Environment

 Lighting
 Glare
 Ventilation
 Noise
 Workstation Design
 Chairs
 Monitors
 Keyboards

 
 Pointer/Mouse
 Wrist/Palm Support
 Document Holders
                                    
 Desks
 Telephones
 Footrests
 Elements of good work
station design
 Adjustable chairs
 Keyboard height and angle
 Avoid sharp edges
 Monitor height and angle
 Glare, poor contrast, etc. are risk factors
 Chairs
 Ideas about correct posture go back to 1884
 Upright vs. backward leaning, pressure on
disks, lower back
 Chair provides support for upper and lower
back
 Chairs
Need to be adjustable in many different
directions
 Height
 Tilt of seat pan
 Angle of back
 Provide lumbar support
 Adjustable arms
 Capacity, seat width
 Ergonomic Chairs
Chair Specifications
Small Seat                            Seat Height                         
Backrest
Minimal Contour
Seat Size

     Seat Height: 16.5" - 21.5"

Backrest: 19.5"W x 22.5"H
10 Standard Adjustments Seat Size: 19"W x 17"D

•Pneumatic Seat Height

•Seat Angle or Tilt
•Seat Angle Tension Control
•Backrest Angle
•Backrest Height
•Backrest Depth
•Inflatable Lumbar
•Armrest Height
•Armrest Rotation/Swivel
•Armrest Width
 Ergonomic Chairs

Chair Specifications Chair Specifications

Seat Height 16.5" - 21.5" Seat Height 18" - 23"
                          Backrest                         19.5"W x                           Backrest                         24"W x
Seat Size 22.5"H Seat Size 26"H
22.5"W x 17"D 26"W x
Deep Contoured Seat, Knee Big & Tall
21"D

Tilt Available
 Monitors
 Viewing Distance: 20”-40”
 Viewing Angle: 15-20 degrees
below horizontal
 Viewing Time
 Viewing Clarity

                                   
 Keyboards
The objective is to keep the hands and wrists in as
“neutral” a position as possible

Adjustments, may include tilting or not tilting the

keyboard, wrist rests in front of the keyboard, and
repositioning the entire body

Alternative shapes of keyboards may help:

 Split
 Tented/Angled
 Negative Slope
 Supportive
 Scooped Keep in mind
Keyboard Placement – Height & Distance
Design & Use
 Pointer/Mouse Interactions

For CAD operators

 Thumb and forefinger problems
 Change kind of mouse
 Thumb joint pain, switch to “Uniball” or
three-finger mouse

Keep in mind
Pointer Placement
Pointer Size, Shape, & Settings
 Wrist/Palm Supports
 In general, research supports the idea of resting the
hands on some kind of a surface during keying pauses.

 
 The use of wrist rests has been associated with reduced
muscle activity in the arms and shoulders, straighter
wrist postures, comfort, and preference.

                                                                                                   
 Wrist/Palm Supports
 Some research suggests that wrist rest users sit in a somewhat
more reclined posture than people without wrist rests, which is
known to be comfortable and healthy for the back

Caution

 However, wrist rests are not without potential problems

 Wrist/Palm Supports
 Not all studies of wrist rests show positive
effects
 Use of wrist rest causes the fluid pressure in the carpal
tunnel to rise, sometimes significantly
 Use of convex wrist rests, which concentrate pressure
in a small area, are less desirable than broad, flat ones
 Benign cysts apparently have been caused by constant
pressure on the wrist

 Typists should use them during keying pauses,

not during keying, in order to have free hand
and arm movement and to reduce the amount
of time the wrist is compressed
 Document Holder
 Are designed to minimize eye and neck
movement by keeping your documents at the
proper viewing level
 Desks
 Work Surface Depth
 Location of Frequently Used Devices Should be
Located in Repetitive Access Zone

               

                   
                   
Recommended Zones for Workplace Components
 Telephones
 Head sets can help avoid neck and
shoulder strain for telephone use.

                                                  
 Footrests
 Reduces leg strain and promotes
circulation
 Reduces strain on lower back
 Should position your knees to roughly a
90 degree angle
Other Considerations
 Work/rest periods
An element of a good
prevention strategy
Provide regular breaks by inserting a different kind
of task into the routine

Some studies recommend 5 minutes of rest per hour

of typing

Other studies recommend 15 minutes of rest per

four hours of work.
 Task Rotation
Alternate other kinds of office tasks,
such as filing, copying

 Caution:May be just as repetitive as typing

and use the same motions and muscles

 However, more productive and feel less like an

interruption than “just a break
 Task Rotation & Breaks
Some companies have actually installed
software that “shuts down” the system for
regular breaks

Other companies have organized or signaled

breaks

These can be aggravating, as they interrupt a

task in progress
 Eye Strain

Eyestrain is the most common complaint

from computer users
 Intensive use
 Software Interactions
 Inadequate or detrimental lighting and monitor
conditions

 
 Distance to monitor
 Ambient lighting
 Glare                                          

 Pre-existing eye conditions, including those you

may not be aware of
 Stress
 Eye Strain
A study conducted by Cornell University

Showed that there was an increase in the number

of cases of repetitive stress injuries after new and
hard to use software was introduced

Especially if there were multiple screens or fields

on the monitor simultaneously
 Eye Strain
Prevention
 Task rotation
 Get a professional eye examination
 Control the lights & the monitor
 Enough light on documents
 Eliminate glare
 Rearrange the workstation
 Anti-glare screen
 Solving Office Ergonomic
Problems
 Evaluate non-work stressors
 Evaluate work stressors
 Use checklists
 Use workers’ compensation claim data
 Use personal interviews/discomfort surveys
 Conduct job safety analysis
 Observation
 Measurements
 Implement solutions
 Provide Employee Training
 Analyze a problem job
Think about the role behavior plays in ensuring
proper use and comfort.

A claim of “ergonomic design” will not ensure

improved use or comfort, (or reduced risk factors) if
behaviors have been ignored

For instance, if workers will not use the new tool, it

cannot reduce the risk
Questions?