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Oklahoma Department of CorrectionsTraining Administration
Computer Ergonomics,
Version 2
Course Information
Course Data: Permission to reprint information in this course granted by the National Safety Council, a membership organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health. Additional material from the U.S. Dept. of Labor reprinted by permission.
Course Formatting: Teresa Patton
Course Models: Our warmest thanks to Betty Lytle, Jenny Handy, Charity Zamorano, and Denise Burgdoff of the Private Prison Unit.
Additional Photos: Corbis Images and U.S. Dept. of Labor (used by permission)
Course Code: SAFI 311700
Course Created: 3-1-2001. Revised 4-2-2007.
Total Training Credit: One Hour
Working with ComputersUser’s Guide
More and more these days, office work means long hours at a computer terminal or personal computer. And, the concentrated effort can take its toll in sore backs and tired muscles, irritability, stiffness, fatigue and eyestrain.
If you’re working four hours or more daily, the work can be more pleasant and less stressful if you follow a few simple rules to provide for your own fitness and comfort.
This presentation will show you how!
Your work can be more pleasant and less stressful if you follow a few simple rules to provide for your own fitness and comfort.
Your Eyes If You Wear Glasses
Position the screen about as far away as you would a book while reading.
If You Wear Contact Lenses
Contact lens wearers may notice their eyes becoming irritated if heat from the computers in an office makes the air too dry. Try using an office humidifier. Making a conscientious effort to blink often helps, too.
Eye Checkups
Get eye checkups regularly if you work at a computer. The work will go faster and more effortlessly if you’re not suffering from eyestrain and fatigue.
Your Working Area
Your desk should be big enough and of the right size and height for you to work comfortably.
Your keyboard should be adjustable. If it's not, place a notebook under the rear to tilt it slightly upward.
Use a padded wrist rest, or use a chair with padded armrests. If your desk has a moveable keyboard tray, adjust the height so that your wrists are straight and forearms are parallel to the floor when your fingers are on the keys.
Try to keep your wrists straight and arms parallel to the floor while typing.
Your Chair•The backrest should conform to the natural curvature of your spine, and provide adequate lumbar support. •The seat should be comfortable and allow your feet to rest flat on the floor or footrest.
•Armrests should be soft, allow your shoulders to relax and your elbows to stay close to your body.
•The chair should have legs with casters that allow easy movement along the floor.
Adjustable chair and backrest.
Your ChairYour seat’s front edge should curve down. (A non-curved edge may hinder blood circulation and put your legs and feet to sleep.)
Sit upright to avoid straining your neck and back.
Adjust your chair and keyboard heights so your forearms are level and wrists straight as your type.
Shift your sitting position throughout the day to relax your tension away.Red circles: Proper wrist, neck,
feet, sight level, and lower back positions.
Neutral Body Positioning
To understand the best way to sit at a computer workstation, it helps to understand the concept of neutral body positioning. This is a comfortable working posture in which your joints are naturally aligned. Working with the body in a neutral position reduces stress and strain on the muscles, tendons, and skeletal system and reduces your risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD).
Muscular system
Neutral Body Positioning
The following are important considerations when attempting to maintain neutral body postures while working at the computer workstation:
•Hands, wrists, and forearms are straight, in-line and roughly parallel to the floor.
•Head is level, or bent slightly forward, forward facing, and balanced. Generally it is in-line with the torso.
Neutral Body Positioning
•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.
•Feet are fully supported by floor or footrest.
Neutral Body Positioning
•Back is fully supported with appropriate lumbar support when sitting vertical or leaning back slightly.
•Thighs and hips are supported by a well-padded seat and generally parallel to the floor.
•Knees are about the same height as the hips with the feet slightly forward.
Neutral Body Positions
The reference postures on the next four slides are examples of body posture changes that all provide neutral positioning for the body.
Neutral Body Positions
Upright sitting posture. The user's torso and neck are approximately vertical and in-line, the thighs are approximately horizontal, and the lower legs are vertical.
Neutral Body Positions
Standing posture. The user's legs, torso, neck, and head are approximately in-line and vertical. The user may also elevate one foot on a rest while in this posture.
Neutral Body Positions
Declined sitting posture. The user's thighs are inclined with the buttocks higher than the knee and the angle between the thighs and the torso is greater than 90 degrees. The torso is vertical or slightly reclined and the legs are vertical.
Neutral Body Positions
Reclined sitting posture. The user's torso and neck are straight and recline between 105 and 120 degrees from the thighs
Your Monitor
Where you place your monitor is very important to your well-being.
Sit at a comfortable distance from the monitor where you can easily read all the text with your head and torso in an upright position and your back supported by your chair. Generally, the preferred viewing distance is between 20-40 inches from the eye to the front surface of the computer screen.
Your Monitor
Bifocal LensesBifocal users typically view the monitor through the bottom portion of their lenses. This causes them to tilt the head backward to see a monitor that may otherwise be appropriately placed. This can fatigue muscles that support the head.
Try wearing single-correction reading-strength glasses or contact lenses specifically made for your computer reading distance. With them in place of your bifocals, you won’t have to crane your neck to see the screen through the stronger parts of the lenses.
Another solution is trifocals. They make it easier to look at the screen without craning.
The Office
Position your desk so that ceiling lights are off to the side, not in front, behind or directly overhead.
Sit at right angles to windows, or face away from them. Position your computer monitor so you aren’t distracted by window scenes or background movement such as fellow workers walking past.
Plants give off oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the air. Plus, they help maintain a healthy humidity level. (Hot computer terminals dry out the air.) Try placing some plants in your office.
Ask for blinds or drapes if lights from the window reflects on your computer screen.
What's wrong with this picture?
(see next slide for answer)
The Office
He's sitting facing a window, which can lead to glare in his eyes. His monitor is too high, forcing him to strain his neck to view the display. He is sitting in a extremely slumped position, which can lead to back strain.
Exercises
Simple office exercises can help prevent tiredness, irritability, sore muscles and joints!
Breath deeply six times. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Let your stomach contract with each breath.
Reach as high as you can while sitting in your chair. Let your arms drop, then reach again.
Exercises
Exercises
Sore Shoulders: Stick your arms out straight from your shoulders and rotate them in small circles, first forward and then back. Repeat 3 times.
Wrists: Put one elbow on the table and hold your arm up with hand raised. Grab raised fingers with the other hand and gently bend the raised hand backward. Hold 5 seconds, then release. Do other hand.
Exercises
Upper Back: Raise your hands to the sides of your shoulders and push your shoulders back. Keep your elbows down. Hold your shoulders back for 15 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
Lower Back: Scoot back from the desk and bend over while seated, extending your arms and trying to touch your shoulders to your knees. Hold bent-over position for 10 seconds, then return to upright position.
Exercises
Fingers: Fan your hands out in front of you, palms down. Hold for 5 seconds. Make fists as tight as you can, then fan the fingers out again. Repeat 3 times.
Vary Your Daily Routine
Get up and walk around occasionally. Limber up! It keeps you alert and boosts the blood flow to your brain.
Take work breaks mid-morning and mid-afternoon. If what you’re doing is especially demanding or repetitious, give yourself a short break every hour.
Exercise your eyes while you’re at the computer. Look across the office occasionally. Roll your eyes clockwise, then counterclockwise, to ease eye strain.
Blink, then rest your eyes occasionally. Keep your eyes closed and covered for one minute.
Safety Tips
Stay on the lookout for warning signs that your working conditions aren’t right.
Eyestrain and Headaches
Possible Causes: You may need new glasses or contacts. The computer screen is too bright, not bright enough, or incorrectly positioned. Glare or reflections are distracting. The lettering on the screen isn’t crisp enough.
Sore Hands, Wrists, Arms, or Shoulders
Possible Causes: You aren’t sitting properly. Make sure you have arm and wrist support. Raise or lower the keyboard
Safety Tips
Sore Back
Possible Causes: You’re slouching, or working in a chair that doesn’t give enough support. Try placing a rolled-up towel in the small of your back to ease the strain.
Numbness in your Legs and Feet
Possible Causes: The chair may be restricting blood circulation. Try using a footrest or a chair with a downward curving front edge.This computing position may lead
to a sore back!
Self-Test
Test your knowledge of Computer Ergonomics by choosing the correct answer for the next five multiple-choice questions.
1. Staring at a computer monitor that’s hard to see may cause:
A. Swollen Ankles
B. Headaches and Eyestrain
C. Indigestion
Click for answer
B. Headaches and Eyestrain
Self-Test
2. If you wear glasses, how far away should you position your monitor screen?
A. At least 5 feet from your body
B. At least 7 feet from your body
C. About as far away as you would hold a book while reading
Click for answer
C. About as far away as you would hold a book while reading
Self-Test
3. What position should your wrists and forearms be in while you type on your keyboard?
A. Bent down at a 45 degree angle
B. Straight and parallel to the floor
C. Bent up at a 45 degree angle
B. Straight and parallel to the floor
Click for answer
Self-Test
4. Your seat’s front edge should:
A. Be squared off
B. Rise higher than the back of the seat
C. Curve down
C. Curve down
Click for answer
Self-Test
5. Position your desk so that ceiling lights are:
A. Behind you
B. Off to the side
C. Directly overhead
B. Off to the side
Click for answer
