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ComputeruseisaroutinepartofmanyColbyemployees’workday.Ifyouworkonacomputerinapoorlysetupworkstationformorethanfourhours,youareatagreaterriskfordevelopingpainoraninjury.

Topreventthis,improveproductivityandyouroverallcomfort,therearesomesimplestepsyoucantaketoevaluateandarrangeyourworkstation.

ThefollowingSafetyTalkwillintroducesomebasicofficeergonomicsconceptsandshouldbereviewedbyallemployeeswhoworkatacomputerforatleasthalfoftheworkday.

Ergonomics isathattermwe'rehearingmoreandmoreoften.Whatdoesitmean?Ingeneralterms,ergonomicsisthestudyoffittingthejobtotheworkerratherthantheworkertothejob.Inrelationtocomputeruse,Colby’sgoalistoprovidetherightequipmentandteachyoutoadjustyourworkstationtobeergonomicallycorrectwithaslittlephysicalstrainaspossible.

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Injuryconcernsrelatedtoworkstationsetupfocusoncumulativetraumadisorders(CTDs)ormusculoskeletaldisorderssuchascarpaltunnelsyndrome,painintheneckandback,headaches,generaltension,dizzinessand,eyestrain.Let'stakealookatsomethingsyoucandotoavoidoralleviatethesetypesofproblems.

CHAIR:Chairsetupisthefirstandmostcriticalpartofworkstationergonomics.q Setchairheightsoyourfeetrestcomfortablyonthefloorq Seatpanandbackmustbesizedtofityouq Goodlumbarsupportinthesmalloftheback,relaxedshouldersq Adjustarmrestslightlyforwardofhipsandinclosetoyourbody(orremove)

KEYBOARDANDMOUSE:Properpositionisessentialforpreventingwristarmandshoulderpain.

q Positionkeyboardslightlybelowelbowheightq Closeenoughthatyourelbowsarejustpastyourhipsq Mouseparalleltokeyboard

MONITOR/REFERENCEMATERIALS:Incorrectmonitorplacementcanleadtoneckpainandeyestrain.

q Positionmonitor900 infrontofyourchair

q Topofscreenateyelevelorslightlybelow

q Monitorshouldbeapproximatelyanarmslengthaway

q Duelmonitorsshouldbethesameandpositionednexttoeachother

q Positionreferencematerialsasclosetothemonitoraspossibleandatthesameheight(useadocumentholder)

q Closeenoughthatyourelbowsarejustpastyourhips

q Mouseparalleltokeyboard

.EYESTRAIN:Computer-relatedeyestrainisalsoverycommonandcancauseheadachesandfatigue.Eyestrainiscausedprimarilybyimproperlightinginyourworkstation.Takethefollowingstepstoimprovelightinginyourworkstation:

q Positionyourselfandyourcomputertoeliminateorminimizeglareonyourscreen.

q Nevershinealampdirectlyontothescreenq Ifyouworknearawindow,adjusttheblindsor

shadestoimprovethelightingandcuttheglareq Placethecomputeratrightanglestothewindowq Anglethedisplayscreentoavoidblacklight glareq Movebrightobjectsawayfromyourterminalq Adjustthebrightnessandcontrastonthescreenq Giveyoureyesbreaks,takingyoureyesofthedisplayscreenandfocusingona

farawayobjectforafewseconds(20feetfor20seconds)

WORKHABITCHANGES:Asimportantasyourworkstationsetup,workhabitscandramaticallyeffectyourchanceofgettinginjured.Incorporatethefollowing“goodhabits”:

q Changeyourpositionfrequentlyduringthecourseoftheworkdayq UseAltfunctionasmuchaspossibletoreducemouseuseq Useaheadsetifyouareonthecomputerandphoneatthesametimeq Standtoreachitemsnearoraboveyourdeskq Squatandusegoodliftingtechniqueswhenremovingitemsfrombottomshelvesor

drawersq Makephysicalfitnesspartofyourday.Getawayfromyourworkstationduringdown

timesandbeactive.Trytakingawalkatlunch.

.SAFELAPTOPUSE:Highlyportable,alaptopscompactdesign,withattachedscreenandkeyboard,forceslaptopusersintoawkwardpostures.Whenthescreenisattherightheight,thekeyboardpositionistoohigh;andwhenthekeyboardisattherightheight,thescreenistoolow.

Laptopsposelessriskwhenusedforshortperiodsoftime,butnowadays,manypeopleuselaptopsastheirmaincomputer.Thiscreatesanongoingtradeoffbetweenpoorneck/headpostureandpoorhand/wristposture.

q Maintainaneutralneckposturebyplacingthetopofthescreenatabouteyelevelq Usealaptopstandorplaceyourlaptoponastablesupportsurface,suchas

monitorrisers,reamsofpaper,orphonebookssothatthescreenheightcanbeadjusted.

q Attacharegularsize,externalkeyboardmousetothelaptop,andplacethemonanadjustablekeyboardtrayordesk.Thekeyboardandmouseshouldbepositionedatorslightlybelowelbowheight.

q Useadockingstationwheneverpossibletomorecloselyresembleastandarddesktopworkstationwhereinputdevicescanbeattached.

WORKINGFROMHOME:Covid-19hasforcedmanyemployeestoworkremotely.Thesameworkstationprinciplesstillapply.Inaddition,utilizethefollowingsafetymeasuresasmuchaspossible:

q Usdedicatedhomeofficespacewheneverpossible.Thisspaceshouldmeetthebasicergonomicrequirementsofanyotherworkspace

q Yourofficeshouldbeequippedwithadesk,adjustableofficechair,anddesktopcomputer

q Ifnotinadedicatedofficespace,orusingalaptopastheprimarycomputer,thelaptopshouldbeelevatedtopositionthescreenateyelevel….Morebelow

BYTHENUMBERS:675,000 Thenumberofcomputerworkstations

inuseacrosstheUSin197650Million Currentestimateofnumberof

computerworkstationsinuseinUS11% Averageincreaseinproductivitydue

toergonomicworkplacedesign

ThisSafetyTalkonlybrieflyaddressessomeoftheconceptsandpotentialactionsyoucantaketoassessandcorrectyourofficeworkstation.AdditionalinformationalmaterialcanbeaccessedbyfollowingthelinksbeloworbycontactingColby’sEHSDirector:

Ø OfficeErgonomicsTraining: AninteractivepresentationdesignedbyTravelersInsurancetohelpindividualsselfevaluateandrecognizeissueswiththeirworkstation.q https://moodle.colby.edu/course/view.php?id=5324

Ø SafetyWorksMaineVideoDisplayTerminal(VDT)LawandTrainingProgrampresentation:79slidesonMaine’sVDT,properworkstationsetup,andcorrectiveactions.q http://www.safetyworksmaine.com/training/online_classes/vdt/VDT-

Main.htm

Ø WorkplaceErgonomicsReferenceGuide: Checklistsandstrategiestorecognizeandpreventworkstationrelatedinjuries.q http://www.colby.edu/humanresources/wp-

content/uploads/sites/170/2015/10/CAP_Ergo_Guide.pdf