WORKPLACE AND LABORATORY
ERGONOMICS
Group WHS July 2015
INTRODUCTION
The following key objectives will be covered during thispresentation:
Explain the ergonomic hazards associated withlaboratories
Consider ergonomics in the set up of a work area in alaboratory environment.
Identify methods that help to prevent muscular stressassociated with working in a laboratory environment.
WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?
Simply put “ergonomics” is the design of our personal
work environment to ensure our health and safety whilst
not compromising productivity
The way we work effects our well being, discomfort can
often be avoided by making a few simple adjustments
All staff have a responsibility for their own health and
safety and should report any issues to their Manager or
WHS Representative
COMMON AREAS OF DISCOMFORT
Back discomfort
‒ Caused by poor posture, incorrect seat
height and/or workstation set up
Neck discomfort‒ Caused by poor posture, incorrect
monitor height, document positioningand/or workstation set up
Shoulder and arm discomfort‒ Caused by poor posture, incorrect seat
height, repetition and/or incorrectworkstation set up
Wrist and hand discomfort‒ Caused by repetition, poor posture,
and/or incorrect workstation set up
Headaches‒ Caused by visual fatigue, incorrect
monitor height and/or documentpositioning
FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO
DISCOMFORT
Repetitive movement
Sustained postures
Forceful movements
Work rate
Tight deadlines
The chances of injury are impacted by the duration
and frequency of movements
WORKSTATION SET UP
The ideal workstation set up is designed to minimise
stress on muscles
Good posture will assist in making you comfortable with
your tasks and avoid unnecessary injury
At the commencement of your shift ensure that you take
the necessary time to adjust your workstation to suit your
requirements
THE IDEAL SETTING
Does this
reflect your
current
workstation
setup?
REACH RANGES
• Place your keyboard directly infront of you aligned with yourcomputer screen. It should beclose to the edge of the desk toreduce reaching.
• The mouse should be alignedadjacent to the keyboard tokeep your hand and upper limbin as neutral position aspossible.
• The arm should be supportedby the desk with the wrist flat.
• Your most frequently useditems should be atapproximately forearm lengthwith lesser used items at afurther distance.
KEYBOARD POSITION
Place the keyboard directly in front of you at
a comfortable distance
Arms should be aligned close to the body
with elbows at approximately 90 degrees
Wrists should be in neutral position
with fingers curved whilst keying
Where possible the rear feet of the
keyboard should be lowered to
minimise the height & angle of the
keyboard thus reducing the stress
on shoulders and wrists
Correct placement of the keyboard is essential to reduce the need for
twisting or rotating the body when in use
MOUSE SET UP
The distance to reach and operate a mouse
should be as minimal as possible
Place the mouse immediately beside the
keyboard
Keep the hand and upper limb in as neutral
position as possible during use
Support the weight of the arm with the desk,
keeping the wrist flat
Try and switch the hand used to operate the
mouse as this can prevent discomfort over long
periods of use
FOCUS ON MONITORS
Monitors should be raised above
desk height to reduce postural
strain on neck muscles
Monitors should be positioned
directly opposite your body,
approximately one full arms
length away from yourself in a
sitting position
The top of the monitor should
ideally be in line with your
horizontal eye level or just below
The centre of the screen should
be at an angle of about 20
degrees
VISUAL FATIGUE
Computer use does not cause long term eye damage, however
extended use may cause visual fatigue leading to headaches and
dry eyes
It is also important to take measures to prevent glare, shadow and
reflection caused by external sources of light as these can
contribute to eye strain
SOLUTION
Every ½ hour look away from the monitor and stare at a distant
object for 10 - 20 seconds
This allows your eyes to refocus and relax
Control natural light from windows through the use of curtains,
blinds or window tinting
Use anti-glare screen filters (where available)
ACCESSORIES
Laptop stand to elevate the monitor
to eye level
A separate keyboard & mouse
are essential for extended use!
Monitor stand to elevate the
top of the monitor to eye level
Manually adjust height of
monitor
ACCESSORIES (CONTINUED)
Document holder to store
hardcopy data in front of the
operator preventing neck strain
Please contact your supervisor to assist
you with determining the need for
further accessories. A risk assessment
may need to be conducted.
CHAIR ADJUSTMENT –
LOW BENCHES
Chair should be height adjustable with a curved
front edge to minimise pressure on the
underside of the thighs
Chair height should be set so that the thighs are
approximately horizontal and the feet rest
comfortably on the floor or footstool
The bench or desk should be at approximately
elbow height in the seated position to allow the
shoulders to be maintained in a relaxed position
Chairs should have a supportive backrest that is
adjustable in height and angle
The back of the chair should be adjusted to
support the curve of your lower back
Swivel functions help keep the body aligned and
minimise twisting of the body
Adjusts
chair height
Adjusts
backrest
angle
Adjusts
lumber
height
THE LABORATORY STOOL
Chairs for working at higher laboratorybenches should have the followingadjustments:
Pneumatic height adjustment
Adjustable lumbar support
Adjustable foot ring
Adjustable seat pan depth (preferred)
Swivel function to keep the body alignedto minimise twisting
Where possible a suitable footrest shouldbe used to support the feet and legs
ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO ADJUST YOUR CHAIR !
AT THE MICROSCOPE
Adjust your chair height to suit the desk being used
Position yourself in front of the microscope making sure thereis no obstruction under the workstation
Adjust the height of the microscope and pull the microscopetowards the edge of the workstation to maintain uprightposture
Use forearm rests to support forearms whilst using adjustmentknobs alternate hands to relieve fatigue and strain
Where forearm rests are not available ensure arms are flatand well supported by the workbench. Do not rest arms onedge of workbench
Take frequent stretch breaks and rotate tasks as often aspossible
AT THE MICROSCOPE – BASIC
PRINCIPLES Raise bench or microscope to ensure
oculars are level with your eyes
Move microscope to ensure oculars are
over the front edge of bench
Upright posture with major joints at
near-right angles
Forearms supported, not under long
periods of static load
Wrists straight, hands in “hand–shake”
position
Feet comfortably supported by floor or
footrest
20O
10O
AT THE MICROSCOPE (CONTINUED)
Improving your set up means you can go from
Frazzled Comfortable
PIPETTING
Perform work only at appropriate heights
Alter repetitive pipetting by performing other tasks, or
take frequent small rest breaks every 20 minutes
Be sure to work with wrists in neutral positions (straight)
Use short pipettes and waste receptacles for used tips,
to reduce reaching
Replace manually operated pipettes with electronic ones
for larger workloads
BIOHAZARD CABINETS / FUME HOODS
To prevent extended reaching, place materials as close
as possible to the front edge of cabinet
Use an anti-fatigue mat and footrest to reduce muscle,
joint, and spinal fatigue
Take short breaks to alter repetitive forearm and wrist
motion
Reduce eye strain and awkward posture by keeping
viewing window of hood/cabinet clean, and line of sight
unobstructed
MICROTOMY
Reduce force when operating hand wheel
Adjust the feed wheel position to reduce stress
Microtome may be rotated on bench to achieve optimum
comfort for rotation of wheel
Rotate tasks and take frequent short breaks
Use a fully adjustable ergo-task chair or stool with built-in
solid foot rest
Avoid wrists and forearms contact pressure
SENSIBLE WORK PRACTICES
When you are busy, it’s easy to forget the importance of
correct posture and movements
Here are some tips to remember:
‒ Pace yourself to avoid rushing
‒ Rotate your job task to avoid strain on muscles
‒ Select smaller bundles of work to break up tasks
‒ Take regular rest / stretch breaks
‒ Relax the eyes and stretch the muscles
‒ Take meal breaks at allotted times
IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE PLEASE SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER OR HSR
EXERCISES AT WORK
Take care of your body!
Incorporate exercise
into your daily regimen
Stretch before and during the
work day!
If you have a pre-existing
injury please consult your
practitioner prior to doing any
exercises or stretching
HEAD AND NECK EXERCISES
Move head sideways from left to right hold for 3 seconds
and back to the left and hold for 3 seconds
Move head backwards and then forward
WORKSTATION STRETCHES
Sitting for long periods in laboratory often cause neckand shoulder stiffness and occasionally lower backpain
Do some of these stretches every hour throughout theday
Also be sure to get up and walk around the labwhenever you think of it.
WORKSTATION STRETCHES (CONTINUED)
ERGONOMICS AND WORKSTATION
SETUP
Set up your workstation to suit you
Adjust your seat correctly‒ Adjust the seat height to ensure your elbows are above your
desk
Keep the most frequently used objects close to you
Vary your tasks as much as possible
Take regular short rest breaks
Stretch whenever you have the opportunity
Report any concerns to your manager immediately
SUMMARY
Workstation set up
At the microscope – basic principles
Chair adjustment – low benches
Laboratory Chairs – high benches
Pipetting
Biohazard cabinets / fume hoods
Microtomy
Sensible work practices
Workstation stretches
ASSESSMENT
Use the information in this presentation to
ergonomically set up your laboratory workstation
Please complete the quiz associated with this
module
Your Manager will advise you of any areas for
improvement
Further advice can be obtained from the Group
WHS team or your WHS State Manager