Laboratory of Ergonomics

Designing your own VDT Workstation with ErgoEASER 2.0

Instructions for laboratory course

Laboratory of Ergonomics 1

Popliteal heightTaken in a standing, straightened up position, measured from the ground to the knee-joint. You cannot take this measure correctly by yourself, please ask for assis-tance of a friend!

Eye height (seated)Taken in a seated, straightened up posi-tion, from the eye to the seat pan. You cannot take this measure correctly by your-self, please ask for assistance of a friend!

Elbow-to-ngertipTaken with arm, hand and ngers straightened in the same line, measured from the elbow to the tip of your longest nger.

Elbow rest heightTaken in a seated, straightened up posi-tion, with forearm hanging freely, mea-sured from the elbow to the seat pan. You cannot take this measure correctly by yourself, please ask for assistance of a friend!

Elbow-to-ElbowTaken in a standing, straightened up position, with upper arms hanging freely, measured from left to right elbow. You cannot take this measure correctly by your-self, please ask for assistance of a friend!

Buttock-to-poplitealTaken in a standing, straightened up position, measured from the sacrum (beginning of backbone) to the knee-joint. You cannot take this measure correctly by yourself, please ask for assistance of a friend!

Preparing for classes - taking measures.

Measuring yourself

Measuring your chair

BACK SUPPORT (IF ANY)

Height BSHMeasured from the seat pan to the center of lumbar support of the seat back.

Angle bsaMeasured from the vertical to a line through the seat back.

SEAT PAN

Height SPHMeasured from the oor to the top of the seat pan at least 10cm from the front, with the seat be-ing ompressed with at least 45kg weight.

Angle spaMeasured from the horizontal to the line through the surface of the seat.

Depth SPDMeasured from the front of the seat pan to the seat back.

ARM SUPPORT (IF ANY)

Height ASHMeasured from the top of the arm support to the top of the seat pan.

Width ASWMeasured from outside to out-side.

Depth APDMeasured from the front to the back edge of the arm rest.

Taking the neccessary measures of you and your current workspace is a required prerequisite for participating in this labo-ratory. Dont forget to do it AT HOME the day before or you will not be allowed to participate in the class!

Laboratory of Ergonomics 2

MOUSE

Height hMeasured from the oor surface to the top of the mouse.

Angle d Measured from the support sur-face of the mouse to horizontal.

Distance dMeasured from the back of the seat pan to the front edge of the mouse.

FOOT REST (INF ANY)

Height FRDMeasured from the oor surface to the top of the foot rest.

Angle fraAngle of the foot rest measured from the horizontal.

Depth FRHMeasured from the back of the seat pan to the front edge of the foot rest.

Measuring your inputs & displayKEYBOARD

Height hMeasured from the oor surface to the home row of the keyboard.

Angle d Measured between the tops of the keys and the horizontal.

Depth aMeasured from the back of the seat pan to the front edge of the foot rest.

Wrist Height whMeasured from bottom of the ketboard or surface to the top of the wrist support (0 if no wrist support available)

Wrist Height whMeasured from bottom of the mouse or surface to the top of the wrist support (0 if no wrist support available)

Home row of the keyboard is where the A, S, D, E etc. keys are.

DISPLAY

Height hMeasured from the oor surface to the top edge of the screen,

Angle d Angle of line straight out of the screen to horizontal

Distance dMeasured from the eyes in a comfortably seated position to the center of the screen.

Laboratory of Ergonomics 3

Start the ErgoEASER Software. 1.

Task A: Optimize your workspace to eliminate strains

Starting ErgoEASER and inputing your data1.

On the welcome screen, choose 2. Analytic Tools, and on the following screen choose VDT Worksta-tion.

On the next screen choose 3. Human tab. Make sure you have the4. Initial Values selected

Change selectrion from 5. Estimated Measures to Actual Measures

If neccessary, change the displayed units type from 6. English (inches) to Metric (centimeters) in Variables -> Units Menu

Laboratory of Ergonomics 4

Fill all the elds with your measures7. Fill the data in the same way for 8. Inputs, Display and Chair tabs.

Dont forget to select whether your chair has the 9. Back Support, Arm Support and the Foot Rest

Fill the 10. Job tab accordingly.

Once youre nished inputing data, make a screen-11. shot of each tabs content into a new Word document - this will be .

You can easily copy only the currently focused window to the clipboard by pressing Alt+Printscreen.

Laboratory of Ergonomics 5

Removing the strains2.

Please remember to keep track of your progress by providing additional screenshots in your report.Include as many screenshots as you feel neccessary.

Once Youve entered all the data, places of po-1. tential strains will be show on the right side of the window.

Investigate each strain by clicking on it - a popup with 2. strain description and possible solutions will appear.

Dont forget about the strains appearing at the top!3.

Laboratory of Ergonomics 6

Saving Your work3.

Having removed all the strains, please save your 1. work in a folder speci ed by your teacher by going to File -> Save Analysis As

Then go to File->Results2.

Then in the window opened choose 3. Write to File and save the report le to a folder speci ed by your teacher

Laboratory of Ergonomics 7

This is a draft of how your report for task A might look like.

Your Name, Grade Book number, Date and time of classes

Your initial values:

Steps taken to remove strains:

You may want to include notes under screenshots for better clarity, eg. I had to x the chair height again after adjusting the monitor height.

My results le is called MyName_DATE_TaskA.rptMy analysis le is called MyName_DATE_TaskA.vdt

Laboratory of Ergonomics 8

Task B: Optimize your workspace for 90% of the population

Starting ErgoEASER and inputing your data1.

Make sure you have the1. Initial Values selected Your task is to design your workspace so that it is suitable for 90% of the population.In order to do so, You have to design the workspace so that it is suitable for either Small Female (5. per-centile) and Large Male (95. percentile). Your task is therefore to optimize workspace rstly for Small Female, then for Large Male and to specify adjust-ment ranges neccassary (eg. seat height range) in your report. Try to use as little variables as possible (the fewer adjustments will need to be done, the better), but you may need to use the Foot Rest.

In the 2. Human tab, choose Small Female and make the neccessary adjustments to the work-place to remove all strains. Remember to switch to Revised Values!

Remember to include screenshots of your progress in 3. your report.

Since most of the steps are the same or similar as in Task A, only the differences are noted below

Once done, save your results in a le and switch 4. back to Initial Values and change the estimatedmeasures from Small Female to Large Man

While keeping in mind to use as little adjustments as 5. possible, remove all strains for the Large Male.Note the adjustments made in your records with screenshots and explanation.

Laboratory of Ergonomics 9

This is a draft of how your report for task B might look like.

Your Name, Grade Book number, Date and time of classes

Your initial values:

Steps taken to remove strains for Small Female:

Steps taken to remove strains for Large Male:

Comments for this step

Comments for this step

My results les are called MyName_DATE_TaskB_SmallFemale.rpt and MyName_DATE_TaskB_LargeMale.rptMy analysis les are called MyName_DATE_TaskB_SmallFemale.vdt and MyName_DATE_TaskB_LargeMale.vdt

This workspace needs to have the following adjustment ranges to be suitable for 90% of the population:

Seat Pan Height: from 50 to 75cmArm Support Height: from 20 to 35cmFoot Rest: from 0 to 10cmetc.

Please note that the values provided here are completely exemplary and are most likely wrong!