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