Arranging Your Workstation to Fit You

Arranging Your Workstation to Fit You

Are You Comfortable at Your Workstation? You may not know it, but working at your computer can take a toll on your body. It can cause sore muscles, headaches, eyestrain, tension, and fatigue. That s the bad news. The good news is you can do something about it. Begin by asking yourself, Am I really comfortable? Not really, but I m tall. I always have this problem. Sure. But my neck and shoulders often feel stiff after work. I guess so. But looking at the screen all day makes my eyes tired. 2

Ergonomics: The Key to Comfort and Safety Ergonomics is the science of arranging your workstation to fit you and your body. These six easy steps can help you assess your workstation and make simple adjustments to improve your comfort and safety on the job. S T E P 1 S T E P 2 S T E P 3 S T E P 4 S T E P 5 S T E P 6 Test Your E.Q. (Ergonomics Quotient) Your ergonomics quotient how comfortable you are at your workstation lets you know if you need to make changes. (See page 4.) Adjust Your Chair You spend most of your day sitting. So, your chair affects your comfort more than anything else in your workstation. (See page 6.) Reorganize Your Workstation A well-organized and properly adjusted workstation can improve your efficiency. It can also help prevent muscle strain. (See page 8.) Check the Lighting Adjusting your lighting to reduce glare may help you avoid headaches and eyestrain. (See page 10.) Live a Healthy Lifestyle Getting regular exercise and enough sleep may help you feel better and work more comfortably. (See page 12.) Put Your E.Q. to Work Once you know how to make your own workstation comfortable and safe, try to help someone else improve his or her E.Q. (See page 14.) 3

S T E P 1 Test Your E.Q. (Ergonomics Quotient) Take the E.Q. test below to find out how comfortable you really are. If your E.Q. is low, don t despair. This workbook will show you how to make yourself more comfortable. If your E.Q. is high, then chances are things in your workstation are already adjusted to fit you. Read on to find out how to keep it that way. E.Q. TEST Are your eyes really tired at the end of the day? You may need to adjust your monitor or lighting. (See pages 8, 10, and 11.) YES NO Are your neck and shoulders often stiff and sore? Your chair height, monitor, or keyboard may need adjusting. (See pages 7, 8, and 9.) YES NO Do you ever feel pain or discomfort in your back while working at your computer? You might need to adjust your backrest or sitting posture. (See page 6.) YES NO Do you feel tingling, numbness, or pain in your forearms, wrists, or hands? Your chair height or keyboard may need adjusting. (See pages 7 and 9.) YES NO Does your body feel tired, achy, or stiff at the end of the day? You may need to take more frequent stretch breaks. (See page 13.) YES NO Are your legs often stiff and cramped? Your chair height might need adjusting. (See page 7.) YES NO 4

Low E.Q. If you answered YES to even one of the questions on the E.Q. test, your workstation may look like the one below. That means you re most likely less comfortable than you could be. The simple adjustments and exercises on the following pages can help. Did You Pass the Test? High E.Q. If you answered NO to all of the questions on the test, your workstation may look a lot like this one. Congratulations. You ve got a high E.Q. Reading the rest of this book will help you find out how to keep it high. Try to recheck your E.Q. every few months. Head and neck tilted Head and neck upright Monitor at wrong height Monitor at correct height and distance Forearms not parallel to the floor Forearms parallel to the floor Keyboard at wrong height Lower back not supported Lower back supported Keyboard at a comfortable height Chair at wrong height Chair at correct height Feet not flat on floor Feet flat on floor or on footrest 5

S T E P 2 Adjust Your Chair Because you spend most of your day sitting, your chair is your body s main support. A well-adjusted chair improves your circulation. It also helps prevent backaches and fatigue. You can increase your comfort by adjusting the chair s backrest position and height to fit your body. Backrest A well-adjusted backrest reduces pressure on your spine. It also supports your lower back. Sit at your workstation, leaning back slightly with your back firmly against the chair. The backrest should fit snugly against your lower back. If it doesn t, adjust the backrest until your lower back is fully supported. If you can t adjust the backrest, use a rolledup towel or removable back-support cushion to provide temporary support. 6

Chair Height The right chair height helps relieve cramping and stiffness in your legs. It also helps prevent tension in your neck and shoulders. Arm Position Place your fingers on the keyboard s middle row of letters. Your upper arms should hang comfortably at your sides. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor. If they are not, adjust your chair height until your forearms are parallel to the floor. Leg Position Keep your knees slightly below the level of your hips. It may help to slide your feet forward until your knees are at a 90- to 110-degree angle. 90 o 110 o Your feet should rest firmly on the floor. There should be 3 to 6 inches of legroom between your lap and desk or keyboard tray. If you have less than 3 inches of legroom, try to raise your desk or keyboard tray height. If you can t adjust your chair height and your feet don t reach the floor, use something as a footrest. If you re wearing flat shoes, a level surface works best. If you re wearing heels, a slanted surface is better. For forearms, see keyboard adjustments on page 9. 7

S T E P 3 most Reorganize Your Workstation Is your workstation arranged so you can work efficiently? That means having your monitor, keyboard, mouse, and workstation tools such as your telephone and document holder well placed. When they are, you ll feel better and likely get more done. Monitor Having your monitor at the correct height and viewing distance can reduce eyestrain. It can also lessen muscle tension in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Screen Height Sit with your lower back supported and feet firmly on the floor or footrest. Hold your head upright and look straight at the screen. The top of your screen should be at or slightly below eye level. If it isn t, ask someone to help you raise or lower your monitor. Place it at a viewing height that allows you to keep your head upright. Screen Distance Now, measure the dis tance from your eyes to the screen. For most people, the screen should be 18 to 30 inches from your eyes, or at about arm s length. If it isn t, get help moving your monitor to the desired distance. 18 30 inches If you can t adjust your screen height, have a stand or board placed beneath your monitor. 8

Keyboard The proper keyboard height can help keep you from bending your wrists while typing. This improves the comfort of your hands, wrists, and forearms, and helps you avoid injury. So does keeping the mouse and mousepad next to the keyboard. Hand Position Place your fingers on the keyboard s middle row of letters. Your wrists should be straight and relaxed. If they aren t, adjust your keyboard height up or down until your wrists are straight. If the keyboard is too low, put a pad of paper under it. If your wrists are still not straight, readjust your chair height. Make sure your feet remain on the floor or footrest. (See page 7.) Wrist rests may be used to rest your hands when you are not actively keying (typing). Wrist rest Workstation Tools Arrange your tools so the things you use most are within easy reach. The things you don t use often can be farther away. Place your document holder at the same height and distance as your screen. If you use the telephone a lot, think about using a headset. 9

S T E P 4 Outside Light Controlling light from windows will help you reduce glare on your screen. So will adjusting the angle of your monitor. Window Coverings While sitting at your workstation, look at your screen. It should be free of glare from light coming through outside windows. If it isn t, close the blinds or pull the shades to reduce glare. Know that you may need to adjust window coverings as the sun shifts during the day. Check the Lighting Glare is the reflection off your screen that makes it hard to see the screen clearly. Glare can be caused by sunlight on your screen. Or it may be caused by inside light, such as overhead and task lamps. Simple changes can help you lessen glare and reduce strain on your eyes. Adjusting your screen s contrast and brightness can also improve viewing comfort. Try tilting or swiveling the monitor to reduce glare. Or, have someone help you move your monitor until it is at a right angle to the window. 10

Inside Light Controlling light from ceiling lights and task lamps can also help reduce glare on your screen. Overhead Light While sitting at your workstation, look at your screen. It should be free of glare from ceiling lights. If it isn t, tilt or swivel the monitor so the light doesn t shine on your screen. Antiglare filters for your screen may also help. Talk to your supervisor about other ways to reduce glare from ceiling lights. Task Light If you use a task lamp, turn it on and look at your screen. If it causes glare on your screen, adjust the angle of your task lamp. Aim the light at the task, not the screen. Light from Your Computer To help improve viewing comfort, you may also need to fine-tune your monitor s contrast and brightness. Adjust both contrast and brightness. This gives you the most brightness without blurring. You might want to make other adjustments, too, such as changing the font sizes or color scheme. Brightness Contrast What About Glasses? Uncorrected vision problems can cause eyestrain. If your eyes are often tired and uncomfortable, see your eye doctor. Be sure to mention the kind of work you do and how far away your screen is. Also point out any other activities you do that may be tough on your eyes. 11

S T E P 5 Eat Right and Exercise Eat right and stay in shape. This will help you feel better and have more energy. Cut down on fatty foods such as whole-milk products and fatty cuts of meat. Eat more high-fiber foods. These include fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products. Join an exercise class or take a walk most days of the week to improve your circulation. Rest and Reduce Stress To feel more relaxed and alert on the job, reduce stress and get plenty of sleep. To reduce stress, do something you enjoy each day. Read a book, take a leisurely walk, or do some other relaxing activity. Try getting about 8 hours of sleep at night. Soft music at bedtime may help. Use Good Ergonomics at Home Whether you re watching television, working at your home computer, or doing some other activity, always use good ergonomics. Always remember to adjust your chair, reduce glare, and arrange things so that what you need is within easy reach. Live a Healthy Lifestyle Having a healthy lifestyle can improve your well-being and comfort on and off the job. So, along with the changes you ve made at work, make sure you are eating right and getting enough exercise and rest. 12

Take Microbreaks Throughout the day, adjust your sitting posture and take 30-second microbreaks at your workstation. The exercises on this page can help energize your body and relieve muscle tension. Palm Your Eyes Lean your elbows on your desk. Cup your hands and place them lightly over your closed eyes. Hold for 1 minute while breathing deeply in and out. Slowly uncover your eyes. Squeeze Your Shoulders Put your hands up, with forearms raised. Push your arms back, squeezing your shoulder blades. Hold for a few seconds. Relax and repeat 3 times. Shake Your Arms Drop your arms and hands to your sides. Shake them out gently for a few seconds. Relax and repeat 3 times. 13

S T E P 6 Put Your E.Q. to Work Now that you know how to make your workstation comfortable and safe, let s see if you can help these people. Some of them have a very low E.Q.! List the ergonomic adjustments you would make in each of the workstations below. A B ANSWERS: Screen too low Wrists not straight Needs document holder ANSWERS: Glare on screen Wrists not straight Screen too low 14

C ANSWERS: Upper and lower back not supported Feet not flat on floor Chair too low? Increase Your E.Q. Take one more look at your workstation. List any adjustments you still need to make, then go ahead and make them. Chair: Monitor: Keyboard: Workstation Tools: Lighting: 15

In Control of Your Comfort If you ve made the changes suggested in this workbook, you should feel great. You know that your workstation is arranged to meet your body s needs. Understanding ergonomics puts you in control of your comfort. And using good ergonomics will help you feel better and have more energy for things you enjoy. Content in this publication has been customized for State Fund. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or your employer s specific health and safety instruction or policies. 2013 Krames StayWell, LLC. www.kramesstaywell.com 800-333-3032 All rights reserved. Made in the USA. 1448 17953 1306