How to Address Safety Concern for Computer Ergonomics

ergonomic computer workstation

There are many safety concerns that employers have for computer ergonomics. Whether in the home or at the office there are certain things that should be in place in order to have an ergonomic computer workstation which will prevent injury. The following steps will walk you through identifying areas of concern in order to set up an ergonomic computer workstation.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Check the chair. The chair should be adjusted in a way that the arms of the individual rest comfortably at the sides while the hands rest on the keyboard. Feet should be flat on the floor with knees at about a ninety degree angle. The elbows should also be approximately ninety degrees. If this is not the case, then adjustments need to be made to the height of the chair or the arms of the chair in order to correct the problem in the ergonomic computer workstation.

2. Check the desk for ergonomic workspace issues. The desk should be arranged so that all items on it are within easy reach of the person at the desk. At no time should the user be required to lean forward to retrieve any items on the desk that are commonly used. Also, the desk should be at a height that is appropriate to the chair height. If the chair is adjusted properly then you may need to adjust the height of the desk in order to get the elbows at the right angle.

3. Check the phone in the ergonomic computer workstation. The phone should be within easy reach. It should be placed on an angle to as not to cause wrist strain while being used. If the phone is used a lot throughout the day it may be best to use an auto-answer phone with a headset so that the phone does not need to be used as much with the hands. Also make sure that easy adjustments can be made to the volume to prevent damage to the eardrums either from being too loud or from ear strain if it is too quiet.

4. Check the monitor. The monitor should be appropriately sized so that the ergonomic computer workstation user does not need to turn the head to see all areas of the monitor. If the ergonomic computer workstation has two monitors, one should be placed appropriately and used as the primary monitor. The other should be placed in close proximity so that minimal movement is required in order to view the screen. In addition, the text on the monitor should be of appropriate size and color that it prevents eye strain to the user. Consider changing the screen resolution if necessary.

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