Ergonomics in Computer work stations
Siyananthan.A E/04/283 Department of mechanical engineering
Software Development process
v Project Management v
!"ine"" Mo#eling
v $e%!irement" analy"i" v Sy"tem analy&ing an# De"ign v 'mplementation v (e"ting v Environment v Deployment
Ergonomics
)hat i" Ergonomic"* Ergonomic" i" a "cience concerne# +ith the
,fit -et+een people an# their +or.. 't ta.e acco!nt of the +[Link]/" capa-ilitie" an# limitation" . So )ho are the people involve +ith "oft+are Development proce""*
v Sy"tem analy&er v Soft+are Engineer v 0"er 'nterface #e"igner v Project manager v Sy"tem !"er
(he"e people "pen# lot of time +ith comp!ter.
So Ergonomic" involve ho+ to han#le comp!ter an# other acce""orie".
Computer and accessories
v Monitor v 1ey-oar# v Mo!"e v Doc!ment" v De". v 2hair v Phone v 3ighting
Monitor
v 2hoo"ing the right location for yo!r comp!ter monitor on the #e". or +or."pace can -e a #iffic!lt #eci"ion. 4et if not po"itione# correctly5 yo!r monitor can ca!"e nec. pain5 "ho!l#er pain5 or even eye "train. v So #etermine the i#eal ergonomic po"ition for yo!r monitor i" very important.
Setup and Positionig
v Center Your Monitor v Sit Arms' Length Awa
v Position the top of our screen level with our e es! v "ilt our monitor slightl upward! v #eware of our windows
Setup and positioning$$
v #alance the %rightness of our
monitor and its surroundings!
v Ad&ust our font si'e and color!
v (educe glare! v Consider a swivel arm!
)ealth monitor usage
v *ollow the +,-+,-+, (ule
'f yo! ten# to +or. on yo!r comp!ter for prolonge# perio#" of time5 -e "!re to ta.e a 20 "econ# -rea. every 20 min!te" an# loo. at lea"t 20 feet a+ay. (hi" give" yo!r" eye" a -rea. an# chance to a#j!"t foc!"6a great +ay to avoi# vi"!al fatig!e.
v .eep a clean screen
.e %oard
v it/" "o important 6 even if yo!/re
not c!rrently feeling pain to po"ition an# !"e yo!r .ey-oar# properly to avoi# f!t!re pro-lem".
v once pre"ent5 can -e #iffic!lt or
even impo""i-le to rever"e.
Setup and Positioning
v /f ou don't currentl use an ad&usta%le
ke %oard-mouse tra 0 consider attaching one to our surface!
v Make sure the height of our ke %oard
allows ou to keep an 1open angle1 with our arms!
v /f our ke %oard is lower than the desk
surface0 tilt the %ack edge of the ke %oard slightl down 2known as 1negative ke %oard tilt13!
Setup and positioning$!!
v /f ou use a ke %oard tra 0 make sure
there's enough room for our mouse!
v /f ou have a %road chest0 consider a
1split1 ke %oard!
)ealth ke %oard usage
v 4se a light touch when t ping 2don't %ang
on the ke %oard53!
v .eep our wrists in a neutral 2straight3
position6not %ent up or down!
v .eep sure our el%ows at a slightl open
angle78,9 or greater!
v .eep our shoulders rela:ed0 and our
el%ows at our side!
v Don't use wrist rests or armrests while
t ping7onl while resting!
v Sta centered on the lettered part of the
ke %oard!
v Consider using a voice recognition
software program!
v Consider using ke %oard shortcuts or
macros to repeat common tasks!
Mouse setup and positioning
v Place our mouse close to our ke %oard
and within eas reach!
v Consider a mouse tra to help keep our
mouse near our ke %oard!
v Ad&ust our mouse-track%all's software
controls!
v Consider using a different input device to
reduce repetitive arm motions!
v Make sure ou're using the right si'e
pointing device!
Mouse health usage
v 4se our el%ow7not our wrist7to move
the mouse !
v Limit the amount ou use our tracking
device!
v 4se ke %oard shortcuts! v /f ou surf the we% or edit long
documents0 consider a mouse with a scroll wheel!
v Don't click too hard5! v Make sure ou're holding our mouse
correctl !
v "r using our other hand to operate the
mouse!
v /f ou use a track%all0 consider placing
padding or a rest under our el%ow!
Documents
v Do yo! +or. from or rea# paper
#oc!ment" +hile !"ing yo!r comp!ter* 'f yo! #o5 po"itioning them properly i" an important +ay to avoi# nec. an# "ho!l#er pain.
v 4o!r hea# an# nec. "ho!l# not
-e t+i"te# or -ent +hile yo! are +[Link] .
Setup and positioning
v Don't put the documents flat on our desk
or work surface while working with them!
v 4se a cop holder0 or place the documents
as close as possi%le to the computer screen 7 at a%out the same distance and level as our monitor!
v Make sure ou have enough light to see
our documents clearl !
Desk
v 4o!r #e". i" a critical component of yo!r
+or."tation.
v 't "!pport" ta"." 7+riting85 a-ove6"!rface
e%!ipment 7comp!ter monitor5 phone5 etc.85 an# -elo+6"!rface e%!ipment [Link]-oar# tray "y"tem or 2P0 hol#er8.
v (he height an# layo!t of yo!r +or. "!rface
play an important role in yo!r +or. po"t!re an# efficiency.
v A goo# ergonomic arrangement i" one that
+ill allo+ yo! to +or. mo"t efficiently in a goo# po"t!re.
Setup and positioning
v 4sing a fi:ed height desk; v 4sing a fi:ed height work surface;
2it/" pro-a-ly -et+een 2896309 a-ove the floor8.
v 4sing an ad&usta%le height work surface;! v Positioning our Desk!
2(ry to arrange the #e". "o that yo! have "pace on either "i#e of it an# ea"y acce"" to the rear for ca-le" to connect yo!r comp!ter.8
)ealth desk usage
v *irst
2+hen yo! are "itting comforta-ly5 p!ll !p to the e#ge of yo!r +or. "!rface an# loo. "traight ahea#.8
v <e:t
2reach each arm o!t to the "i#e of yo!r -o#y an# move them from thi" po"ition !ntil the han#" meet at the center of yo!r -o#y in front of yo!.8
v "hen
2rela: yo!r !pper arm" #o+n to the "i#e of yo!r -o#y8
Chair setup and positioning
v E:pert" agree that yo!r chair i" perhap" the
"ingle mo"t important component of a healthy +[Link] environment.
v 4o! "ho!l# -e a-le to "it comforta-ly in the
chair5 !"ing a" m!ch of the chair -ac. a" po""i-le for "!pport.
v (he l!m-ar "!pport "ho!l# fit comforta-ly
into the c!rve of yo!r lo+er -ac.5 an# yo!r feet "ho!l# -e flat on the gro!n# 7!"e a footre"t if nece""ary8.
v (he "eat pan 7i.e. the part on +hich yo! "it8
"ho!l# -e an appropriate "i&e that allo+" at lea"t one inch -et+een yo!r leg" an# either "i#e of the chair5 an# "!pport" yo!r leg" +itho!t applying pre""!re to the -ac. of yo!r .nee".
Chair setup
v Ad&usta%le Chair=
>! Ad&ust the Chair )eight +! Sit #ack in the Chair ?! Ad&ust the (ecline @! Ad&ust the Seat Pan A! Ad&ust the Armrest
B! Clear C%stacles
v <on Ad&usta%le ChairD
2 the following have to %e considered3 >! /f ou sit low +! /f ou sit too high ?! /f our seat pan is too deep
)ealth chair setup
v .eep open angles! v .eep thighs parallel with the floor! v (ecline slightl ! v Avoid pressure points! v (est our feet flat on the floor! v Move Around!
Phone setup and positioning
v Mo"t people are "!rpri"e# to learn that
mi"!"ing the telephone can lea# to "ho!l#er an# nec. pain.
v 4se a phone with the right set of features! v Learn proper phone position! v Consider using a headset! v Consider using a speakerphone!
Lighting
v A cr!cial component to "etting !p
yo!r +or."tation i" yo!r lighting5 +hich can -e a""ociate# +ith vi"ion pro-lem" 7eye"train5 #ry eye"5 itchy/irritate# eye"85 health pro-lem"5 an# re#!ce# +or. performance. 2omp!ter +or. can -e partic!larly vi"!ally #eman#ing.
Lighting setup
v "he am%ient lighting ou use should %e
low or glare free!
v "he task lighting ou choose can %e used
to provide supplemental light for paper documents!
v Your light level should %e appropriate for
our tasks !
v 4se %linds or drapes to control the light
from windows!
v *luorescent lighting is prefera%le to other
t pes of office lighting!
v All of the lamps in our light fi:tures
should have the same color temperature!
v "he lamps in our light fi:tures should
compliment our home office colors!
v Cptimi'e the color of our room!
)ealth light setup
v /nadeEuate lighting levels! v Direct glare from light fi:tures ! v (eflected glare on computer screens! v Feiling glare!
v )arsh lighting and shadows!
Causes of Discomfort
v ;ea# v Eye" v <ec. v Sho!l#er" v han#"
)ead
v Your monitor is too low! v Glare or reflection on our screen is
causing e estrain!
v Your monitor is too close!
v "here's inadeEuate lighting or too much
lighting !
v You've %een working too long without
resting our e es!
v Your font si'e is too small! v "here's poor contrast on our screen0 or
the refresh rate is too low!
E es
v You're sitting too close to our monitor! v You've %een working too long without
resting our e es!
v You're not %linking often enough ! v You wear glasses or contacts0 and the
prescription is out of date!
v "here's inadeEuate lighting or possi%l
too much lighting!
v "here's poor contrast on our screen0 or
the refresh rate is too low !
<eck
v You're cradling the telephone %etween
our head and our shoulder!
v "he documents ou're working from are
too low 2or too far to the side3!
v Your monitor's not at the right height0 or
is too far to the side
v Your chair is too far awa from our
ke %oard 2or the %ack of the chair is tilted too far %ack3!
v You wear %ifocals0 and are tilting our
head too far %ack!
v You're leaning forward to view the
screen !
Shoulders
v Your mouse is too high0 to the side0 or too
far awa !
v Your ke %oard is too low-high-far awa ! v You're not maintaining good posture! v You're reaching too far to pick up or dial
our phone !
v You're leaning forward to view the screen!
)ands
v You're t ping or ke ing too long without a
%reak!
v You're gripping our pencil or pointing
device too tightl !
v "here's pressure on our wrist or palms! v You're operating a track%all with onl
thum%! our
v You're e:tensivel clicking our mouse ! v You're t ping e:tensivel at a >,7ke pad
or calculator !
