Here's some general office setup ergonomics information that I copied off of our ergonomics department intranet site.
Chair Seatpan height should be set at a height that positions the upper legs parallel with the floor while both feet are flat on the floor or on a footrest. Both feet should be firmly on the floor or footrest to provide a solid base for the seated body. If a footrest is used, it should be approximately the same size as the seatpan. It should have a non-slip surface and stand firmly on the floor. If the feet are not solidly positioned, the body will compensate with the muscles of the lower back and may cause stress. Sit all the way to the back of the seatpan to get the maximum back support. With the back against the vertical seat cushion, there should be at least an inch of clearance between the front of the seatpan cushion and the back of the knees. This will prevent cutting off of the blood supply to the lower legs. The width of the seatpan should accommodate the width of the individual without undue pressure from the armrests. The seatback cushion should be adjusted to a height that fits the natural curve of the lower back. When a person sits, the natural curve of the backbone straightens, causing stress to the disks in the back. The seatback encourages the natural curve of the back and reduces stress. The lumbar support should be centered 9 to 10 inches above the lowest point on the seat. The angle between the seatpan and seatback should be 100 to 120 degrees. Armrests should be set to just below the elbow height. The arms should not rest on the armrests while using the keyboard but can rest when pausing. Armrests should be adjustable for both height and width. Keyboard and Mouse Sit in the chair with the shoulders relaxed, and the arms to the side of the body. Forearms should be positioned parallel with the floor with the wrists in a neutral or straight posture. Fingertips should then just touch the second row of keys. Rear of the keyboard should be slightly lower than the front for a negative angle. This promotes a neutral or straight wrist position that minimizes stress. Small feet under the rear of the keyboard should not be used as they can cause the wrists to be positioned awkwardly causing stress. Wrist rest in front of the keyboard should be used to encourage the wrists to be positioned in a neutral posture. The wrists should not be placed on the wrist rest while keying in data, but can be rested during pauses. Mouse should be at the same height and either on the left or right side of the keyboard depending on the handedness of the individual. If the keyboard is on an adjustable height tray, the mouse should be located on the end of the tray or on a small platform at the end of the tray. If the available space is limited and the number pad is used infrequently, a small raised platform can be positioned over that end of the keyboard for the mouse. This will eliminate the extended reaches to the desktop with the mouse and avoid stress to the back. Monitor Monitor should be directly in front of the body with the eye-to-screen distance between 16 to 28 inches. Top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level. The focus point of the eyes determines the distance from the eyes to the screen. Keeping the eyes within close focus range will reduce the requirement for the eyes to refocus when looking between a document and the screen. Constant refocusing causes eyes to tire. Normal blink rate for the eyes is 22 times each minute. When you concentrate on the computer screen, your blink rate drops to 7 times per minute causing the eyes to become dry and irritated. You should consciously blink your eyes to keep the eyeball wet and reduce dryness. Top of the screen should be tilted from 5 degrees forward to 15 degrees backward to help eliminate screen reflections. Tilting the top of the monitor slightly forward from the vertical will usually direct glare from overhead lighting down rather than into your eyes. Phone The telephone should be positioned on the right or left side of the work surface depending on the hand that is used to answer the phone. If the left hand normally picks up the phone while the right hand writes, the phone should be on the left side, and vice versa. Recommended maximum reach distance from the seated position should be no more than 16 inches. As you reach across your body, the outward reach distance drops dramatically to 6 inches. If the reach for the phone is across the body, it is an indicator that the phone may be on the wrong side as it causes twisting of the back. Phone should not be held between the shoulder and neck. This causes extreme stress to the neck and upper back. If the telephone use is less than 20 percent of the workday, holding the phone in the hand while talking is acceptable. If phone use is greater than 20 percent, a headset is recommended. If the information is gathered and used in one location, a headset with the cord is acceptable. If the individual is required to move throughout the area, a cordless headset is recommended. Work Surface A fixed work surface should be in a range from 28 to 30 inches and slightly higher than the keyboard tray. This will accommodate a comfortable writing surface for the majority of the workforce. It may be necessary to adjust this height for individuals. Tabletop should be no thicker than 1 inch with a rounded edge to reduce contact stress with sharp edges. The work surface should be large enough to accommodate all task materials in addition to the video display terminal. Visible surfaces should have a matte finish to reduce reflections. Space for the legs and feet under the table should be at least 27 inches wide and 27 inches deep to ensure adequate clearance for the legs and feet. Boxes, wastebaskets, CPUs, and other materials stored under the work surface should be located to provide unrestricted leg clearance. Leg contact with objects under the work surface may cause awkward sitting positions that can cause back stress. Large binders or frequently used reference materials should be located on the work surface to minimize upward reaches for heavy materials that can cause shoulder and back stress. Document holder, adjustable in height and angle of tilt, should be available. It should be positioned at the same height and distance as the monitor screen to reduce the need to refocus the eyes when looking from the document to the screen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=4 FAQ: http://www.thenetprofits.co.uk/coldfusion/faq Your ad could be here. 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