Ergo 2
Ergo 2
Ergo 2
Lezlie Couch
EH&S- WSU-TC
What is “Ergonomics”?
MSD
Bones
Muscles
Tendons
Ligaments
Cartilage
Nerves
Blood vessels
Guyner’s syndrome
Trigger finger
The median nerve does not work properly due to pressure on the
nerve as it runs through an opening called the carpel tunnel
Numbness is usually first symptom.
Psychosocial stress
Arms adjustable
Height adjustable
On rollers
MONITOR HEIGHT
The position of your head and neck is very important
KEYBOARD STYLES
KEYBOARD HOLDER
Keyboard holders should
Tilt
Provide wrist rests (rest palms not wrist)
MOUSE HOLDERS
Mouse trays or mouse holders can bring a
mouse to a better position
Office Ergonomics- The right equipment, the right place
MOUSE STYLES
Choose a style comfortable for your hand and fingers
Office Ergonomics- The right equipment, the right place
WORK PLACEMENT
Position equipment so that your body is in a comfortable and
natural position most of the time while you are working.
See what you can do to make your work more comfortable for
you.
Wrists straight
Back supported
Forearms supported
Forearms and thighs parallel to the
floor
MOUSE POSITION
Mouse should be
close to the
keyboard and the
same height or
NO!
slightly higher
Phone PLACEMENT
Should be different for right and left handers
You should not have to twist and reach across your body
every time you answer the phone.
Many people need to spend a lot of time on the phone, and must often do other tasks at the same time
This creates a lot of stress
for neck and shoulder muscles
Document PLACEMENT
Environmental conditions
GLARE SCREENS
COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME
can be prevented
Accommodate your eyes
Use computer eyewear when appropriate
Placement of reference material
and monitor distance should be
comfortable for your eyes
Prevent constant glare
Keep monitor clean
Use:
indirect lighting
non-reflective walls and furniture
anti-glare screens
Exercise your eyes
Periodically focus on object 20 feet away
Blink eyes rapidly if they feel dry
Ergonomic STRESSORS
Noise can be a STRESSOR
Dress appropriately
WORK PLACEMENT
Position equipment so that your body is in a comfortable and
natural position most of the time while you are working.
See what you can do to make your work more comfortable for
you.
Environmental conditions
Environmental conditions can influence ergonomic stress.
Lighting
Noise
Temperature
Ergonomic STRESSORS
EYE STRAIN can be prevented
Accommodate and exercise your eyes
x
Ergonomic STRESSORS
Temperature
People are more prone to
ergonomic injuries in cold
environments because circulation
is slowed down and muscles and
other tissues are more tense.
Dress appropriately
Examples:
Pushing the same button over
Gripping the sides of the phone tightly
Pounding a hammer using your wrist muscles
Grasping a screwdriver with only a couple of fingers
Lifting heavy items with one hand
Ergonomic STRESSORS
MECHANICAL CONTACT STRESS
Fortunately,
most STRESSORS can be minimized
or eliminated
by individual habits
and work routine.
The solution to most ergonomic
problems is to work comfortably
and avoid a few common
ergonomic pitfalls.
Solutions
Avoid REPETITION
Performing the same or similar motions repeatedly for
extended periods without time for rest and recovery
can lead to discomfort or trauma.
Examples:
Keyboarding, mousing, and 10-keying
Flipping through files & paperwork
Extended reading or writing
Punching or stapling
Pruning or clipping
Painting
Hammering
Solutions
AVOID LONG DURATION OF SAME TASK
WSU- TC has purchased this software for all faculty, staff, and students to use if they wish.
To download this program, go to http://www.tricity.wsu.edu/ctc/Files/Stretchbreak.exe
Choose 'Open' when prompted to do so.
Press 'Ok' and 'Next' until the installation is finished.
Stretch Break (default) interrupts you every 30 minutes- suggests three varied stretches
which take a total of 1 minute to complete. You cannot believe how much better you feel
afterwards.
You can cancel the stretches as soon as they come on the screen, choose the amount of
time you work before being interrupted ( between 10 minutes and 3 hours) and decide
which of the many exercises you want to include, and how many you want to do at each
break.
Such programs are one of the best preventions of ergonomic injuries at a computer
workstation. Even if you choose not to do the exercises, you will be reminded to shift
position, etc periodically so that your muscles do not become unduly stressed. Most
computer related injuries occur because of projects which engage persons for a substantial
length of time.
Solutions
A FEW BREAK IDEAS
Organize tasks around built in breaks
AW
Examples: PO KW
SIT AR
Reaching up and over IO D
cre NS
Slouching or leaning forward in the chair ate
ST
RE
Leaning forward or bending over work SS
Holding heavy items in position
Lifting, pushing pulling
Turning head side to side to view the monitor
Cradling the phone between the ear and shoulder
Typing with bent wrists
Avoid SUSTAINED EXERTIONS
Solutions
Don’t pull
Push
Get twice the power
Reduce the risk of injury
Solutions
Squat when lifting something from below the waist. Keep heels down and
feet shoulder-width apart and turned out
Turn your whole body in the direction you want to move- avoid twisting
when lifting
Keep your knees bent and lean in the direction of the movement
•Hazards that can lead to slips, trips and falls are often
overlooked, even though they cause many injuries
ranging from minor cuts and sprains to disabling injuries
and even death.
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In Conclusion…