Last Updated on Mar 5, 2020 by James W
Whether in a building office or home office, people tend to spend a lot of time working at a desk. It can wreak havoc on our bodies in ways that we do not even notice until it is too late to fix the problem. In fact, most people don’t even realize they are suffering from repetitive strain injury (RSI) until the symptoms become more severe.
Transforming office space, whether at home or in an office building, is imperative to preventing the onset of RSI. There are a number of reason to make your workspace ergonomically correct.
Reduce health risks by reducing your risk factors for problems such as carpel tunnel or chronic back and neck pain. These common problems can be fixed with a proper ergonomic desk set up.
Increase productivity by reducing the risk of RSI. Not only can back, neck, and wrist problems create health issues for employees, their employers lose productivity while workers are on leave and lose money paying for workers compensation.
Set up the Office for Success
Whether running a business or improving your home office, the way your workstation is set up can make all the difference between increased productivity or health risks. Setting up the work station is simple with a little extra planning.
The Chair: When planning the ergonomic workspace, getting the right chair set up at the right height is the best place to begin. A good ergonomic chair needs a number of characteristics such as a cushioned seat for long-term comfort, adjustable arm rests, and a backrest to adjust to your personal needs. You can find more information on ergonomic chairs online to help you select the furniture that suits you.
The Monitor: This feature isn’t as much about choosing the right monitor as it is about how to set the monitor up on the desk. You may need to invest in an adjustable stand or arm to mount the monitor on so that it can be raised, lowered, or tilted to your needs. Reducing glare and brightness is important as well. Straining the eyes to read or look at a screen will cause problems in the future.
The Mouse and Keyboard: While there are split keyboards for ergonomic purposes it isn’t necessary to run to the store to buy one as long as it is set up properly. Using a wrist guard to keep the wrists off the edge of the desk can help as well.
The Desk: Without proper desk setup, the rest of the system will do little good. Once you have the other elements for your workspace, adjusting them on the desk properly is of paramount importance to the success of the ergonomic setup.
While sitting in the chair your legs should be at a 90 degree angle and your back should be straight and not curved or slouched. The top of the monitor should be level with the eyes and it should be tilted at a slight 10-20 degree angle. Make sure the B key on the keyboard is centered to you and that the keyboard is at such a level that your arms are at a 90 degree angle with the mouse directly beside it and this setup should be fine.
Following these set up instructions increases productivity while decreasing risk of RSI. In the long run, this will save both employers and employees money. There is more information available to help you purchase the equipment you need to improve your workspace.
Guest post made by Becky
image source: fotolia
