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Todays modern workplace is dominated by an increasing

presence o technology. Employees spend much o their

time answering emails, writing reports, and participating

in web con erences all o which require prolonged

periods o computer use. For the average worker, this has

led to an increase in musculoskeletal complaints such as

eyestrain, lower back pain and wrist discom ort. A recent

study published in the Journal o the American Medical

Association surveyed roughly 29,000 computer users and

ound that 52.7 % were working with at least one orm

o daily musculoskeletal discom ort. The average lost

productive time among those experiencing discom ort

was more than 5.2 hours per week.

These eye-opening statistics shed light on the growing number o work-related issues stemming rom prolongedcomputer use. More and more organizations are beginning to see the link between worker discom ort, lost productivetime and cost. Proactively addressing discom ort levels there ore becomes an important business strategy.

Ergonomics DefnedErgonomics is the applied science o tting the physical environment to the worker. When ergonomic designprinciples are applied to a space, employee com ort improves, risk o injury decreases, and worker e ciency isenhanced.

Workstation design has rapidly evolved within workplaces as computer use has drastically increased across all jobunctions. Traditional corner workstations designed to accommodate the depth o large computer monitors are

o ten no longer necessary as fat panel monitors have become the new standard. Research on lower back pain hastaught us about the importance o movement and dynamic sitting. Developments in the area o lighting technology,combined with an improved understanding o the visual system, have had dramatic implications with respect tolighting design.

Without guidance, proper work tools, and training, however, employees tend to sel -diagnose their discom ortsand recon gure their workstations themselves, o ten yielding poor results, some o which are even worse thanthose o the original, fawed con gurations. This practice not only negatively impacts the aesthetics o the space,but ultimately costs organizations thousands o dollars per workstation in costly retro ts, not to mention the costsassociated with worker injury and lost productivity.

Spotlight on Ergonomics: DesigningHealthy Work Environmentsby Jonathan Puleio

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Fundamental Design ChallengesOur population ranges in height rom less than 50 tall to more than 66 and yet the standard work sur ace heightis xed at 29.5, which correlates to the seated elbow height o a 64 male, representing less than 5% o ourpopulation. Simply stated, the majority o work sur ace heights in modern o ces are simply too high or most. Asa result, employees are orced to con orm their bodies to an inappropriate xed height by shrugging their shoulders,raising their chairs, and leaning orward to type and mouse. These awkward postures require excessive muscle e ort

and lead to discom ort and atigue.

Standard desk height, however, is just one area o ergonomic concern. The need to accommodate individual di erenceswith respect to monitor positioning, lighting requirements, and chair design are just as critical. Workers should havecontrol over their environments, including their hand and wrist position, monitor position, and individual light level.Individual control combined with high quality ergonomics training will consistently yield sa e and productive workers.

Poor ergonomics. High-risk posture.Without the right ergonomic tools, the average worker spends most o the day in a hunched- orward posture, putting strain on the back,shoulders, neck, orearms and wrists and increasing the risk o injury.

Great ergonomics. Healthy posture.The right tools allow workers to lean back in their chairs or ull back support, while also eliminating neck, shoulder, orearm and wrist stress. A com ortable, low-stress posture reduces injury risks and improves productivity.

Hand & Wrist PostureWhile postural problems and their associated injury mechanisms are airly complex, design solutions aimed atimproving hand and wrist posture are relatively simple to implement. Applied ergonomics research has shown us thata hands in lap posture is the ideal keyboard and mouse position or those who are able to type pro ciently. Loweringthe keys and angling them slightly away rom the body reduces shoulder shrugging and helps to straighten the wrists.Bringing the tools closer to the body a ords the user the ability to properly utilize their chair backrest. Installing anarticulating keyboard support is the most cost e ective means o achieving postural improvement. Employees mayrespond negatively to this solution at rst, either because they have had a bad experience with a poorly designed

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keyboard support that inter ered with their knees or because they were never shown how to properly use thedevice. With training, organizations can expect a 90% acceptance rate. Rejection rates among users without trainingtypically exceed 50%. The behavioral changes required to utilize the keyboard system correctly will not occur throughinstallation alone.

Task Seating

Selecting a chair that is easy to adjust, provides support and promotes movement is critical or maintaining healthybody posture. The typical o ce worker will likely spend more time sitting in his or her chair than he or she will spendanywhere else, with the exception o perhaps his or her bed. Frequent postural shi ts are recommended to minimizestatic muscle contractions and atigue. Todays most innovative task chairs eature sel -adjusting recline mechanismswhich automatically tension the backrest based on the users body weight. These designs drastically simpli y theoperation o the chair and have been shown to promote movement that is critical or maintaining spinal health. Look

or a chair that also has an adjustable seat pan, backrest, and adjustable armrests.

Monitor PositioningProviding computer users with fexible monitor positioning is another important strategy or maintaining high levelso operator com ort. Because we tend to look downward naturally at -15 degrees, the top line o text on the monitorshould be no higher than eye level and at about an arms reach rom the body. Multiple monitor setups are challenging

rom an ergonomics perspective because they impact body alignment. Adjustable fat panel monitor arms can beused to aid with proper positioning and alignment and can also help to ree up previously used desk space or writingor re erencing tasks.

Task LightingMost o ce environments are drastically over-lit rom an ambient perspective (creating tremendous energy waste),and yet are simultaneously under-lit rom a task perspective. Monitors are best viewed in dimly lit settings becausethey emit light. Paper documents, however, refect light and there ore require light in order to be viewed. Herein liesan obvious confict with single-source lighting schemes or computer workstations a single light source will not beable to provide appropriate lighting or both a monitor and paper documents. Age is a actor as well. As we get older,the corneal lens hardens and the process o accommodation becomes increasingly di cult. Focusing on near- eldobjects becomes increasingly challenging. By the time an individual reaches the age o 61, they require at least 250%more contrast to view the same documents as they did in their 20s. To solve these dilemmas, many organizations areemploying a dual-source lighting scheme by lowering ambient light levels and providing users with controllable tasklights. This approach has been shown to signi cantly reduce visual symptoms and reduce by up to 60% the energyrequirements or lighting.

TrainingWorkstation design changes are o ten met with opposition because it is human nature to resist change. Improvementsshould there ore be accompanied by sound ergonomics training. Involving employees in the change process has beenshown to signi cantly reduce injury rates and the associated lost productive time.

Widespread BeneftsChallenging your rm to design high per ormance work environments that accommodate 95% o the populationwill not only improve worker com ort and reduce costs, but will also preserve the original design vision o the space.Enhancing the human experience will quickly di erentiate your company rom the competition while attracting higher-quality candidates and resulting in higher levels o employee retention.

Jonathan Puleio is a Board Certifed Pro essional Ergonomist and Director o Consulting or Humanscale Corporation.

For more in ormation about Humanscale or to speak with one o Humanscale Consultingscertifed ergonomists, visit www.humanscale.com or call 800-400-0625