Office Ergonomics Computer Software Web Tips Guide
Office Ergonomics Reduce Risk Of Injuries
By Joel Wannamaker
What is ergonomics? According to WebMD, "Ergonomics is the
study of the kind of work you do, the environment you work in,
and the tools you use to do your job." The goal of office
ergonomics is to adjust the workspace to the needs of the individual
so that discomfort of the back, neck, eyes, wrists and hands are
minimized.
People who work in a well-designed ergonomic workstation find
that they have fewer headaches or eye strains, as well as less
neck and back pain.
Occupational Health In The Workplace
Workers should protect themselves by making a review of their
options and paying attention to how long they sit, the positions
they find themselves in, the movements made, the temperature,
the lighting and their posture to ensure they always have occupational
health in mind.
The concept of ergonomics itself was noted as far back as 5th
Century BC, when Hippocrates consulted surgeons on how they should
arrange their tools and set up their workspace. In fact, the word
"ergonomics" comes from the Greek words "ergon"
(work) and "nomos" (natural laws).
Improving Productivity By Improving Ergonomics
Productivity was the main reason for studying ergonomics in the
early 1900s, when Frederick Winslow Taylor’s research uncovered
the ability to triple the amount of coal shoveled by incrementally
reducing the size and weight of coal shovels.
Similar methods were uncovered for brick layers by Frank and
Lillian Gilbreth, improving productivity from 120 to 350 bricks
per hour. After WWII, the military looked into new ways to design
airplanes to minimize pilot error and NASA explored ways of making
an astronaut’s long journey more comfortable.
Origin Of The Sea Of Cubicles
More modern, office related ergonomics were explored in the 1950s
and 1960s, when the Quickborner Team led by Eberhard and Wolfgang
Schnelle looked at ways to add more open spaces and seat everyone
in a more collaborative seating arrangement.
Standard desks and chairs were used, but large potted plants,
visual barriers, irregular geometric floor plans and circulation
patterns were added to the mix. Despite this creative approach,
the sea of cubicles we see today soon gained favor.
Minimizing Work Stress And Boost Productivity
Today, people largely spend more of their time interacting with
computers than with individuals in the workplace, so ergonomic
research largely focuses on the type of tasks, movements and injuries
people face in their day-to-day jobs in hopes of devising product
designs and computer workstations that will minimize work stress
and boost productivity.
Seating is an important part of office ergonomics, since most
work-related injuries involve the back and neck. People focused
on ergonomic product design look at how hip rotation, posture
of the lumbar spine and tissue pressure all interact to cause
certain lower back disorders.
Unsupported Lordosis May Increase Back Pain
Research shows that unsupported lordosis (no contact with the
lumbar support, yet reclining against the upper seat back) may
increase lower back pain. This is why many chairs feature slightly
curved padding in the lower back region.
Furthermore, the hip angle is increased to avoid unnecessary
pressure beneath the thighs. While foam padding and mesh material
have been popular in many office chairs, recent data suggests
that more expensive gel technologies are needed to diminish long-term
discomfort.
Colorful Environments And Better Lighting
Lighting is another key factor in office ergonomics. Younger
workers work their best with surrounding light measured at 86.9
cd/m2 and older workers work best at 62.2 cd/m2. Ergonomics consultants
would not recommend low surrounding light with high task lighting.
Instead, surrounding lights should be just slightly below task
lighting. Color has also proven to have important psychological
influences in the workplace. Colorful environments improve productivity
and creativity over plain white walls.
Cool Colored Walls And Warm Colored Furniture
Ideally, a room will have cool-colored walls (like blue or green)
and warm-colored furniture. Daylight is also important for high-quality
office environments because it contributes to the regulation of
human circadian rhythms, heart rates and body temperatures.
Dr. James Levine MD from The Mayo Clinic says that the office
ergonomics of the future will likely focus on creating a more
active environment. When one considers that two-thirds of Americans
are overweight or obese, the need for more movement is obvious.
In his research, he found that thin people tend to be on their
feet an average of 2.5 hours more each day than people who are
overweight. He imagines that employees may stand in front of a
raised workstation while walking on the treadmill one day. They’ll
carry mobile phones and walk around, rather than sit at a desk
station.
Take A Meeting While Taking A Walk
"We have meeting rooms, but for small groups we prefer the
track," Dr. Levine says, referring to a two-lane walking
track that circles his building. "So when (we) ‘take a meeting’
we also take a walk."
Each workplace will have an exercise facility, as recommended
in the September 2005 Ergonomics Report. The idea is that workplace
design that reduces health risks and promotes a healthier workforce,
will ultimately be the most productive.
About the Author:
Joel Wannamaker has written a number of articles on Computers, Online Marketing and Software including
Computer Security Tool,
PC Computers,
Internet Connection Speed,
In Education Online,
Start A Website,
Affiliate Programs,
Search Marketing.
Keep a lookout for more of his articles on this website.
Give Me Just The Ergonomic Facts.....
How does ergonomics affect the workplace?
If a workplace, or even work station, is
not ergonomically designed it can result in injury to the person
working there. That is why it is so important to keep ergonomics
in mind.
Everything should be at the proper height
at which you are working and your necessary items should be within
easy reach. If you find that your arms are becoming tired from
continuously overreaching, you need to redesign your work station.
It may require completely redesigning your space including your
chair.
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