3–8
Safety & Comfort Guide
Arranging Your Work Area
Papers and Books
Select a work surface or surfaces that are large enough to
hold the computer equipment and any additional items
required for your work. To help minimize eye fatigue,
position any materials to which you frequently refer at
about the same viewing distance.
Minimizing Your Reach
Arrange your frequently used papers, books, or other
items to minimize the distance you reach for them. If you
frequently refer to books, papers, and writing materials,
and if you use a keyboard tray, make sure the tray, when
extended, doesn’t cause you to lean forward or reach
excessively. This can stress your shoulders and back. If
you find that such stress occurs, you may want to
consider a different type of work setup.
Using a Document Holder
If you use a document holder, position it near the monitor
at the same distance, height, and angle as the monitor.
Positioning the holder in this way can increase your neck
comfort as you refer back and forth between your papers
and the display screen, by helping you keep your head
balanced over your shoulders.
If your primary task is typing from paper documents, you
may find it more comfortable to place your document
holder directly in front of you and your monitor slightly to
one side, or on a slant board between your monitor and
keyboard. Consider this option only if you spend more
time looking at the paper than at your monitor.
WRONG!
Do not arrange
your work area in a
way that causes
you to repeatedly
strain forward to
see and reach
frequently used
items such as
books, papers, or a
phone.
