Comfort and Safety Checklist
9
Comfort and Safety Checklist
Caution
Various aspects of using mice, keyboards and other input devices may increase your risk of
discomfort or injury. Optimize your comfort and safety by positioning these devices properly.
Your Work Posture
Sitting in one position for long periods can be uncomfortable. To minimize
the potential risk for physical discomfort or injury, it’s important that you
maintain a proper posture.
•
Head
- When viewing your monitor, your head should not be tilted more
than 15 degrees forward, and do not turn your head toward either side.
•
Back
- While sitting at your work surface, make sure your back is
supported by the chair's backrest in an erect position or angled slightly
backwards.
•
Arms
- Make sure your arms and elbows are relaxed and loose, with
your upper arms perpendicular to the floor or tilted downward not more
than 15 degrees. Keep your forearms and hands approximately parallel
with the floor with elbows bent between 70 and 115 degrees. Keep your
elbows close to your sides (less than 20 degrees away from your body).
•
Hands, Wrists, Forearms
- Try to keep your hands wrists and forearms
in a relaxed neutral position when using your mouse keyboard or other
input devices. For example, while using your keyboard and mouse, rest
your forearms (flat) on your desktop.
•
Legs
- Your thighs should be horizontal or angled slightly downward.
Your lower legs should be near a right angle to your thighs. Make sure
there is sufficient room under the work surface for your legs.
•
Feet
- If after adjusting your chair you cannot rest your feet comfortably
on the floor, use a footrest, preferably one that can be adjusted in height
and angle.
Overall
•
Look away from the screen from time-to-time to help reduce eyestrain.
Focus on distant objects briefly, and blink periodically to lubricate your
eyes. You also should have your eyes checked on a regular basis and
ensure your eyeglass prescription is suitable for working on a computer
monitor.
•
Remember to occasionally shift position and move your body. Keeping
your body in one position for long periods is unnatural and stressful.
When prolonged work is required, take frequent short breaks. As a rule
of thumb, a five or ten minute break every hour is a good idea. Short
frequent breaks are more beneficial than longer less frequent breaks.
Data show that people who work for long periods of time without a
break may be more prone to ergonomic injury.
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