Kinesis MAXIM USB, User Manual

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A
PPENDIX
A: E
RGONOMIC
G
UIDELINES
Adapting tools and environments to reflect human capabilities — the science of
ergonomics — is crucial to enhancing comfort and reducing injury. Ergonomics also
makes an important contribution by educating people in the safe, healthy use of
technology products.
As a result, ergonomic issues involve many aspects of the work environment. No single
product can be expected to provide a solution for all of the varied ergonomic concerns in
the workplace.
Your experiences with a Kinesis keyboard will be affected by a number of non-keyboard
factors, including your stress level, the chair you sit in, and the desk and other work
surfaces in your office. In fact, hand and arm injuries can result from elements of your
workstation other than your keyboard.
To enhance the comfort of your work environment, Kinesis has joined with Herman
Miller, Inc. to provide guidance for creating an ergonomically appropriate workspace.
The following ergonomic guidelines are reprinted with the permission of Herman Miller,
Inc. These guidelines include references to ANSI (American National Standards
Institute) standards. They do not constitute research conducted by Kinesis.
Introduction by Herman Miller, Inc.
The position and location of the furniture and equipment in your office are related to the
size and shape of your body. For example, when you adjust the height of your chair so
that your feet rest flat on the floor, you may find that your work surface is too high. To
work comfortably, you must make a series of adjustments to the components around
you.
Start by adjusting your chair. Go on to adjust your work surfaces and finally your
computer equipment. Remember, if you experience discomfort while working, consult a
health care professional.
Adjusting your chair
Adjusting the Seat Height of your Chair
Seat height means the distance from the floor to the top of your chair’s seat when you
are sitting in your chair. First, sit in your chair in a comfortable, upright position. Adjust
your seat height up or down so that your feet rest comfortably flat on the floor and your
thighs are approximately parallel to the floor. If your feet dangle slightly and the backs
of your thighs press hard on the front of the seat, the chair is probably too high. If your
knees are elevated and your thighs don’t touch the front of the seat, the chair is probably
too low.
If you like to lean back when working, try it now. If your heels are lifted off the floor,
consider lowering your chair. If your heels rise as you push off with your feet to lean
back, consider loosening your chair’s tilt tension.