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YOUR WORKING ENVIRONMENT
YOUR WORKING ENVIRONMENT
YOUR WORKING ENVIRONMENT
YOUR WORKING ENVIRONMENT
This section describes the basics for setting up a healthy work environment.
Please consider the following suggestions when setting up a comfortable work area.
Lighting
Be sure your work place is well-lit. If the lighting in your room is not bright enough, use a desk lamp to
provide light where you need it. Avoid bright or reflected light sources in your field of vision.
Desk
The ideal computer desk should place the keyboard between 60 and 70cm from the floor, depending on your
height and preference. Generally, your arms should be at right angles to the keyboard when you sit in front of
it with your fingers on the space bar. If your desk is taller than this, you can lower the keyboard to a
comfortable level by adding a keyboard drawer.
Your desk should also be deep enough to let you place the monitor at a comfortable distance from your eyes
about 45-70cm. A too shallow desk will force you to sit uncomfortably close to the screen.
Your Chair
Your chair should adjust up and down, backward and forward, for maximum comfort. Your knees and hips
should be at right angles to your chair’s seat, with your thighs parallel to the floor, and both feet flat on the
floor.
Placing the Components
Computer
Wherever you place the computer, make sure that:
•
optical drives are within easy reach. You should not have to bend or stretch to reach them.
•
your work materials are also within easy reach.
•
there is enough free space around the system so it can be properly ventilated.
Monitor
The monitor should be about 45-70 cm from your eyes, and the top of your screen should be at eye level, or
lower. If you have a desktop computer, you can place the monitor on top of it.
The ideal position of your monitor is perpendicular to and at least 1.5 m from a window or another light
source, so that your monitor does not reflect glare and you do not get blinded by the light. If your monitor has
a tilt/swivel base, you can tilt it slightly downward to minimise reflected light. If you cannot adjust your
monitor’s angle or the lighting in your work area, try adding an anti-glare screen.
Make sure that system’s location gives you enough room to connect the various cables to your
system without straining them.
