1. Healthy U Wellness Challenge 2012 Ergonomics

2.  The study of how to improve the fit between the physical demands of the workplace and the employees who perform the work.

3. Chair  Height  Feet flat on floor or footrest  Knees equal to or slightly lower than hips  Elbows are at your side and wrists flat while typing or using mouse  Backrest  Curve of chair hits curve of lower back  93-113 degree angle

4. Chair (cont.)  Other  Sit with hips all the way in back of chair  Should have 2-3 fingers width of space between edge of seat and back of knee

5. Keyboard  Flat! Do not raise legs in back  Place directly in front of monitor  Center yourself over keys used most often, not necessarily the center of the board  Palm rests  Support palms not wrists!  Can help w/pressure points

6. Keyboard (cont.) INCORRECT POSITION CORRECT POSITION

7. Monitor and Mouse  Monitor  Directly in front of you  16-29 inches from eyes (arm’s length)  Top of monitor 2-3 inches above seated eye level  Use of bifocals requires lower monitors  Mouse  Same height as keyboard  Within close reach (<16 inches away)  Hand, wrist and forearm straight

8. What’s wrong with this picture???

9. Be aware of….  Awkward postures  Repeated or prolonged reaching or twisting  Holding of fixed positions  Repetitive motions  Pressure points  Sides of fingers, palms, wrists, forearms, and elbows are more susceptible because nerves and blood vessels are closer to skin and bones

10. Common Conditions with Prolonged Sitting  Rounded shoulders  Forward head position  Tight hip flexors  Forearm or wrist tension  Low back pain  tight hamstrings  weak abdominals  tight hip flexors

11. Resources  http://www.ergonomics.ucla.edu/Howto_ Workstation.html http://www.ergonomics.ucla.edu/Howto_ Workstation.html  http://www.orosha.org/pdf/pubs/1863.pd f http://www.orosha.org/pdf/pubs/1863.pd f  http://www.saif.com/_files/SafetyHealthG uides/S-898_WorkstationComfort.pdf http://www.saif.com/_files/SafetyHealthG uides/S-898_WorkstationComfort.pdf  http://www.saif.com/_files/SafetyHealthG uides/S-915_ErgonomicsWorksheet.pdf