SETTING UP A WORK STATION
Chair:
seat back 10-110 degrees reclined
should have lumbar support
length of seat should not catch behind the knees
height of seat should allow feet to rest flat on the floor with knee level just below hip height
can recline sitting position to open up elbow, keen and abdominal angles to promote blood circulation
Vision:
top of monitor 2-3 inches above eye to facilitate a down vision angle of 5-15 degrees below horizontal
Monitor:
positioned squarely in front
no glare on screen
Space:
should sit at arm's length away from the visual display unit
Feet:
should be flat on the floor with knee angle 90 degrees or more
use a foot rest if necessary
Paper:
use a document holder to decrease stress on the neck
Wrists:
should be flat and straight to reduce strain
mouse should be placed close to body midline
wrist pads should not be used at the wrist - wrists should be free of any contact surface
Arms:
should be close to the body
elbows should be angled at 90 degrees or more to allow forearms to slope down
Setup:
ideally the computer should be set in the corner of an 'L'-shaped desk to allow arms to rest comfortably on the desk
Keyboard:
positioned squarely in front
positioned below elbows
a negatively sloped keyboard is ideal to minimise muscle loads
Work Surface:
stable, flat surface
28-30 inches above the floor
Take Breaks:
eye breaks every 15 minutes
rest breaks every 30-60 minutes
exercise breaks every 1-2 hours