NEW EMPLOYEE ERGONOMIC WORKSHEET DIRECTIONS New Employee: This document has been prepared to assist you and your supervisor in determining some of the items that you may need. After you have had an opportunity to settle in, (and if this is appropriate to your position), please take time to complete this document and share the results with your supervisor. Supervisor: After your new staff member has had an opportunity to settle in, please review this document together to decide what items are needed, or require improvement, and to take appropriate action. Please make good use of items that may already be available at the Center before purchasing new items. NAME: ACCESSORIES Please check the appropriate column pertaining to your workstation accessories: ITEMS Improvement Not Applicable/ Not Mouse Pad Modified Keyboard Adjustable Monitor Swinging Arm (attaches to desk top) Desklight Keyboard Drawer Footrest Desktop Computer Stand Glare Screen Wrist Rest Copy Holder Other
Do your workstation accessories meet your needs? yes no If no, explain: CHAIR Do you feel your chair meets your needs? yes no If no, explain: Do you feel your workstation meets your needs? yes no If no, explain: WORKSTATION In your opinion, what do you think you need to make your workstation safe, comfortable and efficient? OFFICE ERGONOMICS GUIDELINES Please detach, read and refer back to the attached Office Ergonomics Guidelines and the Safety Manual.
Office Ergonomics Part 1: Back, Neck, Shoulders, and Legs The body s neutral posture is standing with the arms down at the sides. Sitting puts the spine in a non-neutral posture. Sitting for long periods of time without movement or the proper support can cause pain in the back, neck, shoulders, or legs. By paying careful attention to the following tips, you can reduce the chances of pain. Arrange your work area properly: Your chair height should be adjusted so that your arms are at a 90-degree angle when typing. Position the top of the screen at or just below eye height. If you wear bifocals or trifocals, the screen should be even lower. Your feet should be flat on the floor or on a footrest. Keep the keyboard and screen directly in front of you, not off to the side. Remember these tips: Sit all the way back in your chair to take advantage of the lumbar support. If your chair does not have a lumbar support, try a rolled up towel for back support. Keep your head straight while talking on the phone. If you need your hands free when on the phone, use a headset. Keep your elbows close to your side when typing. Use a copyholder for holding papers. Keep it close to the screen and at the same height. Get plenty of movement: Take breaks and rotate your tasks often. Change the muscles that you are using as often as you can. Stretch your muscles regularly. Change positions as much as possible. Exercises you can do for your back while sitting in your chair: Intertwine fingers behind your head and point your elbows out to the side. Arch and stretch your back forward. Bend slowly forward toward your knees, touching your hands to your feet. Hold your right arm straight up, bend over to your left side and hold. Rotate your upper body to the side and hold.
Position your arm across your chest (touch your left shoulder with your right hand), pull gently on your elbow. Lift your legs one at a time and point forward. Grasp your knee with your hand and raise toward your chest. Hold your arms up over your head and reach as high as you can. Exercises you can do for your shoulders and neck while sitting in your chair: Raise your shoulders up and lower them again. Rotate your shoulders in a circle going forward. Repeat with backward circles. Lower your head down to your chest slowly. Turn your head to each side. Tilt your head downward so that your ear moves toward your shoulder. Move your head backward into a tuck position. Move your hands over your head in a climbing motion. Hold your arms out to the side, bend the elbows so that your hands point upward. Push your arms back, squeezing your shoulder blades. Office Ergonomics Part 2: Arms, Wrists, Hands, and Fingers Frequent typing, writing, or other office tasks can cause pain in the arms, wrists, hands, and fingers. Proper positioning of your arms and hands can reduce any discomfort. Arrange your work area properly: Make sure that the keyboard is positioned so that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and your wrists are straight. Position arm rests so that they don t get in your way. Remember these tips: If you do use a wrist rest, keep your hands above the wrist rest while typing. When you are not typing, rest your hands only lightly on the wrist rest. Use a light touch on the keyboard.
Avoid resting your elbows on the desk. Avoid leaning on your wrists, especially on the sharp edges of a desk. Exercises you can do for your arms, wrists, hands and fingers: Clench your hands in a fist then spread your fingers wide. Flex your hands upward, bending the wrist, then downward. Hold your hands in a fist and rotate your wrists. Gently pull your thumb downward to stretch. Grasp the fingers of your hand and pull backward. Put your arms out to the sides and move in a circular motion forward then backward. Hold your arms out in front of you, rotate in both directions. Hold your arms down to your sides and shake your arms and hands. Looking at a computer screen can be very stressful for the eyes. Position the screen approximately 18 inches from your eyes. The screen should be placed at a 90-degree angle to any window to avoid glare. Lights should be placed above paperwork on the desk, not above the computer screen. Computer work does not require as much light as paperwork. If you can, reduce lighting when working on the computer. Exercises you can do for your eyes: Palming form a cup with your hands and place over your eyes so that no light gets in. Cover for 5 seconds. Close your eyes tight, hold for a few seconds, then open very wide and hold. Hold your head straight while looking up, down, left and right. Focus your vision on something at least 20 feet away after every 20 minutes of computer work. Close your eyelids, slowly move eyes clockwise in a circle, then counterclockwise. Blink as fast as you can 10 times.