Working in the awkward postures.

Office Ergonomics

The work performed in awkward postures or with excessive effort may result in fatigue and discomfort.  Under these conditions muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels can be damaged.  Injuries of this type are known as musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs.  MSDs can increase the cost of doing business both directly and indirectly.  Direct costs may include medical services and higher workers’ compensation premiums.  Indirect costs from increased employee turnover, absenteeism, and retraining may also occur.  Productivity, product quality, and employee morale may also suffer.  Estimates indicate that the indirect costs associated with MSDs may be four to ten times higher than the direct costs.

You may ask, “What can our organization do to reduce or prevent costly MSDs and avoid the other problems mentioned above?”  One answer is to use ergonomics in your workplace. 

Ergonomics is the study of how to improve the fit between the physical demands of the workplace and the employees who perform the work.  Ergonomics principals can be used to make your work environment more comfortable, ensuring that you are not working in an awkward position and preventing you from getting injuries such as MSD.  Here are some tips on what you can do to improve your workstation configuration.

How to adjust your Chair?

Take a look at your chair, check if it has back, height, seat pan, and armrest adjustments.

Adjust the seat pan height so that:

·         Your feet rest comfortably flat on the floor, or on a footrest.

·         Your knees are slightly lower than your hip.

Adjust the seat pan depth so that there is a 2-4-inch gap between the back of your knees and the front edge of the chair when your back is against the chair.

 Adjust the height of the back of the chair so that the curve of the back of the chair fits into the deepest part of the curve in your lower back.

 Adjust the tilt of the back of the chair so that the back of the chair is upright or tilted back for comfort.

 Adjust the armrests so that:

·         They do not interfere with access to keying, mousing, or writing surfaces.

·         They are slightly below your elbows when your shoulders are relaxed.

·         Your arms hang comfortably at your sides.

How to adjust your keyboard tray?

Adjust the keyboard height so that:

·         Your shoulders are relaxed, and your elbows are close to your body.

·         Your elbows are bent to 90 degrees, or slightly greater (inner angle).

·         The tops of the home row keys are at the same height as your elbows or slightly below your elbows (negative tilt).

·         Your wrists are straight (not bent).

Place your mouse on the keyboard tray, close to the keyboard.

How to use the mouse?

When using a mouse, try this technique:

·         Drop your arm and hand as one onto the mouse, with your upper arm hanging freely from your shoulder.

·         Drape your hand over the mouse, with your palm on the center of the mouse and all your fingertips hanging over the front and sides (avoid the temptation to grip the mouse with your fingers).

·         Make small circular motions with the mouse by making arm movements from the shoulder.

·         Click the mouse button with the mid-section of your finger rather than your fingertip.

·         Use wrist/palm supports that are fairly soft and rounded to minimize pressure on the wrist. The support should be at least 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) deep.

How to adjust your computer monitor?

Adjust the height of the monitor so that:

·         It is directly in front of you and the top line of print is at or just below eye level, or lower if you wear bifocal, trifocal, or progressive lenses AND

·         You are able to scan the screen from top to bottom using only eye movements, not head movements.

·         Start with the monitor an arm’s length away. Then adjust the distance of the monitor so that you can sit against the back of the chair and read the monitor screen from a comfortable distance without experiencing eye fatigue, blurred vision, or headaches.

·         Adjust the tilt of the monitor so that the screen is free of glare.

How to use a document holder?

Position the document so that:

·         It is off the flat work surface and in your line of sight.

·         It is directly next to the monitor or between the monitor and the keyboard.

·         It is at the same distance as the monitor or closer.

·         You can shift your view between the document and the monitor by moving only your eyes, not your head.

How to organize your workspace?

Organize the work space so that:

·         Reaches performed frequently are within the near work space (your elbows are at your sides).

·         Reaches performed occasionally are within the near or mid work space (no more than an arm’s length away).

·         You are not reaching across your body to work.

Tips to improve the way you work:

·         Take micro-breaks from repetitious activities or static postures every 30 minutes for one or two minutes before resuming that activity or posture. Find opportunities to get out of your chair and move around.

·         Place the telephone on your non-dominant hand side. (If you are right handed, your non-dominant hand will be your left hand.)Your dominant hand will be free for writing, and cradling the telephone between your ear and shoulder while writing will not be necessary.

·         Use a telephone headset or the speaker when performing tasks simultaneously with the telephone. This practice will prevent awkward neck and shoulder postures associated with cradling the telephone between your ear and shoulder.

·         Type with the tips of the fingers. Less force is needed to depress the keys with the tips of the fingers. Use a light touch when keying.

·         Change postures frequently throughout the day. Alternate working from a sitting to a standing position whenever possible. Change the tilt of the back of the chair frequently.

·         Use shortcut keys whenever possible, instead of a pointing device (mouse, trackball, etc.).

·         Alternate hands when using the pointing device, OR alternate between pointing devices (e.g. alternate between mouse and trackball). Use larger muscles by moving from the elbow and shoulder, rather than from the wrist, when operating the pointing device.

·         Stand up to reach into overhead bins rather than reaching up from a sitting position, OR, lower the overhead storage bins if possible

Following these ergonomics principals will help you complete your daily computer tasks in a more comfortable environment.

www.ergonomicworks.com 

What is Ergonomic?

 “An applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely -- called also human engineering”-

Laboratory Workers/Student - Ergonomics

Ergonomic Risk Factors

The following are ergonomic risk factors that are typically associated with laboratory activities.

·         Awkward postures are positions of the body parts away from their neutral position. These postures can put stress on the joint and its associated muscles. Longer durations and degree of positioning away from neutral increase the severity of the risk. Examples include: flexion/extension of the wrist, abduction of the shoulders (“winged elbows”), flexion of the shoulders (reaching overhead), bending/twisting at the waist, and bending the neck.

·         Contact stress is a sustained contact between a body part and an external object. Examples include: resting the wrist or forearm against a sharp edge/corner.

·         Duration is the period of time that a body part is exposed to an ergonomic risk factor. Longer duration of exposure increase the severity of the risk.

·         Force exertion is the physical effort applied by a body part to perform a task. Higher forces and/or longer durations can increase the severity of the risk. Examples include:  Pushing/pulling, lifting, gripping, and pinching.

·         Forceful impact is a motion where a body part to provide a shock impact to an object. Examples include: using a hand to strike an object.

·         Repetition is the repeated performance of motion that includes other ergonomic risk factors such as force and/or awkward posture. Severity of the risk increases with higher repetition of motions with ergonomic risk factors.

·         Static postures occur when a body part is held in a single position over a long period of time. The severity of a static posture can increase of the posture is awkward, applies continual force, and/or is help for long durations. Examples include: sitting or standing in single position for a long duration.

Task-specific Solutions

The following sections provide solutions for task-specific ergonomic risk factors.

Body Part	Risk Factor	Solutions
Neck and Shoulders	Static & Awkward Posture	·         Storage bins that tilt towards the worker
Lower Back and Legs	Standing for long periods	·         Anti-fatigue mats.
	Seating position	·         Adjustable stool with built-in footrest

Pipetting

Pipetting can involve prolonged duration of standing or sitting, awkward postures of the shoulders and neck, gripping and pinching, and repetition. The general work practice recommendation is to limit Pipetting to a total of 4 hours per day and to take short 1-2 minute breaks every 20 minutes.

Body Part	Risk Factor	Solutions
Neck and Shoulders	Static & Awkward Posture: arms and elbows elevated “winged” elbows; Neck bent forward	·         Flexible-arm clamps ·         Shorter pipetters and pipette tips
Hands and Fingers	Repetitive motions	·         Electronic pipetters ·         Multi-channel pipetters
	Pinch grips	·         Flexible-arm clamps
	Excessive Force	·         Electronic pipetters
Lower Back and Legs	Standing for long periods	·         Anti-fatigue mats

www.ergonomicworks.com

Azi

Ergonomic Risk Factors

Ergonomic principles of safety refer to making sure that the products and methods a worker uses are a correct match to the worker's specific job and personal capabilities. The importance of ensuring that a worker and the conditions and demands of their job setting are a good fit has a tremendous impact on both workers and the companies that employ them. Generally, when ergonomic principles and practices are followed there is:

·         A reduced risk of illnesses and injuries

·         Higher productivity levels

Ergonomic Risk Factors

Often when people hear the term ergonomics they think of an office setting with an ergonomic chair and computer keyboard. However, ergonomic risk factors exist in many different types of workplaces, as well as in homes and home offices. Examples of risk factors include jobs that require:

·         Repetitive, forceful or prolonged use of the fingers, wrist or hands

·         Excessive, repetitive or constant stress on any part of the body

·         Sitting in one position for long periods of time

·         Heavy lifting

·         Frequent lifting

·         Carrying, pulling or pushing heavy objects

·         Prolonged positions requiring postures that are uncomfortable or awkward

·         Working in areas with constant vibrations

·         Working in extreme hot or cold temperatures

Common Injuries

The resulting injuries develop over time and are known as repetitive stress injuries or cumulative stress disorders that result in injuries to the worker's musculoskeletal system often resulting in chronic painful conditions including:

·         Back pain

·         Neck pain

·         Pain between the shoulders

·         Muscle strains

·         Weakness in an arm, hand or fingers

·         A tingling sensation in an arm, hand or fingers

·         Loss of feeling in an arm, hand or fingers

·         Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

·         Tennis elbow

·         Eye strain

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Thank you so much for your time and support

Azi

How to Set Up Your Workstation to fit you!!

How to Set Up Your Workstation to fit you!!

                                                      www.ergomomicworks.com 

1.         Keep your monitor between 20 and 40 inches (50 and 100 centimeters) from your face. This will reduce eye strain. If the depth of your desk doesn’t allow this, move your monitor to a corner, request a flat screen monitor (if applicable), or purchase an attachable computer tray to create a deeper working surface.

2.         Adjust monitor so that the center sits at eye level. The monitor should always be directly in front of your face (preferably no more than 35 degrees to either side) and at or slightly below eye level. However, if you wear bifocals and usually tilt your head back in order to look down through them at the monitor, lower the monitor (or raise your chair) so that the monitor sits 15 to 20 degrees below eye level; note that this may require you to tilt the screen slightly upwards toward your face.

3.         Place your keyboard so that your upper arms hang vertically. Don’t extend your arms far forwards or bend your elbows back to type.

4.         Keep your keyboard at an acceptable height. To reach the keyboard, your forearms should bend no more than 20 degrees above horizontal (if sitting) or 45 below (if standing).

5.         Place mouse near keyboard. Keep it in a position that will enable you to transition between typing and using the mouse with as little effect on your arm and wrist posture as possible. If you have a 10-key on the right side of your keyboard, you may want to use your mouse on the left side; this centers the part of your keyboard that you use most. You can also alternate left and right-sided mouse usage to dilute the effects of repetitive use.

6.         Arrange items within sight and reach. Place your phone, writing equipment, books and other frequently-used items within easy reach from where you sit. You should not need to stretch to reach frequently used objects.

             7.        If you use a document holder, do not place it to one side of your monitor (unless you also                                                                                                                          use a second one on the other side); turning your head in one direction for prolonged periods fatigues the neck muscles. Instead, position the document holder directly beneath the monitor, angling it between the       monitor and keyboard

Laboratory Ergonomics

In addition to the risk of working daily with hazardous materials and substances, laboratory personnel are also exposed to many ergonomic risks due to the nature of their work and research they conduct.  Laboratory-associated ergonomic risks are the same as those found in the office and general industry.  These risk factors include awkward or sustained postures, highly repetitive movements, excessive force or strain, contact stresses, and vibration.

In the lab, good ergonomic work practices are often sacrificed.  Don't wait for your wake up call, visit our website and complete an ergonomic checklist for your lab or work station.

www.ergonomicworks.com 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb7_ZxYeb78

Tingling Fingers or Finger Numbness?

Dealing with tingling fingers? If so, you may be wondering if the next step is going to be finger numbness. This is definitely a good question. The problem with tingling fingers is that they can be a symptom of several different problems, with the two most common being carpal tunnel syndrome and RSI (repetitive stress injuries). Both of these problems can cause tingling fingers. However, you may be wondering if it is going to only get worse from here. Well, let's take a closer look at the problems and how they often progress.

Carpal Tunnel and RSI

Both carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive stress injuries can cause tingling fingers as well as numbness of the fingers. Carpal tunnel is a problem that deals with the median nerve. Often the carpal tunnel is compressed and presses down on the nerve, causing pain, tingling, and in some cases, even numbness. Repetitive stress injuries are a bit different, although they can include the carpal tunnel. They are injuries that occur because of a motion that is done repetitively, or over and over again. This can definitely cause some painful symptoms, including tingling in the fingers.

Usually Tingling Occurs First

In most cases of carpal tunnel and RSI, you will find that the tingling in the fingers occurs first. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes you will find that the numbness in the fingers can occur first. At times these symptoms may be exclusive of each other, but usually you will find that they do come in pairs.

In Some Cases Finger Numbness Occurs

If you are already dealing with finger tingling, you may find that finger numbness is not far behind. This doesn't always occur this way though. There are some cases when both the tingling and the numbness occur together. In other cases, you may find that the tingling occurs and numbness never ends up occurring.

Ignoring the Problem causes More Problems

While it may seem admirable or courageous to ignore carpal tunnel symptoms, such as finger numbness, in order to keep your job, this can actually cause even more problems. In fact, just ignoring any carpal tunnel symptoms that you have in the beginning can lead to a more severe case of the problem in the long run. It is only early diagnosis and treatment that can help to keep this problem from getting worse, keeping employees more productive when they are on the job.

Let’s us help you contact us at www.ergonomicworks.com. Also watch our video on YouTube by clicking on the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb7_ZxYeb78&list=LLsnSaKuefqOtks3FoJ36j4g