Setting up Your Home Office

Transcription

1 Setting up Your Home Office The home office is becoming more and more prevalent. Even those who do not work from home on a regular basis have computer workstations set up in the home for personal activities. The same principles that are applied to a traditional office should be applied at home. When setting up a home office, you should consider what you will need, including: Desk Chair Printer and other peripherals (copier, scanner, fax, etc.) Storage Lighting When working from home, consider setting aside space for a home office. Whether it is a separate room or just an area make sure you have a space specifically for your home office. Do not try using the kitchen table or other makeshift area that also serves a secondary roll. Set up your office away from family/pet noises and commotion in your house -- preferably a room with doors that close. Even a large walk-in closet can serve well for a small office space. In summary, make your office as comfortable and functional as possible, and establish boundaries with regards to children/noises to achieve home / office balance. OFFICE FURNITURE Whenever possible, make an effort to review or evaluate a piece of furniture before it is brought into the office. The products should also be reviewed for their qualities: Adjustability Is a sufficient range of adjustability available to meet your needs? Task Will the different pieces allow you to complete your work tasks? Fit Does the piece fit the person, or even properly within the office? Your Office Chair As a general rule, employees who sit for the longest periods of time to perform job tasks require the most adjustable chair. Basic criteria for office chairs includes: Good lumbar support Adjustable for correct height for user/workspace interface -- chair should fit under desk and allow for proper user height Adjustable back rest height, back angle, seat depth and seat angle Ability to lock individual adjustments in place Seat cushion should be comfortable -- not too hard or too soft Seat pan should have waterfall (curved) edge to reduce pressure on legs Five legs for stability Correct casters for work environment (e.g. carpet vs. linoleum) Allows for easy movement within the workspace

2 Seat Pan Depth 3 Seat Pan Width 4 Backrest Angle 5 Armrest Height 6 7 Seat Pan Height Seat Back Width Seat Back Height Vertical distance from floor to top of the seat pan Minimum of 4.5 in. with recommended range of in. Horizontal distance from the front to the back of the seat pan Horizontal distance from outermost edges off the seat pan Angle of the seat pan and the back rest A minimum height of 8 inches Horizontal distance from outermost edges off the seat back Vertical distance from the outermost edges of the seat back Figure: Chair Features Defined You are eligible for a SAS B2L Ergonomic Chair. If you wouldd like a B2L chair, you can either order one yourself, or contact an Ergonomics Specialist who can order one for you. If you order one you will need to specify the short, medium or tall cylinder chair. Here's a guide for determining which height cylinder works best for you: Height: o under 5'7" and like using a work surface no higher than 27": SHORT Cylinder o under 5'7" but like working directly on top of the work surface (higher than 27"), with feet supported by a foot platform: MEDIUM Cylinder o between 5'7"-6'9" and like to rock back in your chair: MEDIUM Cylinder o over 6'0": TALL Cylinder o For multiple users between the height of 5'5" - 6'1", the MEDIUM Cylinder works fairly well.

3 Weight: the B2L chair is designed for users under 250 lb. If you are 250+, contact an Ergonomic Specialist for alternatives. Flooring: the B2L chair comes with casters designed for low pile carpeted floors. If you have tile or hardwood floors in your office, contact the Ergonomic Specialist for different casters. Once you receive your B2L chair, here is an excellent 5-minute video which shows how to adjust the various features of the chair: video/ NEUTRAL WORKING POSTURE Once you have received your equipment, you will need to adjust it so that you are as close to neutral posture as you can be. It is not expected that you will sit in this posture all of the time. However, the closer you can get the better your body will feel and work and the less it will fatigue. r

4 1. Chair The first workstation element to be adjusted should be the chair. This is important because the rest of the workstation should be adjusted around the chair. Many workers who have an adjustable chair do not necessarily know what each adjustment does or where it should be. a. Chair Height and Angle The first item to be adjusted is the chair height. When the worker s thighs are parallel to the floor with feet flat on the floor, the chair is at its proper height. At this level, the circulation of the legs will not be constricted. When a chair is too high circulation to the lower leg and foot can be restricted. Conversely, when a chair is too low, unneeded pressure is put on the worker s low back and buttocks. Seat pan angle adjustment can either be fully adjustable or the chair may be equipped with a forward tilt option. b. Lumbar Support Height Next, the lumbar support height should be adjusted to a height where the lumbar support fits into the lumbar curvature of the worker s back. For most people, the lumbar area is located at the beltline or just above the buttocks. When a person sits upright, the natural curvature of the lower back flattens out. By best supporting the curvature, the back has less likelihood of being sore at the end of the workday. c. Backrest Angle Backrest angle should be adjusted such that the worker is slightly reclined. This allows for the worker to use the back of the chair without feeling pushed forward. A recline option may allow the worker to work upright or reclined, depending upon what task is being performed. Chairs available with a recline option usually have a recline lock that locks the backrest at the desired angle. d. Seat Pan Depth Seat pan depth and angle allows for the legs of the worker to be fully supported. If the seat pan is too deep or if the seat pan is angled upward on the end, the worker may experience restricted leg circulation. This means that the seat pan touches the back of the worker s knee or presses into the back of the worker s leg. For optimal support there should be approximately three fingers width between the end of the seat pan and the back of the worker s leg, and the thighs should be parallel to the floor. On chairs with seat pan depth adjustment, it is either a paddle adjustment or it could be a backrest depth adjustment. Some chairs are available with different seat pan sizes. e. Armrest Height and Width Armrests are used to offer support when a worker is sitting back away from their keyboard doing an activity other than keying or mousing. Armrests should be adjusted to slightly below the height of the elbow while working. If armrests do not allow a worker to get close enough to their workstation, the armrests should either be lowered or removed from the chair. The width should be set so the arms are close to the body, without hip interference when getting out of the chair. 2. Worksurface Worksurface height affects many aspects of the work area including monitor, keyboard and pointing device height. When a height adjustable workstation or cubical is in place, ample clearance for legs should be allowed. When determining the amount of clearance needed, products such as keyboard trays should be considered. Mounting a keyboard tray or drawer under a worksurface lowers the height of the available leg clearance.

5 Many companies retrofit the furniture already in place. Most times this sets the height of the workstation. In the case where the furniture is not replaceable and not height adjustable, casters can be used to raise the workstation. If the workstation is not height adjustable and it needs to be lowered, the chair height adjustment can be used to accommodate. If the worker is raised such that the thighs are not parallel to the floor, a footrest should be provided to help prevent a reduction in leg circulation. 3. Keyboard, Pointing Device, and Keyboard Tray Once the chair and worksurface height are set, the keyboard and pointing device should be at a height such that the user s elbow is at 90, wrists are straight, and shoulders are relaxed while working. If the keyboard and/or pointing device are too high or too low, the user s overall posture can be affected. In this case, a keyboard tray could be a feasible option. This allows the user to bring the keyboard and pointing device out from the worksurface and to the proper height, helping to free up desk real estate and utilize adjustability options. Keyboard trays that move the pointing device closer to the user are preferred. When a keyboard is placed on a tray, the pointing device is either located on a floating platform or far out to the left or right of the keyboard. It is best to choose a keyboard tray that brings the pointing device closer to the user to minimize the reach of the user, such as a curved board or one with a floating platform. Choosing a tray that is easy for the user to maneuver is essential. If a tray is hard to adjust or does not leave ample leg clearance, the user is less likely to take time to adjust it properly. Some workers may even move the tray aside and place the keyboard and pointing device on the worksurface. Most keyboard trays also allow the user to change the slope of the keyboard. Adjusting the keyboard to an angle at which the wrists are straight is beneficial. However, too much slope may cause discomfort. 4. Monitor Position and Glare Of all the computer components, the monitor is used most frequently and for the longest consecutive time periods. Monitors should be located in front of the user. Having the monitor to the side causes the user to work in a twisted position. A user s monitor should be at a height such that their physical eye height is level with the first line of letters on the screen. This adjustment is done after the chair and work surface heights have been determined. If a user wears bifocal glasses, the monitor should be positioned slightly lower. This reduces the amount angle a user has to tilt in order to view the screen out of their lenses. Raising a monitor can be done with a riser or with something as accessible as an old telephone book or ream of paper. Monitors can be angled slightly to reduce the amount of glare experienced from overhead lighting and windows. In many working environments overhead lighting can be repositioned to reduce the amount of glare. If the workspace has a window, the monitor should be located such that the screen is perpendicular to the window. If this is not possible, blinds can be used to change the direction of light or totally eliminate the entrance of light. When performing computer work, it may be beneficial to turn off overhead lighting and use task lighting. Many overhead lighting sources are too bright or are positioned inconveniently. By using task lighting, only specific working surfaces and documents are illuminated. 5. Document Holder Document holders should be located either between the keyboard and the monitor or just to the side of the monitor. This minimizes the number of head movements and awkward neck positions

6 assumed while entering data. It is best to have sufficient lighting around the document so that the text on the holder can be read without straining the eyes. 6. Telephone The telephone should be placed in a location in which the worker does not have to reach across their body or reach at length. Reaching to answer the phone causes the worker to assume awkward postures. Many workers who answer the phone cradle the phone between the shoulder and ear. Some workers use the speakerphone to talk. This is a better option for reducing the likelihood of discomfort; however it is not necessarily conducive to a quiet working environment. Workers, who use the phone a high percentage of the workday and cannot use the speakerphone may need a headset. Headsets are chosen on a personal preference based on fit and must be able to work with the supporting phone system. 7. Printer The printer location should be based upon the percentage of usage. If a worker uses the printer a high percentage of the workday, the printer either should be located close to the worker or across the room. Locating the printer across the room forces the worker to get up and walk to get documents, encouraging movement and circulation. If a printer is not used frequently, it can be placed in more of a middle ground. The printer should not be placed in a way that restricts leg movement. 8. Footrest Footrests help to elevate the feet and legs for individuals who have to raise their chair to reach their workstation. If an individual raises the chair to where their legs are no longer parallel to the floor, a footrest lifts the legs so that the worker does not experience a reduction in leg circulation. Any worker can benefit from a footrest, since many are available with beads and other moving parts to promote motion and circulation. A footrest should be positioned such that it does not interfere with the movement of the worker s chair.