Office Ergonomics & Ergonomics in the Workplace
Technology is improving day by day, but, over the last few decades ergonomic product design for the workplace has developed to contain new concepts and solutions to help perk up the health, comfort and general wellbeing of those who work with Technology in the office.
This development has been somewhat determined by legislation: Under the Work Act of 1974 for the employees Health and Safety, it is a duty to guard the health, safety and welfare of their employees. The Health and Safety Executive can advise that "Computer workstations or equipment can be linked with neck, back, shoulder or arm pains. Upper limb disorders (ULDs) or repetitive strain injury (RSI) can be passing up by following good practice. These types of problems can be avoided with good job design and best workplace and the system that equipment is used."
Ergonomic place of work design has also been influenced by an enlarged gratitude that work systems and tools should be developed and engaged so that the job fits the person and not the other way around. Preferably workplace furniture should allow the body to move through a choice of seating positions. The human body is not measured to be still for long periods at a time. It is vital to move and to modify working position regularly. Increased flexibility and movement can be facilitated with the use of monitor arms which permit greater variability between user, chair, desk and computer.
The way we work today is more and more varied and workflow is a lot dictated by the technology we use. The formation of flat screen monitor arms came about as a direct result of requirements recognized by users in the workplace, plus finds the following:
- Your eyes should be the same height as the top of the VDU
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Your desk and VDU should be arranged to keep away from glare, or bright reflections on the screen
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To ensure there is room underneath the desk to move legs freely
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To regularly change working position
First designer of monitor desk arms was Colebrook Bosson Saunders who developed to meet these needs. The ideology employed is that by using a screen or monitor arm a display can be simply adjusted to the accurate height for every user. In addition easy side to side modification is possible to stay away from screen glare.
Jeremy Myerson, a leading thinker and author on workplace design writes in his article designing offices to get better innovation: "The chief causes of staff sickness are infection, stress and poor ergonomics... Check the angles and comfort levels of your computer workstations. Back pain and repetitive strain injury are a major cause of days lost through staff sickness."
