Too often we jump in to our work with both feet and, before we realize it, we are aching from head to toe and can barely move. This presentation is a school assignment (non$) that is supposed to get workers aware of their surroundings and their bodies.

1. Text
Your Workstation
and You

2. er·go·nom·ics
noun plural but singular or plural in construction ˌər-gə-ˈnä-miks
: a science that deals with designing and arranging things so that people can use
them easily and safely
: the parts or qualities of something's design that make it easy to use

3. Ergonomics is a serious
business
86% of workers report some
discomfort from their office chair or
equipment.
35% of sick days are spent on
musculoskeletal injuries.
33% of workers’ compensation costs
are spent on ergonomics injuries.
15% of workplace injuries are due to
carpel tunnel syndrome.
40% percent of those cases resulted
in 30 lost work days.
Source: US Bureau of Labour Statistics, 2007

4. A poorly-designed workstation can result in twists, turns and
uncomfortable movements. Ensure that you have enough desk
space to comfortably accommodate all the materials and
equipment that are part of your job: books, papers, calculators,
computers and printers. Leave everything else out of the way.
Lifting heavy objects can cause serious injuries, but failing to lift
objects of any weight properly can result in injury. Make sure you
have been instructed on the proper methods for lifting and
stretching whether it's a service recipient, a carton of books ,or
furniture.
You can sustain repetitive injuries by working at computer
workstations that are not properly adjusted. Repetitive injuries are
particularly chronic problems that could result in permanent
disability.
A poorly-designed workstation can slow you and your team down,
increase stress, and contribute to chronic conditions such as
carpal tunnel syndrome. It is important that you organize your
workspace to keep twists, turns and uncomfortable movements to
an absolute minimum.

5. Pimp Your Station!
Ensure that your workstation is adjusted to meet your needs.
Provide for adequate leg-room of 3-to-6 inches from the top of the your
thigh to the desk surface.
Cut back on office noise by covering noisy printers and turning down ringers
on phones, fax machines, network servers and people's personal wireless
devices.
You may not be able to escape the glare of that fluorescent office lighting.
See it you can turn off the overhead lighting and work with surface lighting
instead. Or try moving the computer monitor to another location to avoid direct
glare from windows or overhead lighting or try an anti-glare screen.

6. Pimp Your Station!
The body should be in the following position when using a
computer:
Wrists straight
Forearms supported
Back supported
Forearms parallel to the floor
Thighs parallel to the floor
Feet on the floor or a foot rest
Top of monitor at or slightly below eye level

7. Pimp Your Station!
The height of your work surface is an important aspect of a good
ergonomic workstation. Your work surface should follow these
guidelines:
The proper height for a computer work surface is about 3 or 4 inches lower than
the average writing desk.
Position your work surface so your forearms are parallel to the floor. Your
elbow should make an angle of between 90 and 110 degrees.
Position your work surface so that your forearms are supported by a minimum
of six inches.
Your wrists should always be straight and neutral. Wrists bent in any direction
(up, down, left, or right) may lead to discomfort and eventually injury.

8. Guidelines for Setting up Your Chair
You should adjust your chair to allow your forearms to be parallel to the floor,
your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest, and your thighs to be parallel to the
floor.
The back supports in your chair should be adjusted so that the curve of the
back of the seat is in the curve of your lower back. Use a towel or a lumbar pad if
your chair does not provide adequate support.
Your backrest should be adjusted for seat pan clearance. You should be able
to place 2 or 3 fingers between the back of his/her knees and the front edge of
the seat.
Position the computer monitor according to these guidelines:
Place the monitor directly in front of the user.
Don't position the monitor where the user would have to twist his/her neck.
source: https://nonprofitrisk.org/tools/workplace-safety/nonprofit/c5/ergonomics.htm

9. Position your monitor according to these guidelines:
Place your monitor directly in front of you.
Don't position your monitor where you would have to twist
your neck.

10. TAKE YOUR BREAKS!

11. Regular scheduled breaks are vital in any occupation.
Whether you love your job or not, if you don’t take your
breaks, you’re risking over exhaustion and injury to
yourself and others around you.

12. Not to mention…

13. Text
Breaks are great for your social
life!

14. Remember to
Stretch
Many of us spend our 9 to 5
planted at a desk and that
can lead to a number of
musculoskeletal problems.
Remember to keep yourself
limber and stretch in the
morning and once or twice
during your day.

15. And give your eyes a break too!

16. Text
Because, at the end of the
day
It’s your workstation and your body.
Stay optimized!

17. Image Credits
All images used here were used solely for nonprofit educational purposes. No revenue was generated in exchange for these
images nor was it generated in exchange for any product they were used in.
Images are credited with their home URL:
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