How to Achieve an Ergonomic Computer Workstation

1. How to Achieve an Ergonomic Computer Workstation 58th Annual Governor’s Industrial Safety & Health Conference October 7-8, 2009

2. Presenters • Jeannette Murphy, OTR/L, CEA • Ergonomist, Injury Prevention Specialist • St. Luke’s Rehabilitation, Spokane WA • Leslie Pickett, PT • Ergonomics and Injury Prevention Specialist • Swedish Medical Center, Seattle WA • Lynn LaSalle, MOT • Ergonomist, Ergonomic Coordinator • MultiCare Health System (MHS), Tacoma WA

3. Participants will… • Understand the ANSI/HFES 100-2007 human factors standards for creating an ergonomic computer workstation. • Understand some of the challenges and solutions for using computers in the hospital setting • Understand some of the challenges and solutions facing mobile laptop users.

4. ANSI/HFES 100-2007: Human Factors Engineering of Computer Workstations • Purpose • To specify acceptable applications of human factors engineering principles and practices to the design and configuration of the human-hardware interfaces in computer workstations.

5. ANSI/HFES 100-2007 • Application • For computer workstations used regularly in office workplaces by users with normal perceptual and cognitive capabilities • Moderate to intensive computer users • Not intended for beyond the office workplace application • Generalizations to other applications exceed the scope of this standard.

6. ANSI/HFES 100-2007 • Scope • Applies to computer workstations for a wide range of users • In general the physical dimensions and force requirements are designed to accommodate at least 90 percent of the North American population • User Diversity • Design is not intended to accommodate all users due to the very nature of diversity

7. ANSI/HFES 100-2007 • Guiding Principles • Enhance workstation usability by improving ease of use and ease of learning • Facilitate user performance by encouraging task proficiency and error recovery • Accommodate users of various physical sizes and expertise levels • Maintain user performance by allowing postural changes that minimize static loads • Promote user satisfaction by fostering product acceptance and product usage

8. ANSI/HFES 100-2007 • Limitations • Not intended for transient computer work situations (e.g., using a laptop computer during airplane travel) or to workstations specially configured for individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities • Use of a portable device in an office setting, such as a laptop computer in a docking station, is not an example of transient computer work. • This standard does not apply to operator health considerations or work practices • Focus is to support operator performance through attention to the design aspects of the computer hardware and environment interfaces. • No implications are made that conformance to this standard produces health-related outcomes.

9. This standard recognized that VDT users frequently change their working postures to maintain comfort and productivity. Four reference postures are used in this standard to represent a range of postures observed at computer workstations.

10. The Comfortable Work Space Based on ANSI/HFES 100-2007 Standards Human Factors Engineering of Computer Workstation

13. Recommended Postures Shoulder abduction Wrist flexion Elbow reference

14. Recommended Postures Torso to thigh reference Shoulder flexion