Office

Ergonomics
Greg Rhoades and
Derrick Marrero
Definition
 Erg- from Greek meaning work
 Nomas- from Greek meaning natural laws
 Ergonomics is defined as the study of the
relationship between people and their
environment- especially the work environment
 The idea behind ergonomics is to adapt the work
environment to the worker rather than adapt the
worker to their environment.
 Origin of Ergonomics
 The Alexander Technique was developed in the early
20th century before ergonomics became a recognized
science and has been applied throughout this century by
people from all walks of life. The Technique is an
educational method which shows people how they are
misusing their bodies and how their everyday habits of
work can be harmful. It also teaches people how to
avoid work habits which create excessive amounts of
static work and how to reduce the amount of
unnecessary muscular force they are applying to their
bodies.
 Origin of Ergonomics
 The Alexander Technique does not involve exercises, forms of
psychotherapy, or spiritual healing techniques. It is also unlike the
manipulations of bodywork or manual healing techniques: Rather than
looking at the body as a set of separate "parts" or pressure points to be
individually "worked on," a skilled teacher guides a student through
movement, observing and working with whole patterns of coordination,
which include tension and postural patterns, how a student thinks
about moving, and active movement itself. The student actively
participates in this process, learning to apply his own intelligence to
effectively change habits.
 Problem Definition
 In today’s society, even the company using sound safety and
ergonomics principles and practices will, eventually, face lawsuits.
However, the negative effects of such suits can be minimized by such
safe practices.
The desire to be safe is universal, but the knowledge to do so must be
learned. Nine out of ten injurious events occurring in the workplace or in
public can be predicted.
 Over the past twenty years there have been many changes in the way
jobs are performed in office environments. Advances in computer
technology have made it possible to process, transfer, and file
information quickly and efficiently.
 Problem Definition
 A significant portion of office work is now performed on personal
computers. The computer has become an important part of many office
jobs, making it easier for us to be more productive and more efficient.
 As office work continues to become more specialized, some individuals
are finding that their bodies have limitations that prevent them from
meeting job expectations.
 Employers around the country are now becoming increasingly aware of
the need to evaluate the interactions between employees and their
machines.
 How this relates to
office ergonomics?
 The idea behind office ergonomics is to reduce the number of work
related accidents and injuries to maximize the performance of each
worker.

 Allow for each worker to be comfortable in their environment and be

able to produce efficiently the work that is required of them.
 Common problems
identified
 Improper chair height.
 Supplies placed out of reach.
 Low padded arm rest.
 Keyboard placed below elbow height.
 Top of monitor not placed at eye level disallowing
proper head and neck positions.
 Poor posture and insufficient break time to relieve
stress of working.
 Resting arm on hard surfaces.
 Consequences of these
problems
 People may suffer from (clinical):
 lower back pain
 numbness in extremities
 carpal tunnel syndrome- A condition that results from compression
of the median nerve at the wrist.
 CTD’s (Cumulative Traumatic Disorders)- injuries to the
musculoskeltal and nervous systems caused by excessively
repetitive motions, high force and awkward body postures
 tendinitis- inflammation of the tendons

 tenosynovitis- a condition in which the tendon and its covering

become inflamed.
 Consequences of these
Problems
 People may suffer from (administrative):
 Inability
to attend work.
 Increase on worker’s compensation.
 Decrease in productivity.
 Recommendations
 Maintain position 18-28 in. from monitor.
 Keep monitor directly in front of you.
 Keep eyes horizontal with the top of the screen.
 Forearms parallel to the floor.
 Seat back should support lumbar of back.
 Seat height should be adjustable.
 Keep glare at a minimum through the use of anti-glare screens and
shaded windows.
 Support dangling feet with foot rest.
 Wrists straight and neutral.
 Keep mouse close to you.
 Keep copy at eye level if retyping information.
 Ideas for prevention
 To increase circulation use exercises while in the workplace such as:
 The body stretch
 Side bends
 Upper body twist
 Shoulder shrugs
 Finger stretch
 Wrist stretch
 Thumb stretch
 Finger squeezes
 These exercises should be used upon arising each morning, at the start
of a work shift and following meal breaks, during work to release
tension, after prolonged sitting or standing, and when you feel stiff.
 Keys for good body
Mechanics
 Body mechanics refers to using the human body as if it were a
machine. Special emphasis is placed on:
 Minimization of friction/heat while performing.
 Maximization of force per unit of energy through taking advantage
of leverage and other mechanical principles.
 Conceptualizing the body as a machine such that the lower
extremities serve mobility and support functions in the upper
extremities serve as prehensile and manipulative tools.
 Ideas for good body mechanics:
 Bend at the knees.
 Keeps back straight and look forward
 Push rather than pull.
 Distribute the workload.
 Keep feet shoulder width apart.
 Keep objects close to your body.
 Conclusion
 The goal of office ergonomics is to reduce injuries
caused by physical stress on the body but for an
ergonomics program to be successful it requires
your commitment to helping eliminate the causes
of CTD’s.