EK HEALTH

-by Kim Granata-Clark, MS in Human Factors and Ergonomics, Ergonomic Specialist

Do you share a workstation with coworkers?  If so, here are some adjustments to make at your workstation.

Adjust your chair – feet should be flat on the ground, hips slightly higher than you knees, sitting back in your chair so the chair backrest is providing support for your low and mid back, adjust the seatpan depth so there is space between the back of your legs and the front of the chair seatpan, and armrests should be lower than your resting elbow height when they are at 90 degrees.  You should be able to move your elbows out and not run into the chair armrests.  If there is no adjustment for the seatpan depth, put a pillow or rolled up towel between your back and the chair backrest to make space between the front of the chair seatpan and the back of your legs.

Adjust your keyboard tray – the keyboard and mouse should be on the keyboard tray, which should be at or just below your elbow height.  If you do not have a keyboard tray, raise the height of the chair so your elbow height matches the height of the work surface.  Place something under your feet for support if they are not flat on the ground.

Adjust your monitor distance – adjust it so that you are not leaning forward to read the contents on the screen.  If you use more than one monitor, your main monitor should be in front of you and the second monitor should be angled toward you.  If you use them equally than the right edge of the left monitor and left edge of the right monitor should be centered in front of you.

Adjust your monitor height – you should be looking at the top quarter of the screen.  If you wear bifocals, lower the monitors so you are not tilting your head back to read through the bottom of your glasses.