Kira Atto 2013

Ergonomics helps a worker be more comfortable in their workspace by preventing the chance of stress and injury. A worker that is not distracted by pain or stress they are more likely to have better productivity.

Having chairs and desk that are adjustable helps the worker position themselves in front of a computer in a way that prevents the need for slouching or overreaching in order to use the keyboard or mouse. This can also allow for better placement of arms and wrists in regards to typing. Having a bad setup can result in Musculoskeletal disorders that affect the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, and spinal discs, which results in pain and discomfort often leading to reduced productivity or requiring time off work.

Bad lighting can result in eye strain leading to headaches that affect a workers ability to concentrate. Too much lighting can cause glare especially on desktop monitors and this affects the workers ability to see what they are working on and they may sit in an awkward position in order to avoid the glare. This can then cause discomfort in other areas of the body. Not enough lighting requires the worker to strain their eyes more in order to see and depending on how bad the lighting they may bump into objects while moving around.

The ideal position for a monitor is with the top of the screen below eye level and the centre of screen about shoulder level and the worker being able to sit directly in front of screen. A properly positioned monitor reduces the chance of injuries to the neck, shoulders and back as well as reduce the amount of strain on the eyes. Having the monitor attached to an adjustable arm allows for better positioning.

Many office environments have partitioned work areas to add a sense of privacy to workers but this can lead to confined spaces if not done properly. Confined spaces can affect a workers productivity by restricting their ability to move around comfortably. Trying to move around in a confined space may result in bruises and injuries to the arms and legs from constantly bumping into furniture and other equipment. It can also cause extra stress in some people who have trouble being in small spaces.

Typing for long periods of time without rest can result in fatigue and pain in the fingers and wrists as well as stiffness in the arms and shoulders from being in a stationary position. This can affect a workers ability to keep up with their work and in it extreme can lead to time off work to recover. The eyes can also be affected by too much typing as it requires sustained visual attention resulting in dry and tired eyes. A short break every 30mins is recommended in order to avoid these problems.