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Home office setup
Working from home? Here's some advice from Mark Dohrmann, Australian ergonomist:
THE basic idea is to get yourself comfortable, not just to conform to some set of rigid "rules".
1. Get a decent chair
THE best sort are the standard clerical-type office chairs, NOT the large, high-backed reclining types which some people think mistakenly are guaranteed to be comfortable. A good chair for working in has the following features:
- adjustable in height;
- a separately adjustable backrest you can bring forwards into the small of the back, as well as altering vertically to suit your trunk length;
- a seat short enough to allow you to get full back support without the front edge of the seat pushing into the back of your legs;
- a five-star base (for stability);
- a curved, "waterfall" front;
- well padded - you shouldn't be able to feel the seat base under the padding when you're slumped heavily in the chair.
Lots of chairs on sale are labelled as "ergonomic" - but they're not! If you're local (in Australia) ask if the chair conforms to Australian Standard AS/NZS 4438 ("Height-adjustable swivel chairs"), published in 1997. There's also a set of Standards on Fixed-height Chairs - AS/NZS 4688.1, 4688.2, 4688.3 etc. Does the chair have a strength and durability rating from AFRDI (the Australian Furniture Research and Development Industry). If not, why not?
"Bargain" chairs usually break down after a year or two - so be prepared to spend generously if you want something to last. You don't need to overdo it, though. Some of the best chairs around are reasonably priced, but there's some pretty ordinary high-priced ones about, too. A good chair is really worth it! Armrests are usually unnecessary, and can get in the way or push your shoulders up, so consider a chair without them. "Kneeling" type chairs are "odd-ball" - good for exceptional tasks or certain types of crook back ... but they create problems, too (like lots of pressure on the knees).
2. Learn how to adjust your chair
- alter its height until your shoulders are relaxed, not slumped, in the working position;
adjust the backrest into the small of your back;
- ensure the seat pan is flat or sloping upwards (NEVER downwards) at the front;
- use a footrest if there is any pressure under your thighs. Alternatively, lower your desk (if you can) as well as your chair;
- learn the elements of correct posture, and practice them!
See "How to sit at a computer" for more information.
3. Provide good, even lighting
Your whole working surface should be evenly illuminated, without shadows near your hand. Concealed fluorescent lighting is good (tubes are cool, light well dispersed, long life); consider an extra desk lamp as well, but ensure that the light source itself is covered, and is kept out of your field of view. Use curtains to control screen reflections or bright sunlight, and don't sit facing a screen with bright daylight (like a window) beyond and behind the screen. Don't put up with a dark or shiny desktop: they should be a light to medium color, matt finish.
4. Give yourself plenty of desktop space
WHY not put your monitor on a mobile, articulated stand? You can adjust it to suit (a good distance: about an arm's length away, with the top of the screen level with your forehead), then use the handy space under it to move your keyboard out of the way. 700 mm is a good desk height, but lower for lots of shorter people. Many desks are still far too high. Put the stuff you use a lot within a comfortable arm's reach (eg phone, notepad, reference files). A desk should be 900 mm deep (front to back)for comfortable screen viewing, and your desk should not be thick (30 mm maximum).
Again, have a look at our web page on work station adjustment for more information.
5. Control unwanted noise
Nothing like barking dogs or noisy playtime sounds to send you to the brink.
6. Arrange your storage intelligently
SHOP carefully for cupboards and storage facilities suited to what you need. Think of your back, and the frequency with which you'll need to be getting things in or out of whatever you buy. Mobile drawer units are very handy. Computer "towers" on wheels are good, too, but not for long periods (unless they're highly adjustable - keyboard height, screen height, etc).
7. Get a decent computer
A huge hard disk, quality keyboard and screen, lots of RAM, fast processor. And back up EVERY day. If you don't know how, find someone who can show you.
8. Provide heating and cooling
IT'S meant to make you comfortable, not sleepy. Hot weather can often be met by a simple pedestal fan and light clothing. Watch tangi-fans for heating the legs under the desks: they'll put you to sleep. Try wearing warmer clothes!
9. Take regular breaks
Muscles need movement - from the tiny muscles which manage your eyes to the big ones which support your back. Get up and get things. Try working standing up sometimes. Get some fresh air. And keep yourself fit - daily exercise (even just a brisk walk) will repay you many times in the extra hours of productive work you'll be able to do as a result.
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