TOPIC: COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Class: Upper Six Comp. Science & ICT By: DZEUGANG PLACIDE

Sub topic
COMPUTER-RELATED ERGONOMICS
Learning objectives
After studying this lesson, student should be able to:
- State some injuries cause by the use of computer
- Discuss some ergonomic principles to adopt in order to remain the use of computer
safe
- Discuss some legal measure taken to preserve ergonomic in workplace
INTRODUCTION
Computer with its numerous advantages has at one of its disadvantages a whole raft of health
problems. This ranges from eyestrain to wrist injuries, back problem to fatal abnormalities,
stomach ulcers to mental collapse. Working with the computer requires someone to sit down and
even for longer hours. Those whose job require them to sit for so long a time must be aware of
things to improve their sitting posture in order to avoid.
Ergonomics is the science that deals with the relationship between people and their working
environment. It involves the correct arrangement of the human body, work tools, and work
related tasks, to minimize safety, comfort and efficiency of the worker. Proper ergonomics
ensures that hazards such as fatigue, injury, and discomfort of workers are avoided.
I. COMPUTER AND HEALTH: common ergonomics problems
without the necessary planning, the incorrect use and placement of equipment may produce the
following health-related complaints and disorders:
1) Repetitive strain Injury
what is RSI?
RSI, or Repetitive Strain Injury or Repetitive stress Injury, is a condition caused by repetitive
motion. In most cases, RSI affects the neck, knees, wrists, back, and fingers. By sitting in one
position and performing repetitive motions such as typing and looking at a computer screen, the
body can experience strain and muscle fatigue. Over time, RSI can cause permanent nerve injury
and become a debilitating condition. It is vital that workers and those who sit or stand in a job
where repetitive motion is required be educated about how to prevent injury.
RSI Symptoms
The symptoms of RSI can vary, but usually consist of pain. The neck or back can feel
constant strain, and fingers or wrists can become painful to maneuver. A feeling of weakness is
often accompanied by shooting pangs of pain. Numbness in the arms or hands can also be a
symptom, and can cause alarm or fear that other issues such as a potential heart attack are taking
place. Some people who suffer from severe RSI cannot operate a keyboard or personal objects
effectively because of the intense pain.
2) Eyestrain
what is Eyestrain?
Eyestrain is a symptom that manifests when you over-exert your eyes over an extended period of
time, through activities such as reading or viewing an electronically lit screen. Eyestrain may
include one or a combination of the following: Pain and tension around the eyes, Eye dryness
and/or redness, Fatigue, Sensitivity to light, Headache, Difficulty performing visual tasks,
Blurred vision, Double vision
Causes of Eyestrain:
Eyestrain isn’t known to lead to permanent damage of the visual system, but it can keep you
from doing your work. The causes of eyestrain vary for each individual, and may change for an
individual over time and can include the following: Improper lighting, Glare, Eyewear, Viewing
angle and distance, Uninterrupted focus on the screen, Screen and documents holder location,
Dust on the monitor’s screen
3) Back pain
Back pain is often caused by RSI conditions or precursors to them. For computer users, RSI
(Repetitive Strain Injury) is a real danger. Its effects can be permanent and you do not always see
that coming!
4) Stress
Stress could be considered the leading cause of ergonomics-related ailments. The list of causes
which perpetuate this complaint include environmental conditions relating to space, lighting,
noise , and temperature control; and poor work station design including unfriendly software,
working procedures, inadequate supervision, and improper training.
5) Skin Rashes
a variety of skin condition s ranging from facial itching to change of skin color has been linked
to the environmental conditions and humidity.
II. COMPUTER-RELATED ERGONOMICS
Ergonomics focuses on designing workstations, tools, and job tasks for greater safety and
efficiency, helping to reduce employee injuries resulting from such ergonomic hazards as
repetitive motion. (Repetitive motion injuries include back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, and
tendinitis.)
1) The appropriate arrangement of a workplace
Evaluate your workplace, chair and work habits and think about ways you can adjust them to
maintain a healthy back.
a) The Workplace
The workplace should be designed to help you avoid long reaches, jerky twisting movements, or
awkward postures that can lead to back aches and pains.
Your visual target: Your visual target is the first factor affecting your posture. Make
sure that you can easily see the things you look at the most without bending your neck or
slouching. Prop reading documents up in front of you or use a document holder for
lengthy tasks. A document holder adjustable to screen height can also prevent neck strain.
Easy reach: Analyze your job tasks and tools. The things you use most often—your
mouse, telephone, calculator, in/out box—should be within easy reach. If you use the
telephone a lot in conjunction with other job tasks, a lightweight phone headset is
advisable.
Waist high: Avoid awkward reaches or constant bending by storing heavy, frequently
used items on shelves or tables at waist height. Keep files that you use most often in
filing cabinet drawers that are about waist level.
b) The Chair
sitting for long period can cause increased pressure on the inter-vertebral discs.
Extended sitting can also hurt our feet and legs. The following recommendation can help
increased comfort for computer users:
Support your lower back: Your lower back bears most of the strain when you are seated
and needs constant support. Adjust the back support on your chair to fit the hollow of
your lower back. If necessary, use a pillow designed to support the lower curve in your
back.
Sit to suit your activity: An upright sitting posture may be most comfortable for typing or
computer use. Use good posture: try to keep your ears, shoulders, and hips in a straight
line.
Tilt your seat: Sitting with your knees slightly lower than your hips reduces the strain on
your lower back, when doing forward work like writing or drafting. Try adjusting the
seat of your chair so that it is tilted slightly forward. If necessary, use a seat wedge.
Move in close: You can avoid slouching and awkward postures by moving your chair as
close to your work as is comfortably possible.
Put your foot down: Resting your feet on the floor provides support to your lower back.
Adjust the height of your chair so that you can rest your feet on the floor or use a footrest,
if necessary.
The thighs should be parallel to the floor and knees at about the same level as the hips.
c) The Table
Standard furniture cannot accommodate everyone’s needs. Adjustable furniture may be required
in situations where people use the same workstation
The desktop should be organized so that frequently used objects are close to the user to
avoid excessive extended reaching.
The work surface should not be light reflector so as to minimize glare and refection
The area beneath the table should always be cleared to accommodate the user’s legs and
allow for stretching.
A footrest should be used if, after adjusting the height of the chair, feet do not rest flat on
the floor.
Use a headset or speaker phone to avoid neck and shoulder discomfort if you use a phone
frequently.
Position your table lamp (if you use one) so that it illuminates sources documents without
causing either glare on the computer screen or your eyes.
A document holder should be used if documents are used during typing. The document
holder should be stable and placed at an adjustable and convenient position.
d) The Monitor:
Once the chair and work surface are properly adjusted, the computer monitor should be placed so
the top of the screen is at or just below eye level when seated in an upright position. The
following position can help prevent the development of eyestrain, neck pain and shoulder fatigue
while using your computer workstation
The monitor should be directly in front of you (not off to the side), such that your eye
level is somewhere between the top of the screen and 20% from the top.
The screen should be about 15-25 inches from your eyes.
Ensure that the surface of the viewing screen is clean
Adjust the brightness and contrast to optimize your view.
Adjust the monitor tilt so that ceiling lights do not reflect on the display
Used an optical glass anti-glare filter where necessary
e) Keyboard
many ergonomics problem associated with computer workstations occur in the elbow, Shoulder,
wrist, forearm, and hand. The following adjustment should be made to the workstation to help to
prevent the development of these ergonomics problems.
Adjust keyboard height so that your shoulders can relax and allow arms to rest at the
sides
Keyboard should positioned above your thighs,
you shoulder be able to reach the keys with your elbows at your side and bent at (perhaps
slightly greater than) 90 degrees, and your forearms roughly parallel to the ground
The key should be gently pressed and not banged or held down for long periods of time.
f) Mouse:
just to one side of your keyboard, so that you do not have to lean, stretch, or hunch to work
it.
Avoid bending your wrist upward. Make sure you are sitting high enough so that your
hand rest naturally on the mouse
g) the lighting
Unsuitable lighting is a major contributor factor in visual discomforts when working on a
computer. This factor causes eyestrain, itching eyes or double vision. The following
recommendations can be used to reduce the problems.
Close the windows blind to reduce glare
Adjust lighting to avoid glare on monitor screen
Avoid intense or uneven lighting in the room
Reduce overhead lighting
Used indirect and shielded lighting where possible
Avoid the painting of wall with a reflexive finish
h) Healthy Work Habits
Healthy work habits and physical fitness can complement a well-designed work-space and
chair.
Rotate job tasks: Break up long hours sitting at your desk with other job tasks such as
copying or filing when possible.
Take a break: Take a one or two minute break at least every hour or as needed for a brief
walk around the office. Try some simple stretching exercises to release the muscle
tension caused by sitting.
Stay fit: Sedentary work requires fitness for stamina, circulation, and stress reduction.
Find an exercise activity you can enjoy and can fit into your schedule three times a week.
i) Good posture is crucial
what good posture is. For our purposes here, good posture is when you are seated in such a way
that the effort required to work at your computer is minimized. The following checklist identifies
the proper way to sit in order to achieve good posture:
Feet: flat on the floor
Knees: directly over feet, bent at right angles (or slightly greater), with a couple
inches of space from the chair
Pelvis: rocked forward, sitting on the "sits bones," with hips (the sockets where your
femurs attach) positioned no lower than, and perhaps slightly higher than the knees.
Lower back: arched in, and possibly supported by your chair or a towel roll.
Upper back: naturally rounded
Shoulders, arms: relaxed, at side.
Neck: arched in, relaxed, supported by spine. Be careful not to hold tension in back or
under chin.
Head: balancing gently on top of spine.
III. LAWS PROTECTING WORKERS HEALTH AND SAFETY
There are a number of laws (drafted UK and EU) that are meant to protect health and safety of
workers:
a) The health and safety regulations 1992 require an employer to assess the risk of work
environment of each employee and take appropriate measures to manage the risk. This
includes changes to working environment such as equipment and training
b) The Data Protection Act 1998 requires employers to let out information held on file to
respective employees
c) The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which covers RSI as a progressive injury requires
employers to make reasonable adjustments to working conditions of an RSI sufferer and
offers further legal protection to workers employment rights.
d) Other legal obligations include; Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulation
1992; Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992; Workplace (health,
safety and welfare) Regulation 1992.
While the United States awaits the first Federal regulations concerning workstation, the
European Economic Community (EEC) issued a Directive in 1990, which became law on
January
1, 1993. This law defines the minimum ergonomics requirements for equipment and relates to
the whole workstation and not just display screen equipment. This is further indication that the
improvement of health and safety practices in the working environment should be taken
seriously.