Protect yourself at your computer

For anybody spending a lot of time sitting at a computer desk, it is important to make sure the good positioning is achieved.

Having a sore back, eye strain, RSI and other conditions are not only painful and frustrating, they are avoidable if you take care and follow some simple procedures.

Research has shown that small business owners are much less conscious of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements than big businesses, but they are at no less risk of injury and strain.

General information

keep your ears, shoulders and hips in a straight line - don't hunch over the desk or keyboard
adjust your chair and keyboard height so that your wrist and forearm are level
if are entering data, use a book or document holder of some sort
move around regularly - even perfect posture won't protect you from hours of staying still. Do stretches and movements every so often and get up at least once an hour and walk around the room.
never hold the phone with your shoulder as you type - stop typing, use a headset or get a speaker phone
use ceiling or indirect lighting - don't have light shining directly onto your screen. Arrange the monitor or close curtains to avoid direct sunlight on the screen, too.
choose dark letters on a pale background where possible. The pale backgrounds reduces screen reflections to make it easier to read. Studies by Bauer and Cavonius (1980) and Synder show between 2 and 31% increases in accuracy of work with a white background compared to a black one.
placing a document closer than the monitor is optimal, but if there is frequent glancing between the two, having them level is more efficient. In this case, it is better to enlarge the document print than to bring the monitor closer
keep things that are often used close to avoid overreaching
every 15 minutes or so, look away from the screen at something distant and deliberately blink a few times. Relaxing your eyes will make you less tired and more productive.
keep knees together or up to shoulder width apart
consider standing when talking on the phone to relieve muscles
a movable foot rest can allow your feet and legs to be supported in numerous positions which reduces strain
Monitor placement

sit directly in front of the monitor
the monitor should be at least 64 cm from your eyes
place the screen below eye level - between 20 - 50% lower is best. At a lower angle, you can focus better and are less prone to dry eyes. Studies show this also increases productivity!
tilt your monitor so that the top is slightly further away than the bottom (think about how you hold a book or magazine)
set your computer to a decent or large sized font so there is less reason to hunch towards the screen
Keyboard placement

tilt the back edge of your keyboard down as this encourages good hand positions
hit keys lightly rather than banging them
have your hand movements as central as possible - try using the mouse in your left hand as this is closer to centre or use keyboard controls instead
try to position keyboard such that the elbow is open and circulation isn't restricted by a constantly bent elbow
Chair and desk arrangements

tilt the front of your chair slightly upwards. This will put you in a reclined position so the chair can support your upper back and arms
having arm rests on the chair support the arms and reduce strain on arms, shoulders and the lower back
leaning back on a chair with good lumbar support is actually good for your back!
make sure you can rest your feet on the floor or a foot rest
choose a seat where you can use the back rest and have your feet on the floor or footrest - deep seats are uncomfortable
chairs with adjustable height, backrest and arm rests allow full comfort and support
alternative seats are available but may create more pressure on knees and reduce the ability to reach other items
sitting on exercise or physio balls allow for more movement and development of small muscles. However, the lack of support may be tiring for long periods and OHS departments are concerned about the lack of stability.

© Tash Hughes 2004

Melbourne writer Tash Hughes is part owner of the informative website, Save Time Online. The site includes tips, links and numerous articles by Tash to help busy people find what they need quickly.

Protect yourself at your computer - To learn more about this author, visit Tash Hughes's Website.

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