Office Ergonomic Solutions –
How to hack ergonomics to stay
within your budget.

As part of Global Ergonomics Month we will be posting a blog each week in October dedicated to Ergonomics. This week we focus on Ergonomic Equipment.

What can your organization do to stay ergonomically friendly but also within budget? One of our Kinesiologists and Ergonomic Equipment expert, Kiera, will take you through several different solutions for popular ergonomic equipment.

Sit/Stands

Have you recently read that “sitting may be killing you?” This is a terrifying statement, so you begin to think “Okay, let’s purchase height adjustable tables or sit/stand units for everyone”. You look up some options online and they all seem way out of your budget especially since you have 100 employees and none of them currently have a height adjustable desk. What if you purchase 100 height adjustable desks and only 10 employees use them? That would be a big waste of an already tight budget.

Solution: 

Purchase several height adjustable desks and place them in a communal area or as hotel-style workstations. Encourage employees to use these workstations as they please. Ensure you communicate this in-person (such as at a Lunch & Learn on Sit/Stand Education), desk to desk, by posting signs around the office, or sending multiple e-mails. You can also post an infographic on how to properly set up a height adjustable workstation at the workstations themselves (here is an example: Proper Standing Posture). Employees will have the opportunity to change positions throughout the workday, especially if all of their work must be completed at a computer and they do not have an opportunity to complete tasks away from their desks.

If you find there is a higher demand for the height adjustable workstations than you originally anticipated, have employees sign out the workstations. Also, make sure to ask for employee feedback on how this new arrangement is working. Maybe you need to purchase more, or you notice Joanne from Finance is using or trying (sometimes they are all occupied) to use a height adjustable workstation daily. You may want to purchase Joanne one of her own. If employees are demonstrating that they will stand and work, investing in a height adjustable desk for specific individuals is worth it. One of our clients has recently adopted the above process and has seen remarkable success. They have a Circle of Care Team, including nurses, a physiotherapist, a ergonomist and wellness coordinators. They will recommend certain employees try out a height adjustable workstation to help alleviate pain or discomforts they may be experiencing.

Monitor

Monitors need to be adjusted based on a person’s height. There are a couple of solutions to raise a monitor to the correct working height and they come at different price points. Unlike height adjustable desks, there is minimal risk that this solution won’t be utilized by your employees.

Solutions:

1. Monitor Arms – A monitor arm is the best route if individuals in your organization are required to move their monitor(s) on a regular basis.  Monitors can be brought closer, pushed away, or turned to share the screen with others sitting on the opposite side of the desk. Other models allow for the monitor to be rotated 90 degrees. They take up the smallest foot print on the desk compared to other solutions. A monitor arm may be the best choice if desk real estate is limited. They are the most expensive of the monitor height solutions.
2. Monitor Risers – These are a great solution if your employees do not need to move their monitors on a frequent basis but they still need the monitor(s) to be adjusted to a higher viewing position. You do not even have to purchase a monitor riser! You can also use old books (try not to use books that you currently still reference) or stacks of paper to adjust your monitor height. As mentioned previously, monitor risers take up more real estate compared to monitor arms. If you have the desk depth and do not need to move your monitor(s), a monitor riser or DIY monitor riser is a cost-effective solution.

The Chair

Many office employees sit in their chair for the better part of their waking hours. This is something that needs to be fully adjustable and provide proper support. You can hack certain aspects of your workstation; the chair however is not one. A chair needs to fit the individual who is sitting in it. Everyone does not wear the same size pants, some need extra-long, some need petite and some need plus size. The same logic needs to be adopted when purchasing chairs for your employees. An ill-fitting chair can cause many discomforts and can end up costing more in the long run.

Solution: 

A fully adjustable chair that can be customized to fit all employees.

Key features to consider:

• customizable seat pan size (extra small to plus size) with seat slider adjustment
• chair height adjustment
• backrest height adjustment with proper lumbar support
• adjustable arm rests (height, width and 360° swivel).

Footrest

Does everyone require a footrest? Employees will most likely require a footrest if they are are seated at a standard 29-inch desk and are five feet five inches, or under. The goal is to have the employee seated at their desk with feet placed flat on the floor. They require a foot rest if their feet are dangling above the floor, or only their tip toes/part of their feet are in contact with the floor.

Solution: 

You can purchase a footrest. They come in all different forms including height adjustable, some even allow for rocking, which encourages movement and helps increase blood flow in the lower legs and feet. Other items such as a sturdy wood box or large books work well as footrests. The item needs to be able to support the weight of the individual’s legs and feet. You need to ensure it is at the correct height, not too high causing the employee’s knees to sit above their hips or not too low so it is not providing the necessary support.

The Mouse

Many individuals who type and mouse all day suffer from overuse or repetitive strain injuries in their wrists and forearms. It seems everyone knows someone who suffers from carpal tunnel. What can be done? Aside from finding a job that does not require any repetitive hand and wrist movements.

Solutions:

1. There are some great ergonomic products on the market to help reduce discomforts in the wrists and forearms. Among these is the vertical mouse, it puts the forearm, wrist and hand in a hand-shake position taking compression off the soft tissues in the wrist. The vertical mouse moves using larger muscle groups, than just the wrist. A vertical style mouse is more costly than a standard mouse.
2. The RollerMouse is another type of mouse that has provided relief for many individuals. It sits in front of the keyboard. This virtually eliminates the need to reach off to the side for your mouse. It sits directly in front of the user. The RollerMouse has a bar that moves the cursor around on the screen. Mousing with the RollerMouse allows the individual’s fingers to bend naturally, there is no need to form a claw type posture that often happens when using a standard mouse. It makes it easy to alternate hands throughout the day, giving the dominant side a break. Although the RollerMouse is a costly solution, it is a good one.
3. Use a standard mouse. Ensure the mouse fits the user’s hand. Standard mice are available in varied sizes, one size does not fit all. The palm of user’s hand should rest comfortably on the mouse. Any standard mouse can be programmed to be used with either hand meaning employees can give their dominant hand a break and use their non-dominant hand for a while. There is a bit of a learning curve associated with this but we have seen success with this solution. This most cost-effective solution. The mouse may already fit the user, they simply need to program it to be used on the opposite side.

For more information on ergonomic solutions or the other services Apex offers visit our website www.apexocc.com.

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