FAST FACT

Offi ce of Compliance - - 

Advancing workplace rights, safety, health, and accessibility in the Legislative Branch

June 2011 Computer Workstation Setup

Adjusting your offi ce environment makes your workspace personal. You can adjust it so your use of 

the computer does not produce discomfort, pain, or injury. You are the best judge of what works best 

for your workstation. The guidelines listed below should give you some ideas about how to make 

your workspace a healthy and productive place. 

More than two-thirds of offi ce workspace problems can be resolved by following a simple six-step 

process: 

1. Adjust the chair

2. Adjust the keyboard and mouse (or other pointing device)

3. Adjust the monitor

4. Readjust the chair, if needed

5. Arrange the remaining items on your desk, such as the telephone

6. Move and change positions frequently while using the computer

Adjust the Chair 

Adjust the height of your chair so it’s low enough for you to rest your feet 

on the fl oor and so you will be able to move your legs often. Make sure 

you remove items stored underneath the desk that restrict knee space. 

Be sure the front of the chair doesn’t apply pressure to the back of your 

legs. You might be more comfortable if your knees are a little higher than 

your hips.

Sit in your chair and get comfortable. Don’t sit with a perfectly erect 

posture unless you routinely sit with perfect posture. Most people prefer 

to sit with an “open posture,” (Figure 1) leaning slightly toward the rear of the chair. Some studies 

have shown that an open posture may be better for the back than a perfectly erect posture. 

Adjust the backrest so it fi rmly supports the lower, curved part of your back and allows you to sit in a 

comfortable position. If the backrest can’t be adjusted so it supports the lower back, attach a lumbar 

cushion so it will fi t into the curved part of the back. Be sure the cushion supports the lower back 

without causing you to sit too far forward in the chair.

If the chair has armrests, adjust them so they allow your arms to fall relaxed at your sides. They 

should not force you to “shrug” your shoulders when you’re seated in the position you use when 

operating the computer. 

Figure 1: Sitting in an “open posture”
Adjust the Keyborad and Mouse (or other pointing device) 

Possibly the most important adjustment you’ll make is to provide good linkages between your hands 

and the computer keyboard and mouse (or other pointing device, such as a roller ball). 

What’s a good linkage? There are 5 factors to consider:

1. The elbows should fall relaxed at each side and should 

be at, or slightly below, a right angle. The “ideal typing 

position” at the left (Figure 2) demonstrates a good linkage 

for the elbows.

2. The “ideal typing position” also demonstrates a good 

linkage for the wrists. Notice that they are straight. Wrists 

must not bend backwards (toward the ceiling). That position 

can cause pain, interfere with blood fl ow, and even affect the 

 nerves in the hands.

3. A good linkage includes the mouse (or other pointing device). 

Your mouse should be at the same level as the keyboard, or possibly lower. You should not angle your forearm upward so it would 

be higher than your elbow (Figure 3).

 

4. Your mouse should also be as close to the keyboard as you 

can get it. The idea is to avoid reaching to the side to move the 

mouse, as is depicted on the left,(also labled Figure 3). If you 

 don’t use your number keypad, consider placing a cover over it 

 and place the mouse above it. That arrangement will keep your 

 elbow near your side, which is where it should be.

5. The fi nal factor in establishing good linkages between the hands, 

keyboard, and mouse is to make sure they’re located so your wrists 

do not bend toward either side (Figure 4). This type of bending can 

also cause pain, interfere with blood fl ow, and affect the nerves in the 

hands. The problem doesn’t usually arise when the keyboard and 

mouse are located directly in front of you.

Figure 2: Ideal typing position 

Figure 3: Improper placement of the mouse

Figure 4: Bending of wrist can 

cause longterm problems 
Adjust the Monitor

Like the keyboard and mouse, the monitor should be located directly in front of you. If it isn’t, you’re 

likely to experience neck or shoulder pain. 

Place the screen as far away from you as you can but close enough to see the information without 

straining. It should be at least an arm’s distance away. Viewing at distances that are too close produces more strain on the eyes than distant viewing. 

If you use bifocals or transition lenses, you will need to locate the monitor at the distance that allows 

you to see clearly without tilting your chin up. Tilting your head slightly forward and downward should 

not cause a problem, but you must make sure you don’t have to tilt your head back to see the screen 

clearly.

Adjust the height of the screen so the top is at, or slightly below, the level of your eyes. The top of the 

screen should be tilted slightly away from you. Think of how you hold a newspaper to read it.

If the lights or windows create glare on the screen, you may need to relocate the entire workstation 

to eliminate the glare. When possible, the screen should be perpendicular to windows and any other 

source of bright light. You may, however, be able to use monitor screens to reduce the glare 

suffi ciently. 

Readjust the Chair, If Needed

With luck, you’ve adjusted the locations of the keyboard, mouse and monitor and you’re still able to sit 

comfortably in your chair. However, you might need to readjust the chair to maintain a good linkage 

with the keyboard and mouse, or an appropriate relationship between your eyes and the monitor. If 

this happens, you need to make sure your feet don’t dangle after the chair has been readjusted. 

You can prevent dangling feet by using a footrest. Because footrests limit movement and restrict leg 

positions, they should be considered a temporary measure until a computer/mouse tray can be 

installed or the desk can be replaced by one that’s low enough to allow the chair to be lowered to a 

comfortable height.

After the chair has been readjusted, you may need to readjust the keyboard, mouse, and monitor 

using the same steps discussed earlier.

Arrange the Remaining Items on Your Desk

You have located the keyboard and mouse in the workspace that is between your elbow and your 

hand. Think of this area as the “computer zone.” With that in mind, envision a “near zone,” located 

within arm’s reach, and a “far zone” at a distance beyond arm’s reach. 

You should place the items that you use frequently in the near zone. For some, the telephone should 

be in the near zone. For others, it should be in the far zone. If you talk on the telephone while entering data into the computer, you may need to wear a headset to avoid cradling the telephone on one 

shoulder. Supporting the telephone in that manner can cause severe pain in the shoulder and neck.
Peter Ames Eveleth

General Counsel

Mary-Margaret Smith

Editor 

If you have any questions please contact the 

Offi ce of Compliance:

Room LA 200, John Adams Building

110 Second Street, SE

Washington, D.C. 20540

t/ 202-724-9250

tdd/ 202-426-1912

f/ 202-426-1913

The Offi ce of Compliance (OOC) advances 

workplace rights, safety, health, and accessibility in the 

Legislative Branch. Established as an independent 

agency by the Congressional Accountability Act of 

1995 the OOC educates employees and employing 

offi ces about their rights and responsibilities under the 

CAA, provides an impartial dispute resolution process, 

and investigates and remedies violations of the CAA. 

Download the entire Fast Facts suite at http://www.compliance.gov

Material should not be read while placed fl at on the desk. That position can result in bending and 

twisting the neck for extended periods of time; which is almost certain to cause pain in the neck and 

upper back. A document holder can be used, if it can be located so the neck does not twist when 

using it, and if it is close enough to see without eye strain. Some people fi nd that a tilted surface, 

such as a large 3-ring binder, located between keyboard and the monitor provides a suitable means 

to support reading material.

Move and Change Positions Frequently While Using the Computer

After you’ve arranged and personalized your workspace, you can take further action to reduce pain. 

Take “micro-breaks.” Remember the “20/20 principle.” Every 20 minutes, stop using the keyboard 

and mouse for at least 20 seconds. During each micro-break, stand up, move around, and look into 

the distance to rest the eyes.

Conclusion

These six steps will not resolve every potential issue that might be involved with offi ce workspaces, 

but they should help most offi ce workers adjust their workstations. If you encounter aching, numbness or tingling in your neck, shoulder, arms, wrists or hands, consult a qualifi ed health professional.

For further information click on the OSHA eTool for Computer Workstations.

http://www.osh.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/index.html