Reaching frequently behind the body or above the shoulders Arm positions behind the body or above the shoulders tend to increase pressure within the shoulder joint while stretching many of the shoulder tendons and muscles. Modifying Work Positions Standing work position Standing positions are more appropriate than sitting positions if: Frequent or relatively heavy lifting is required. Significant downward forces are required. Seated work position Use seated work stations when light assembly or precision work is performed. Sit/Stand work positions In some cases, sit/stand work stations may provide a viable option. These provide for postural variability. Adjustable height work stations Adding adjustable height work stations and lift tables to a work area allows for increased postural variety for workers but also allows accommodation for variation in body stature between workers. Turntables Use turntables to bring parts closer to the worker, reducing the need for sustained or extreme forward reaching. These are particularly helpful when the worker needs to access the other side of the pallet. Movement
Round work surface edges that come in contact with the worker. Tool handles and trigger switches should have rounded contours. Avoid the use of tools that require continuous or intermittent pressure on the fingers, palm, base of the wrist, forearm, and elbow. When possible, use self-opening tools such as pliers and scissors that are spring loaded. This reduces contact stresses required to open the tool. When contact stress itself cannot be avoided, the goal is to distribute the pressure over as large an area as possible by increasing the contact surface area. Questions: Is the worker in contact with sharp edges in the work place (machine guards, tool handles, desk edges, etc.)? Use of the hands for pounding Nerve and soft tissue trauma may occur when the hands are used as hammers. Using the hands in this manner increases the likelihood of local inflammation that may cause unnecessary scarring. Eventually reduction in blood flow to the nerves and other soft tissues may occur. Inappropriate techniques and work processes are frequently the culprit regarding contact stresses. Encourage workers to be aware of potential problem areas such as pressure over vulnerable areas of the body where nerves and blood vessels are close to the surface. Hands are NOT hammers! Contact Stress – Sitting and Standing Two areas of the body that are frequently not evaluated for contact stress are the feet of people who stand all day, and the buttocks and thighs of those who sit all day. Evaluate chairs by observing pressure at the front of the seat pan and the position of the backrest. Evaluate the potential for pressure behind the knee or at the back of the thigh caused by the edge of the seat pan. Floor surfaces can affect the comfort of workers who are required to stand for a large percentage of the day. This is a problem particularly when there is limited potential for movement. Concrete, steel grates, uneven or vibrating floor surfaces may increase foot, leg or spinal fatigue and discomfort and can affect concentration and product quality. Anti-fatigue mats or shock absorbing shoe inserts can improve comfort levels. Questions: Contact Stress - Hard surface Must the worker stand on a hard surface for 45 percent or more of the work shift?
If feet do not touch the floor adjust the seat pan height to get feet on the floor with even pressure on hips and thighs – if still not possible to get the seatpan low enough a footrest will be needed. Another option is replace the chair with one that will go low enough. Adjust the height and angle of the back support to fill in the low back curve. Add a back cushion to provide better support for spine – although many times this means the chair does not fit right and a replacement chair may need to be considered. If needed, add a seat cushion to elevate the user to a more appropriate height – although many times this means the chair does not fit right and a replacement chair may need to be considered. If the back of knees run into the front of the chair see if a back cushion to move the body forward on the chair and still have adequate back support, will work. Firmly fix the cushion to the chair, one way to do this is with Velcro tape. Although many times this means the chair does not fit right and a replacement chair may need to be considered. For the case where hips and thighs don’t fit on the seat - the seat pan is too short or too narrow; see if you can find a chair that better fits. If the armrests are adjustable, see if they can be adjusted to provide neutral support for .the arms based on particular job tasks. Build up the armrests by putting pads on them if more height is needed. If you identify maintenance problems with the chair make sure you contact the appropriate people in your organization to get them taken care of. Remember, no matter how perfectly you can adjust your chair to fit you; it still comes down to the fact that you need to move on a regular basis to keep your body healthy and safe. Chair Issue Comment Recommendation Chair ID No Yes Chair fit/adjustment OK Chair not properly adjusted Back support not OK Armrests not OK Chair too small Chair too large Maintenance issue None Chair adjusted with instructions provided Replace chair - refer to Recommended Specifications Repair chair (comment) Legs 4 / 5 / 6 Casters Carpet/Hard surface Seatpan Ht/Tilt/Tension/Slide Back Ht/Angle Armrest Ht/Side/Rotate Fit OK No/Yes Maint Issue No/Yes
Tray No/Yes No Yes Keyboard tray appropriate Keyboard tray limits reach access to worksurface Keyboard tray type does not allow neutral arm/hand position Keyboard tray location does not allow neutral hand/arm position Other (comment) None Adjusted keyboard tray position and provided user instruction Remove tray - place keyboard directly on worksurface Other (comment) Ht adjust No/Yes Angle adjust No/Yes Size fits Keyboard only Keyboard Issue Comment Recommendation Type Straight/Curved/ Articulated/Other No Yes Keyboard type and location appropriate Keyboard type does not allow neutral arm/hand position Keyboard location does not allow neutral hand/arm position No wrist rest in use for support Other (comment) None Adjusted keyboard position and provided user instruction Replace keyboard - see comments Add gel keyboard wrist rest Other (comment) Location Work surface/Tray Shortcuts Used: No/Yes Maint No/Yes Mouse No . . . not that kind of mouse! The type of mouse we are talking about is one of a number of different types of pointing devices used to navigate through software programs. In all practicality the best way to use a mouse is to use it as little as possible. In other words make full use of keyboard shortcuts as possible for navigation purposes. (Dual control – mouse and/or keyboard – are often incorporated as part of the software.) Emphasis on use of the keyboard limits the amount of time spent reaching to the mouse and also has a positive impact on productivity.