Failure to outfit and setup a laboratory workstation properly can encourage the development of RSIs. The proper chair adjusted to the correct setting and tables and work surfaces set at a comfortable height can improve worker comfort and productivity. In addition, attention to environmental and user/equipment interface factors will create the most ideal “ergonomic” work situation.
Chair
When establishing an ergonomic workstation, attention should be given to selecting the proper chair.
- A chair should have at least five legs for stability if on casters.
- Casters must allow for easy movement when seated.
- Seat height should be pneumatically adjustable while seated.
- Seat width of 17-20″ suffices for most people and should be deep enough to permit the back to contact the lumbar backrest without impinging nerves in the backs of knees.
- The front edge should be padded and contoured into a waterfall design behind the knees.
- The seat slant should be adjustable (0 to 10°).
- The seat should swivel easily.
Tables and Work Surfaces
When the appropriate chair has been chosen for an ergonomic workspace, attention must then turn to the primary work surface and its height and adjustability.
The primary work surface must have sufficient space to handle all equipment. A general recommendation is that the work surface top should be at least as large as a standard office desk, 30″ deep by 60″ wide.
When considering work surface height, under-table height and knee clearance should not be ignored. Knee spaces should allow a worker to not feel crowded and to allow some changes of position. The knee space should be at least 19″ deep by 30″ wide by 27″ high to comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The primary work surface should take into account the maximum reach of both male and female workers. This prevents hunching of the shoulders and repetitive stretching which increases muscle fatigue and rotates the spinal column out of the ideal double “S” curve.
The distance between the front of the cabinet and the front of the solid work surface should be minimized to allow the worker to position himself/herself close to the cabinet’s work tray and to operate in the natural 8-14″ reach range.
Location of Controls
Petcocks, electrical outlets and other services inside the work area should be positioned toward the front to reduce lab personnel’s need to reach and stretch repetitively out of the head-over-shoulders position. Switches, alarms and gauges should be at eye level when an investigator is standing in front of the cabinet to allow ease in operation.
While the focus on developing an ergonomic workplace may fall on physical objects, much can be done in the work environment to make it more adapted to the worker.
Proper lighting is important to the ergonomic workstation. Bright lights should be kept out of the worker’s field of vision. Monitors and viewscreens should be tilted when possible to avoid glare from overhead sources. Overhead lighting should be flicker free to reduce eyestrain.
Air flow in the work environment is also important. Maintaining fresh air in the work place as well as keeping dust in the area to the minimum will improve worker productivity. This goes hand-in-hand with comfortable temperature and humidity. Ideal settings are from 68-72° F, with a 30-50 percent relative humidity.
Choosing a cabinet with an angled viewscreen reduces glare, and the light source at the top front of the work area should be flicker-free and angled down and away from the worker. Lab personnel can also wear dark-colored lab coats to reduce reflection and glare in the viewscreen.
