The arrangement of work components and the purchase
of new equipment should encourage the following body
postures:
- Keep your head and neck vertical and in-line with
the spine, not bent or twisted.
- Keep your torso straight, not twisted, especially
when lifting or bending.
- Generally, whether standing or sitting, keep your
torso vertical or within 20 to 30 degrees of
vertical.
- Keep your elbows close to your body by avoiding
frequent reaching to your side, in front, or
above your head.
- Keep your forearms approximately parallel to the
floor.
- Maintain a neutral forearm posture whenever
possible, by not rotating your forearm
repeatedly, especially when your wrist is bent.
- Keep your wrists straight and in-line with your
forearms, not bent up or down or to either side.
- Keep your thighs approximately parallel to the
floor or your hips slightly higher than your
knees.
- Keep your feet firmly on the floor and your legs
approximately perpendicular to the floor.
- Place your keyboard and mouse close together at
about the same height to reduce reaching.
- Use a fully adjustable chair so your body is
fully supported and you can change your body
postures frequently.
- Use adjustable height work surfaces so all users
can sit with their feet firmly on the floor. If
the work surface is not fully adjustable, use an
adjustable foot rest.
- Place all frequently used components such as
monitor, keyboard, and mouse in front of you so
you don't have to turn your head from side to
side.
- Place your monitor low enough so its top is not
above your horizontal line of sight. This will
limit the need for you to tilt your head backward
to see the screen.
- If laptops are to be used as primary work
computers where intensive keyboard use is
necessary, provide auxiliary, full-sized,
keyboards and monitors.
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