Dos and Don ts - Office safety

Dos and Don ts - Office safety:

  • Report any concerns to your supervisor early.
  • Maintain neutral postures for different body parts as much as possible
  • While performing desk work or computer work, be conscious of your sitting posture, your chair position, and how your arms are aligned with your work surface.
  • Keep your wrists in neutral and avoid excessive deviations when typing or mousing.
  • Position the keyboard slightly below elbow height.
  • Adjust your chair as your tasks change through the day. Use forward tilt for desk
  • work; recline while on the telephone conversing, maintain lumbar support.
  • Use a headset for telephone work if more than 2 hours/day and simultaneous with computer.
  • Keep your work area well organized. Avoid cluttering the area around your legs and feet.
  • Keep commonly used items within near reach (14" to 24") and arranged in a half circle around you.
  • Set up your document holder between the keyboard and monitor for easy viewing.
  • Monitor how hard you are gripping your hand tools or keying and lighten up.
  • Float your hands and wrists over the keyboard. Lift from the elbow to reach the mouse.
  • Move from the shoulders when typing and using the mouse to activate large muscle groups.
  • Change your position often (every 30 minutes to hourly).
  • Alternate your work tasks throughout your workday.
  • Make adjustments to your workstation to suit your position.
  • Recognize early signs of muscle fatigue, and stretch or change your task.
  • Rest your eye muscles.
  • Maintain good flexibility and strength. Stretch while at work and walk around the department. Stretch every 30 minutes for up to 5 minutes during a repetitive task.
  • Ice an area if it is aching during or after work for at least 20 minutes/day.

  • Sit in the same position for more than 60 minutes.
  • Wait until you feel pain or discomfort to stop an activity.
  • Sit with slouched posture over your desk.
  • Do a repetitive task all at once.
  • Pinch or grip excessively or pound your keyboard.
  • Cradle the phone between your neck and shoulder.
  • Keep your body, arms or legs in an awkward position for any length of time.
  • Poise with your wrists in extension or lean your hands or forearms on a hard edge, surface or wrist rest.
  • Hold onto your mouse or leave your hands at the keyboard if you are not actively using the tools.
  • Use your mouse as pointer or line guide to read your monitor screen.
  • Over reach with your fingers, arms or back.
  • Complain if you haven't done all that you can to work in comfort.