Ergonomics: Evaluating Your Computer Workstation

Diffusers
Vertical 
blinds
Task lighting
Subdued 
colors 
on walls 
and 
furniture
Matte 
finish 
on 
work 
surface
Glare control
Courtesy of the Workers’ Compensation Board of 
British Columbia. Ilustration used with permission. 

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Temperature, humidity, and static electricity
Avoid overcrowding computer work areas. Set thermostats to maintain the 
temperature between 
68 and 72 degrees
. Relative humidity should 
be 
40-60 percent
. Use antistatic floor mats or other static dissipaters in 
low-humidity workplaces.

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Problems and solutions
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Back
■
Neck
■
Shoulder
■
Mouse use
■
Forearm and hand
■
Leg
■
Vision
2

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24
Back 
Back pain is a common complaint among computer users. Common causes:
Chair lacks lower-back support 
A chair that fails to support the lumbar 
(lower) region of the spine is a common 
cause of back discomfort; 35 percent 
more pressure can be placed on an 
unsupported lower back. The normal 
alignment of the spine is an S-shaped 
curve: an inward curve at the neck, 
an outward curve in the middle of the 
back, and an inward curve at the lower 
back. When a chair does not provide 
adequate lumbar support, the lower 
curve of the back flattens. As a person 
sits, the bottom of the hipbone contacts 
the chair first. The hip rotates, flatten
-
ing the curve in the lower part of the 
back; the spinal discs stretch from the 
vertebrae causing back pain.