Prevent staff accidents with the right ergonomic workstation

Creating the right ergonomic workstation for your staff is important for a host of reasons: ergonomic efficiency, cost, utilisation of floor space and office amenity.

So what are the need-to-knows when it comes to an ergonomic workstation? How important is comfort, and what are the occupational health and safety (OH&S) considerations to factor into the buying decisions?

Space planning and the ergonomic workstation

"Generally businesses only have so much space and your desk choice is key in working out the best arrangement," says Melissa Ratcliff of Vision Commercial Furniture Pty Ltd.

She suggests factoring into your space planning the provision of power and data cabling. "If you have an office with 20 people, power and data outlets can flow through workstation partitions, safely providing the necessary services to your staff."

Ergonomic workstation furniture

The main points to consider when choosing an OH&S-compliant workstation are:

• arm and wrist angle
• computer monitor height and angle
• cabling provisions: should allow easy access to mouse and phone
• keyboard height
• seat height in relation to desk height
• matte finish to minimise glare.

Melissa points out that many of these parameters can be met with an appropriately adjustable chair, but says each ergonomic workstation should be assessed for its intended user.

"If you've got a very tall person, for example, you need to have adjustable legs on the desk so you can accommodate the person's extra height," Melissa explains. "It's the same for shorter staff."

The right chair

"Once it was all about the desk; now it's about the chair," says Melissa. Many adjustments required to make an office ergonomic workstation comfortable can be made by adjusting the chair.

That includes:

• seating height from floor level - so feet rest flat on the floor
• seat usually upright but tilted slightly forwards
• adequate support for lower back
• proximity to desk should allow forearms to be horizontal and wrists to be straight.

Ergonomic workstation configurations

Office ergonomic workstation furniture generally comes in two layouts - rectangular and L-shaped. Melissa says the key to deciding between these is understanding how the desk will be used.

"If an employee needs space for a lot of papers and also a computer, the return on an L-shaped desk is useful," she says. "Alternatively, where only a computer and phone are used, the rectangular desk may be the best option, especially if space is a consideration."

Ergonomic workstation materials

The choice is generally between laminate and veneers. "When price comes into the equation, it's very unlikely these days that a company will go for veneer," says Melissa.

She adds that laminates come in such a wide range of colours and styles that a business need not spend huge sums to achieve a desired appearance. "They are also very hard wearing," she says. "You can just wipe away pen and Texta marks."

The right desk

From the shape to the size and colour, the options for office ergonomic workstation furniture are many. Phone an office furniture retailer today to discuss which ergonomic workstation furniture best suits your business.