Computer Furniture for an Ergonomic Work Environment
The definition of ergonomic is: the applied science of equipment design, as for the workplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort.
Computer furniture is probably the most important thing to consider if you are trying to establish an ergonomic work environment.
Cornell University has created simple-to-follow 12 step ergonomic guidelines that will help you improve your working environment and protect your health while working at a computer workstation. The following easy to follow guidelines for computer ergonomics were adapted from the DEA651 class of 2000 – Bethany Johnson; Emily Kuperstein; Mari Mitchell; Heidi Tinnes; with Garrick Goh (TA) and Professor Alan Hedge.
Computer related injuries are increasing with the explosion of computer technology in the workplace. Prolonged and repetitive work at your computer workstation can create discomfort, muscle aches, and be the cause of work related injuries. Improper posture and improper body positioning at your computer workstation can cause or exaggerate the problems. Implementing the following 12 ergonomic guidelines can help you avoid injuries typically associated with work at a computer workstation.
1. Use a good chair with a dynamic chair back that is angled slightly to the rear.
2. Top of monitor screen should be 2-3″ above eye level
3. No glare on screen; use an optical glass anti-glare filter where needed
4. Sit at arms length from monitor; further if distance is comfortable and screen’s readable.
5. Rest feet on floor or on a stable foot rest (move feet frequently for circulation)
6. Use a document holder, preferably in-line with the computer screen
7. Wrists flat and straight in relation to forearms to use keyboard/mouse/input device
8. Keeps arms and elbows relaxed close to body
9. Center monitor and keyboard in front of you
10. Use a negative tilt keyboard tray with an upper mouse platform or downward tilt-able platform adjacent to keyboard
11. Use a stable work surface and stable (no bounce) keyboard tray
12. Take frequent short breaks (micro breaks) and stretch.
Ergonomic is a buzz word in the computer furniture industry right now. Just because a piece of furniture is advertised as ergonomic, does not mean that it is. Something is only ergonomic if it is adjustable and applies to the individual. Just use the above 12 guidelines when shopping for furniture. You can make any furniture ergonomic for yourself, even Writing Desks with a little bit of research and effort. This little bit of research and effort can help prevent many long-term health issues including arthritis, carpal tunnel among other painful injuries.
Avoid Gimmicks When Buying Computer Furniture
The internet is inundated with “free” offers, and the computer furniture industry is not immune. You can literally find hundreds of web sites trying to catch your attention with “free computer furniture” offers.
What most of these web sites mean when they say “free” is only some part of the furniture is offered without you paying for it. In some cases it is the design that is free. So you don’t get anything tangible. It is important that you check the entire advertisement or online resources thoroughly to find out what exactly is being given free of cost.
Sometimes when someone purchases office furniture in bulk, dealers will offer some type of free bonus offer. If you are purchasing computer furniture for an entire office, you will need several desks, chairs, printer tables etc. One average sized office space can fit up to 25 computer workstations. Since many industries are run by computers these days, the computer furniture market is highly competitive. This intense competition leads to a huge amount of gimmicks that dealers use to try and capture their piece of the pie.
Do not be misled or blinded by these sorts of campaigns.
It is always preferable to visit the dealer in person. Have a detailed discussion with the salesperson and find out exactly what you will get and how much you have to pay for it. Then do your product research to find out if you are really getting a good deal. Also, a good question to ask the salesperson is where did the furniture come from? Is it used or refurbished?
Asking the right questions is perhaps the most important aspect to consider when buying computer furniture. This is part of becoming an educated consumer. Obviously, no company is going to make a spectacular offer without any benefit to them. So as a consumer it is your job to figure out when considering free offers, “what is the benefit for the company?” Sometimes, just getting your contact information gives the company the benefit of being able to target you in future ad campaigns. To you, it may be worth it to receive junk mail and email in the future to get a free product right now.
As a general rule however, if it is too good to be true then it is. The only time you can really benefit from a free offer is maybe if a retailer has been hanging onto a product line too long and they need to push it out of their inventory. Or maybe product line is being discontinued and they need to get rid of all the leftover inventory.
The number one thing you should watch out for is financing offers. In many industries, much more money is made from financing than from actually selling a product for profit. So they may give you “half-off” if you will finance with them. There is a reason they do this! You may end up spending 500% + more than what you originally “bought” the product for. This is not a good deal for you! However, if you have the money for the furniture then it is a good deal to get there discounted price, finance the purchase, and then pay it all off in the first month (avoiding all interest costs).
I hope that you will take the time to become an educated consumer and not be a sucker for furniture dealer gimmicks.
Kids Computer Furniture
These days kids are teaching their parents how to use computers and all the new technology out there. Technology is becoming an integral part of the classroom. There is even wide discussion that eventually all textbooks will be in electronic form and that students will carry around laptops and no longer carry around heavy backpacks.
So many adults spend their entire work days in front of the computers and in many jobs computers are an integral part of their job requirements. So in order to prepare kids for the working world, it is necessary to not only teach them how to use technology, but also how to create an efficient workspace for themselves.
So an efficient workspace not only can prepare kids for success in the workforce, it will also help them have success with their schoolwork.
When looking for furniture for kids you want to make sure that you providing them the proper space to ensure that you are setting them up for success.
Some things to consider are:
1. Make sure there is enough empty workspace after the computer, monitor, mouse, keyboard, and printer have been setup. Students need space for reading their textbooks, filling out homework worksheets etc.
2. Make sure the monitor is at the appropriate height. The monitor should be sitting at eye level. This ensures proper posture for the neck and back.
3. The keyboard and mouse should be at an appropriate distance so that no strain is placed on the wrists or hands.
4. Select a desk and chair that allows the child to sit an appropriate height so that the monitor, keyboard, and mouse are in the right positions while still allowing the child to have their feet placed flat on the floor and have their backs supported.
5. To ensure that the computer is not accidentally kicked or damaged, select a desk that has enough space to store the computer away from the child’s feet. You can have the computer setup on the desk, under the desk, or in a separate computer compartment.
6. Have space where all the school supplies can be stored. If you provide the child with a place to store their pens, pencils, papers, books etc in an organized way, this will do wonders for their productivity.
Setting up an organized work station with kid’s computer furniture is a very good idea in 21st century. If a child can learn be organized and efficient at a young age, they will have greater success throughout college and then throughout their career.
Parents do so much for their kids these days. They give them the latest technology, setup their rooms with cool furniture and bed frames, and even let them decorate their rooms how they want. Just do not forget to provide them with the best computer furniture as well.