| Problem |
Measures to Reduce Risk |
| Eye Strain |
- Regular eye tests carried out by an optician will help
identify any sight problems so that they can be corrected by
glasses. Special glasses may be required for work using a computer
monitor.
- The monitor should not be too close to the user. A distance of
50 to 60cm away is recommended.
- Reflections on the monitor screen should be avoided by appropriate
positioning of the screen and nearby light sources and the use of an
anti-glare screen.
- Room lighting should not be too bright and should be flicker-free. Natural
sunlight or high frequency fluorescent tube lighting can achieve this.
- Regular breaks away from the computer will allow the eyes to refocus at
a normal viewing distance.
|
Wrist
Problems |
- A worker's job should be designed so that there is some variety
in the tasks that the worker carries out.
- Regular breaks where the worker stops typing should be incorporated
into the working day. A typical system might include 10 minutes away from
the computer every hour.
- The position of the keyboard,
monitor and chair should be adjusted to make
working as comfortable as possible.
- The use of alternative input methods such as
voice recognition instead of
the keyboard can reduce the amount of typing that has to be done.
- A careful watch should be kept for early symptoms such as tingling, aching,
swelling or numbness in the hands and wrists.
|
Back and
Neck
Problems |
- Appropriate positioning of the keyboard,
monitor and chair together with
an upright seating position will reduce the strain on back and neck muscles.
- Taking regular breaks will provide relief to the muscles which are used
to maintain the seated position.
|
| Stress |
- Jobs should be designed so that they incorporate a variety of different
activities so that workers do not find their tasks too repetitive.
- An employee's workload should be achieveable. Giving employees more
work than they can hope to complete will produce stress.
- The user interface of the computer software that is being used should not
frustrate the user.
- An appropriate system for identifying and counselling people who are
encountering stress will help to overcome problems which were not avoided.
|
Electrical
Safety |
- New electrical equipment must comply with legal requirements to ensure that
it is safe to use.
- Installed electrical equipment and wiring must be regularly tested to ensure that it
remains safe. Records of these tests must be kept.
- Employees must be trained in the safe use of electrical equipment.
|
Many of the suggested measures, such as taking regular breaks away from the computer
can help to reduce the risks of several problems at the same time.
