Ergonomics 101: Evaluation Checklist For Your Workstation
An office ergonomics checklist is key to assessing your existing workstation's comfort and health.
In today’s largely remote work environment, it’s more important than ever to create an office space that promotes neutral postures.
Below, we outlined several components of the United States Department of Labor - Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Computer Workstation Checklist – and how NEXposture fits every single one of them.
Office Ergonomics Checklist Item #1: Head and Neck are Balanced and In-Line with Torso
One of the most harmful ergonomic issues related to back pain and injury is the forward head, rounded shoulder (FHRS) posture. Assumed by millions of employees every day and for most of the day, this poor posture is directly linked to early wear, tear, degeneration, and possibly surgeries.
This significant ergonomic problem is what prompted the design of NEXposture. NEXposture's patent-pending, adjustable sliding work surface is designed to combat the neck and back pain caused by all-too-common computer slumping postures and lack of movement.
In addition to eliminating this poor posture, it was imperative in the design process for NEXposture to maintain additional healthful principles through a range of postures, from upright to fully recline, to ensure that:
- Pelvis, lumbar and thoracic regions to maintain contact with the chair's backrest
- Shoulders remain relaxed and not raised
- Elbows remain close to the body and at a 90-100 degree angle
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You're sitting at an arm's length of distance to the monitor
Office Ergonomics Checklist Item #2: Shoulders Are Relaxed (Not Elevated)
Contrary to old wives’ tales, sitting up straight isn’t the correct posture you should assume while working at your desk.
When your shoulders are relaxed instead of elevated, you avoid the common shoulder pain associated with poor ergonomic posture. Unfortunately, relaxing your shoulders simply isn’t possible when you assume a FHRS posture or change postures while sitting at a flat, fixed desk.
With its adjustable sliding surface, NEXposture allows shoulders to relax in a variety of postures; from upright to working recline.
However, office furniture with adjustments can be counterproductive. Research consistently shows that people don’t adjust office chairs or office furniture which feature a variety of knobs and levers.
NEXposture had to take a different approach and is why the product was designed with PostureBreak – a simplified braking system that automatically locks the technology surface into place.
When you choose to change postures, repositioning the NEXposture work surface is easy – all you need to do is squeeze the conveniently accessible paddle, move the surface to a newly desired position, and release.
Encouraging posture variation but keeping it realistically accessible for the user is the driving force behind NEXposture. Thus, relaxing your shoulder blades and avoiding premature wear and tear has never been simpler.
Office Ergonomics Checklist Item #3: Torso is Vertical to Slightly Reclined
You need to understand the concept of neutral body positioning to best set up your workstation. A neutral body position is a comfortable, working posture in which your joints are naturally aligned.
However, non-neutral postures contribute to many health-related problems, such as shallow breathing, stress-related illnesses, sleep problems, diabetes, and much more.
According to OSHA, these are the four (4) reference postures that provide neutral positioning for your body:
- Upright Sitting
- Standing
- Declined Sitting
- Reclined Sitting
As with upright sitting and standing positions, postures with movement (such as reclined sitting) are critical. This is because movement helps distribute nutrients to the spine and prevents the health problems mentioned earlier.
With NEXposture, users can position their desktop technology to allow people to move out of their forward slumping postures and into more comfortable and healthful postures.
NEXposture users can maintain proper eye-to-monitor distance and hand-to-input device distance; from upright sitting to standing to reclined and declined sitting.
Office Ergonomics Checklist Item #4: Forearms are Approximately Parallel to the Floor and About 90 to 100 degrees to the Upper Arm
OSHA recommends that your elbows remain close to the body and at a 90-100 degree angle when working at a desk.
However, it's nearly impossible to accomplish this with a flat work surface while changing postures. NEXposture's sloped work surface is designed to follow an ergonomic chairs’ motion which are designed with tilting mechanisms that create both rearward and downward movements.
Unlike flat surfaces, NEXposture causes no (zero degree) wrist flexion during recline. Additionally, there are similar forearm-to-wrist lines when sitting in the correct 90-degree upright posture.
Office Ergonomics Checklist Item #5: Sharp or Square Edges That Contact Hands, Wrists, or Forearms are Padded or Rounded
Most desks and computer equipment have hard, angled leading edges that come in contact with a user's arm or wrist.
This can create contact stress, affecting nerves and blood vessels, possibly causing tingling and sore fingers. To avoid this, OSHA recommends that workers:
- Pad table edges with soft materials.
- Use a wrist rest.
- Buy furniture with rounded desktop edges.
While NEXposture's sloped work surface provides relief against this, our soft front edge for our desks, called the Comfort Edge, reduces pressure on the wrist while typing.
The Comfort Edge fits all NEXposture work surfaces with its soft, resilient polyurethane material. You can now enjoy the whole ergonomic experience with an integral skin with a NEXposture desk and Comfort Edge.
It’s Time to Reform Your Home Computer Workstation
Regardless of “how good” your working posture is, working in the same posture or sitting still for prolonged periods isn’t healthy.
NEXposture combines simplicity and ease of accessibility with OSHA and ergonomics research-backed principles. Learn more about how NEXposture revolutionizes the desk and chair relationship, and contact us today for more information.