Page 108 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive

Page 1 of 2

Health, Safety & Environmental Bulletin No 043

S Martin – 31 May 2007

Posture at Workstations

Please note that this safety bulletin may be of just as much interest to your family and
children, especially if they use a computer, or spend long periods sitting down.

According to the British Chiropractic Association (BCA), back pain caused by poor posture at
workstations is more common than back pain from excessive lifting and carrying.

HSE statistics show that 5 million working days are lost each year due to back pain.

In response to this, BSC have recently run a “Straighten Up UK” campaign which gives advice
and simple “3 minute exercise routine” to help prevent back problems. A copy of these
exercises is attached. BSC has also run a Chiropractic Awareness week, with a theme of
“Keep moving” which aims to draw attention to the increasing amount of time that we spend
sitting down. They also draw attention to the huge increase in the number of children that
complain of back pain.

When using workstations, at work or at home, BCA recommends that you ensure you are
sitting comfortably, with your spine supported. Don’t forget to move around, limit yourself to
forty-minute sittings and take regular breaks. If possible have your arms supported. There is
almost twice as much pressure on your back when you are sitting incorrectly than there is if
you stand up.

All workstations must, by law, be assessed to ensure they are suitable. Ensure your seat and
monitor are adjustable, and have been adjusted to your requirements – nearly a third of office
workers do not adjust their seats / workstation when moving desks, the same number that
state they suffer from back problems.

Chair Height - Adjust your chair height so that when you put your fingers on the middle row of
the keyboard your forearms and hands are horizontal, with your elbows vertically under your
shoulders and no angle at the wrist. Many people have their chair too high

Footrest - If the undersides of your thighs are now compressed, you need either a footrest or
a lower desk. Most desks are a standard height of 710 mm or so (standardised before
computers) so a large proportion of people will benefit from a footrest.

Monitor - Adjust the height of the monitor so that you are looking horizontally to slightly down
at it. Your head should be in balance on your neck most of the time, while your eyes look
slightly down. Generally this means having the top of the visible area at eye height, when you
are sitting upright. Many people have their monitor too low.