Ergonomic Self-Assessment

Computer workstation

The objective is to configure your workstation so that you can work in approximately the posture illustrated below, well-supported and in neutral working posture. Recommendations are provided to adjust existing equipment, to obtain additional equipment, and “quick fix” interim solutions if additional equipment is needed but not available.

Physical Workstation Configuration Targets:

Diagram of a person seated at a workstation with guidance lines for an ergonomic setup... — Optimal workstation configuration

Monitor
– top menu bar at eye height; arm’s length away; centred to nose

Lighting
– no more or no less than twice the monitor brightness; 90° to window

Keyboard/mouse or worksurface
– at elbow height with relaxed shoulders

Posture:
– 90° to 100° angle at knees, hips, and elbows. Everything else straight.
Feet on the floor or well-supported in front of the chair

Answer the questions below to get immediate feedback on what you can do to improve your workstation setup. At the end, you can choose to have the full report sent to you (and directly to your supervisor if you choose to). This questionnaire should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete.

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Date submitted
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Workstation configuration
Location * Required
Other location (please specify) * Required
Chair
Chair height: My feet are flat on the floor in front of me, or supported by a footrest with knees at or slightly below hip height. * Required
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Do you have a height-adjustable chair? * Required
- I have a height-adjustable chair and my feet are not fully supported on the floor.
- I do not have a height-adjustable chair and it is too low or too high
- Not applicable
Recommendations:
- Adjust chair:
  - Consider obtaining a height-adjustable chair
  - Interim solution if chair is too low: place a cushion or folded towel/blanket on the chair to raise the seat pan height
  - Interim solution if chair is too high: install a footrest or box to support your feet
Do you have a height-adjustable keyboard tray or desk?
- I have a height-adjustable keyboard tray or desk
- I do not have a height-adjustable keyboard tray or desk
Recommendations:
- Change chair height:
  - Adjust chair height down until feet have solid floor contact
Recommendations:
- Change chair height:
  - Adjust chair height to align elbow height with the keyboard, and then
  - Install a footrest
  - Interim solution: use a box or books to support your feet
Chair fit: When I sit all the way back in my chair, there is a small gap (1-2”) between the back of my knee and the front of the seat pan, and the curve of the seat back provides good support. * Required
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Chair doesn't fit
- The chair is too big. I can’t sit all the way back in my chair because the back of my knee contacts the front of the seat pan.
- The chair is too small. There is a gap of 4” or more between my knee and the front of the chair.
- The curve of the seat back does not seem to fit my back.
Your chair is too big.
- Your chair is too big:
  - Consider obtaining a chair with a shorter seat pan or use a seat back insert to reduce the depth of the existing seat pan.
  - Interim solution: install a cushion or folded towel on the seat back to reduce the depth of the existing seat pan.
Your chair is too small.
- - Consider obtaining a chair with a longer seat pan.
Seat back adjustment
- There is an adjustment in the height of the seat back or of the lumbar support
- There is no adjustment in the height of the seat back or of the lumbar support
Seat back recommendations:
- Improve the chair fit:
  - Adjust the seat back or lumbar support up or down to improve the fit.
Seat back recommendations:
- Improve the chair fit:
  - Obtain a chair with an adjustable seat back.
  - Interim solution: use a small cushion or small rolled up towel to provide lumbar support.
Keyboard & mouse
Keyboard and mouse position * Required
My keyboard and mouse are at or slightly below my elbow height when my upper arms hang comfortably at my side (no forward reach), with my elbows at 90 – 100 degrees.
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Height-adjustable keyboard and mouse tray
- I have a height adjustable keyboard/mouse tray or worksurface
- I do not have a height adjustable keyboard/mouse tray AND my keyboard/mouse are too high – I need to either raise myself or lower the keyboard and mouse
- I do not have a height adjustable keyboard/mouse tray AND my keyboard/mouse are too low – I need to either lower myself or raise the keyboard and mouse.
Recommendation: adjust your keyboard
- Adjust your keyboard height:
  - Align the height of the keyboard/mouse to your seated elbow height when your upper arm is relaxed and elbows are directly below shoulders.
Recommendation to get your keyboard to the right height:
- Get your keyboard to the right height:
  - Raise the chair to align elbow height with the keyboard and mouse. If this results in loss of foot contact with the floor, add a footrest.
  - Find or obtain an alternate worksurface that is lower or obtain a height adjustable keyboard/mouse tray.
  - Interim solution: use a loose shelf or plank that sits on your lap as a keyboard and mouse surface.
Recommendation to get your keyboard to the right height:
- Get your keyboard to the right height:
  - Lower the chair to align elbow height with the keyboard and mouse. If this results in your chair being too low, raise the chair to a comfortable height and find a way to raise the keyboard and mouse.
  - Find or obtain an alternate worksurface that is higher or raise the existing worksurface (place solid spacers under the legs of the worksurface).
My arms contact the edges of the worksurface when using the keyboard or mouse. * Required
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Where are your elbows in relation to the worksurface?
- My elbows are lower than the worksurface.
- My elbows are aligned with the worksurface but there is a raised edge.
Recommendation:
- Align your elbows to the worksurface:
  - Raise the chair or lower the worksurface to eliminate contact at the edge.
Recommendation when the worksurface has a raised edge:
- Eliminate contact with the raised edge of the worksurface:
  - Remove the edge or find an alternate worksurface.
  - Install a foam or gel wrist rest over the raised edge in front of the keyboard.
My wrists are straight when using my keyboard * Required
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Recommendation to help keep your wrists straight when using your keyboard:
- Straighten your wrists:
  - Adjust to align keyboard height to elbow height (see keyboard/mouse recommendation).
  - Close the feet on the back of the keyboard to flatten the angle.
  - Install a wrist rest in front of the keyboard.
  - If the existing keyboard is aligned properly and there are still issues with wrist angle, consider an alternate keyboard.
My wrist is straight and my elbow is close to my body when using my mouse. * Required
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Mouse position
- The mouse is too high or too low.
- The mouse is too far away.
- Even when the mouse is close, my elbow tends to pull laterally from my body.
Recommendation to improve mouse position:
- Improve mouse position:
  - Adjust to align mouse height to elbow height (see keyboard/mouse position).
Recommendation to improve mouse position:
- Improve mouse position:
  - Move the mouse closer to reduce reach.
  - If mouse position is limited by the width of the keyboard, consider an alternate keyboard that is narrower.
Recommendation to improve mouse position:
- Improve mouse position:
  - Consider using an alternate mouse, such as a vertical mouse.
Overall workstation setup
Looking at the monitor * Required
I look straight ahead at my monitor, without turning or tilting my neck.
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Looking at the monitor – reasons
- I look up because the monitor is too high.
- I look down because the monitor is too low.
- I rotate my head to one side because the monitor is not centred.
- I tend to lean forward to read text on the monitor.
Recommendations for monitor height:
- Adjust monitor:
  - Lower the monitor so the top of the monitor is at eye height.
  - If wearing bifocals or progressive lens glasses:
  - - Lower the monitor until you can read text in the middle of the monitor without tilting your head up or down.
  - - Consider getting computer prescription lens glasses and adjust the monitor height so the top of the monitor is at eye height.
Recommendations for monitor height:
- Adjust monitor:
  - Raise the monitor so the top of the monitor is at eye height. If not on an adjustable stand or if the stand will not adjust high enough, install a monitor riser, a monitor shelf or use a stack of paper or books to raise the monitor.
  - If your monitor is a laptop, install a peripheral keyboard and mouse to enable your keyboard to be separate from your monitor. Then raise your laptop on a monitor riser, shelf or stack of books so the top of the monitor is at eye height.
Recommendations for monitor positioning:
- Adjust monitor:
  - If using one monitor, centre the monitor by aligning your nose or the middle of the keyboard with the middle of the monitor.
  - If using two monitors and you use one monitor more than the other, centre the primary monitor to you and place the second monitor immediately to mouse side of the monitor (no gap between monitors) and angled towards you.
  - If using two monitors and you use both monitors equally, centre the monitors equally to the left and right of you, and angle both towards you.
Recommendations for monitor positioning:
- Adjust monitor:
  - Move the monitor(s) closer until you can read easily without leaning forward. This should be about arm’s length (50-70cm).
  - Check your vision prescription to ensure that it is current and appropriate for reading from a monitor.
I can read paperwork by moving only my eyes when facing my monitor. * Required
- Yes
- No, I turn my head to read papers on the desk beside my keyboard and mouse.
- No, I look down to read papers that are between me and my keyboard.
- Not applicable
Recommendation for where to place your paperwork:
- Adjust paper placement:
  - Place papers or documents that need to be read while using the computer between the keyboard and the monitor.
  - Consider the use of an inline document holder
  - Interim solution: use a 3” binder or clipboard as an inline document holder to support documents between the keyboard and monitor.
Recommendation for where to place your paperwork:
- Adjust paper placement:
  - Bring the keyboard close and put the papers between the monitor and keyboard so that you have near reach to the keyboard and can more easily read the paper.
  - Consider the use of an inline document holder
  - Interim solution: use a 3” binder or clipboard as an inline document holder to support documents between the keyboard and monitor.
The lighting level behind my computer monitor is within 2-3x the brightness of the monitor. * Required
- Yes
- No. My computer is in front of a window, has bright light behind it or gets bright sunlight directly onto the screen.
- No. There are dark shadows behind my computer or the room is dimly lit.
- Not applicable
Recommendations to improve lighting:
- Improve lighting:
  - Rotate the workstation to be 90 degrees to the window to enable a view outdoors but to avoid bright light on the monitor or behind the monitor.
  - Close or install window covers that allow control over the light level.
Recommendations to improve lighting:
- Improve lighting:
  - Increase lighting levels in the room to be within 2-3x the brightness of the monitor.
  - Provide task lighting at the computer to evenly light the work area.
I can reach all frequently used objects in my workspace (e.g. keyboard, mouse) with my elbows at my side. * Required
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Reach recommendations
- Adjust reach:
  - Adjust armrests backward or downward to eliminate interference.
  - If armrests cannot be adjusted out of the way, consider removing the armrests from the chair.
  - If the computer is in a corner of an L-shaped desk, consider moving to one side of the desk to eliminate armrest-desk interference at the corner.
Your activity
I can use a speaker or headset for telephone calls and do not hold the phone to my ear for calls longer than one minute.
- Yes
- No
Telephone recommendations
- Adjust phone use:
  - Consider using a headset or ear buds and microphone that is compatible with your phone.
  - Consider the use of audio or video conferencing on the computer rather than phone.
  - Balance the use of email and telephone to reduce the duration of telephone use.
I use my mobile phone for short email and text messages only.
- Yes
- No
Mobile phone recommendations
- Adjust mobile phone use:
  - If the message will be longer than a sentence or two, use your desktop computer or call the recipient.
  - Consider using voice to text or audio messages rather than typing on a mobile phone.
  - Consider using text to voice to listen to messages or email rather than reading on a small screen.  If reading or sending text on a mobile phone, tuck your elbows into the side of your body and raise the phone so that you can easily read the screen.
I drink liquids and stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Yes
- No
Hydration recommendations
- Keep hydrated:
  - Aim to drink healthy liquids throughout the day. Keep a glass, mug or water bottle at your desk and full throughout the day.
I get up and walk for 1 – 2 minutes every hour.
- Yes
- No
Movement recommendations
- Keep active:
  - Drink more liquids. This will help to keep you moving for a refill or to use the washroom.
  - Set a timer that reminds you to get up and move every hour. It doesn’t have to be a long walk. 1-2 minutes or up and down a flight of stairs is enough to reset tissue.
  - Plan for a once around the block walk (or longer) at some point during the day as a longer active break.
I can maintain separation between my work area and my living area.
- Yes
- No
Separation recommendations
- Separate work from personal life:
  - Find ways to clearly make separation between your work area and your living area.
    Physical separation – define a workspace or a workstation that is used only for work. Keep the rest of your home for non-work activities.
    Time separation – define work hours that represent your usual work hours and that allow connection and availability with co-workers. Use that for work. Keep the rest of your time for non-work activities.
    Family or roommate separation – physical and time separation will help with this. Establish a clear routine that others can understand and stick to that routine. If you have children at home, consider breaking your workday into routine segments that fit with your child’s schedule and that provides scheduled interaction with your family. For example, work 7-11 and 2-6 rather than 9-5 so that you can spend some mid-day time with your children.
    Personal preparation – maintain a normal morning routine that prepares you to work. Exercise, breakfast, personal hygiene, and dressing to work (or whatever your normal morning routine includes) will ensure that you take care of yourself and that you are ready to work.
I remain connected by interacting with others in real-time at least every two days.
- Yes
- No
Social recommendations
- Connect with others:
  - Schedule regular telephone or web conference check-in with your supervisor, co-workers, or workers who are supervised by you. This type of check-in is more organic and has greater interpersonal value than email or text message.
  - If you or a co-worker are isolated and not sharing living space with others, increase the frequency of check-in.
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Ergonomic Self-Assessment

Computer workstation

Workstation configuration

Chair

Keyboard & mouse

Overall workstation setup

Your activity