Health & safety bulletin
Posture at workstations
31st May 2007
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, BCA 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. BCA 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.
If any staff are aware of any issues with their workstation, or are experiencing problems adjusting their seat / monitor, a supervisor should be informed.
Please click here for more information on the ‘Straighten Up UK’ campaign (1.6Mb).