Ergonomics evaluation of a government office building

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Pentikis, John | Lopez, Mary S. | Thomas, Robert E.

Affiliations: US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, ATTN: MCHB-TS-OER, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5403, USA | Auburn University, Department of Industrial Engineering, 207 Dunston Hall, Auburn University, AL 36830, USA

Note: [] Corresponding author: Tel.: +1 410 436 3928; Fax: +1 410 436 5471; E-mail [email protected]

Abstract: An ergonomics team from the US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive medicine evaluated 465 video display terminal (VDT) workstations in a Government office building over an 18-day period. Each workstation evaluation involved an assessment of the worker, the chair, the desk, the keyboard, the pointing device, the monitor, and the office environmental conditions. The team also collected worker pain and injury information. The problems seen during the evaluation were characteristic of most office environments where VDT workstation furniture was purchased before the advent of mouse-driven software. The majority of furniture evaluated was not designed to meet the demands of intensive mouse use for prolonged periods of time. Much of the workstation furniture was not adjustable, chairs lacked adequate back support, and workers assumed non-neutral postures. As a result, more than 35% on-the-job pain. New office furniture that is adjustable, adequate desk space and storage space were among the solutions recommended by the ergonomics team.

Keywords: video display terminals, office workstations, ergonomics, adjustability

Journal: Work, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 123-131, 2002