Guidelines for Setting Up Your Office Computer Workstation

Help office workers and telecommuters avoid MSIs.

Musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) have become among the most common and expensive of workplace injuries. Workers who work in computer stations are especially vulnerable. Here are Guidelines based on a leading template from UCLA that you can provide these workers on setting up and maintaining an ergonomically safe workstation. Although they’re suitable for all workstation users, these Guidelines are particularly useful in protecting workers who work from home or other remote settings over which you have limited control.

Instructions: Working at a computer workstation all day puts you at risk of what are known as musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs), defined as injuries or disorders of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood vessels or related soft tissue, including a sprain, strain and inflammation. The design and configuration of your workstation has a direct and significant impact on your MRI risks. Following the 4 easy steps set out in these Guidelines will help you ensure your workstation set-up is ergonomically safe. Refer to the Guidelines when you first start working in the workstation and on an ongoing basis thereafter as an inspection tool to ensure you’re maintaining the workstation in an ergonomically safe condition.