Setting up your Workstation

We all take it that our desks aren’t a dangerous place to work but if we don’t manage the setup of our workstations correctly we can become prone to injury. Sometimes those injuries can be serious for office workers.

Having the right chair is only one part of creating a good workstation setup. Other elements include your desk, computer, monitors, mouse, keyboard, lighting, headset and footrests.

Tips for setup of your workstation

If you’re working for long periods of time from a laptop or tablet, ideally you should use a separate monitor, keyboard and mouse. This will help your posture and visual comfort.
Set the monitor height to your eye level or below, depending on what type of glasses you wear. If you don’t have a monitor available, raise your laptop on a riser, stand, or another stable item such as reams of paper or large hardcover books.
Ideally, set up your monitor distance at about an arm’s length from where you’re sitting. You can adjust the distance depending on the size of the monitor screen and what’s comfortable for your eyes.
If you use two or more monitors equally throughout the day, position yourself and your keyboard at equal distance to both screens so you don’t have to twist your neck and spine. Also, make sure the monitors are both at the same level.
Put your keyboard and mouse on a flat surface, directly in front of you about 10 to 15cm from the edge of the desk. This provides you with forearm shoulder and neck support. Keep your mouse next to and parallel to the keyboard as much as possible. This will reduce shoulder discomfort. Different keyboards and mouse designs can be more comfortable and useful for different workers.
After adjusting your chair, use a footrest if your feet can’t comfortably sit flat on the floor. Check its height so your hips and knees are levels. It should be stable and large enough to comfortably rest both feet and sloped for ankle comfort.
Wireless headsets and earphones allow you to work on your computer during phone calls easily. They also allow you to stand up and move around during and between phone and video calls. Use an angled document holder if you often do tasks that involve significant reading or writing from hard copy documents.

If you have ongoing back pain or a known medical condition, speak to your Supervisor about arranging an ergonomic assessment by a provider who can assist with your specific requirements.

Tips for choosing a desk

The desk surface should allow you to have your keyboard, mouse and writing needs all on the same level.
A fixed sitting desk should be between 680–720mm high and, if height-adjustable, up to 1200mm.
A desk depth of 800mm will allow you to correctly position your monitors and have a comfortable amount of legroom.
You should have clear space under the desk to comfortably stretch out your legs and avoid sharp desk corners.

Sit/stand desks

Using a sit/stand desk is a simple way to change postures when you’re doing computer work. Getting out of your chair and moving regularly is important to avoid aches and pains and to improve your health and wellbeing.

A full desk unit, where the whole desktop can be raised or lowered, is generally easier to use.
A tabletop unit, which is a separate unit placed on top of a normal fixed desk, is usually cheaper and quicker to install. However, some issues with tabletop units include:
- limited space for desktop items and work activities
- not enough space and stability to rest your forearms in front of the keyboard
- not suitable for taller workers who require greater desktop depth
- cords being caught in the height adjustment mechanism.

Tips for selecting sit/stand desks

The desktop should be able to rise to at least 1200mm to suit taller workers.
The design of the sit/stand desk should be able to accommodate all required equipment, for example, two monitors, a keyboard and a place to write.
You should consider how awkward and how much effort is required to move manually operated desks or units along with all usual desktop items.

There is no evidence that anti-fatigue mats make you more comfortable than wearing suitable footwear. They can also be a manual handling and trip hazard. Supportive shoes, compression stockings and changing position from standing to sitting regularly can be more beneficial to prevent musculoskeletal or vascular symptoms from prolonged standing.

Tips for using a sit/stand desk

When moving your desktop to a standing position, make sure it is at the same level as your elbow so that your forearms are supported.
When you move from sit to stand you may need to adjust your monitor height.
Aim to change your posture every 30 minutes. Standing for a long time can also cause problems.
Have a safe place for your chair when you’re standing up, so you or others don’t trip on it.
If you’re pregnant or have a pre-existing musculoskeletal problem, moderate your sitting and standing times to suit yourself.
Wear low-heeled or flat supportive shoes when standing.

Workload and stress

Work-related stress, such as high work demands or low support at work, can contribute to pain and injury. If you are experiencing pain and symptoms while working on your computer, it is important to look beyond just the physical causes.

Psychological stressors can also indirectly cause you to work longer hours, sit for long periods of time without a break and sit in poor postures.

Constant high-level problem solving and thinking may also put you at risk of injury.

Addressing work-related stress is a significant part of preventing pain and injury with computer-based work. It is important the causes are identified and managed.