Ergonomic desks
The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) names insufficient work equipment and furniture (in particular desk and chair) and an unfavourable positioning of keyboard and screen as typical reasons for “office diseases” like neck pains or headaches, neck-shoulder-arm-syndromes and back pains.
To the following criteria should therefore be paid attention when equipping VDU workstations:
Quality criteria for desks
- The worktop must be big enough.
It must have at least the following dimensions: 160 x 80 cm or 1.28 m2. The surface of table-height containers or assembling elements may be added. The desk however, should at least have a non-departed width of 120cm. - The worktop must have a minimal depth of 80cm.
The sight-distance between eye and screen should be at least 50cm. On screens with a bigger size than 17'' a higher distance is necessary. Screens should also not protrude the desk. Hence a bigger desk depth might be necessary. - The worktop should be height adjustable.
The optimal working height results from the seat height. Thigh and shank should form a 90° angle, as well as arm and forearm. If a desk is used by just one person and the desk can be adjusted to the measurements of the person, it is usually sufficient. More flexible are desks which can be self-adjusted by the user.
Regarding desks for the exclusive work in a sitting position an adjusting range from 68 to 78 cm is common. Many desks allow for even a wider adjusting range and enable more users to find the optimal height setting. - Ideal are desks which are adjustable between the optimal sit and stand height.
If this is not possible, temporary work in a standing position should be made possible in a different way. The adjusting range should be between 68 and 118cm. A higher adjusting range might be reasonable. - The workstation must allow for an efficient leg and foot room, i.e. legs and feet should not bump anywhere at normal use.
Based on a working height of 72cm, this is usually guaranteed if a space of 65cm is still free under the front edge of the table, i.e. no assembly elements higher than 7cm are attached. With 20cm from the front edge of the table at least 62cm still need to be available, with 45cm from front edge at least 55cm and with 60-80cm from the front edge at least 12cm. The width of the free leg room must be at least 60cm.
As usual: More free space creates additional room for more movement and individual settings and is therefore favourable. - Worktops must be anechoic and free of light reflexions.
Heavy contrasts between the working equipment and the worktop lead to eyestrain. Bright surfaces lead to glare or solarization on screens. Indirect consequences are higher error rates and tensions of the shoulder-neck area. - The desk must be equipped with a vertical or horizontal cable conduit with integrated pull relief.
This is necessary on all desks, on which screens or other hardware, connected to power or data lines, is used. A methodical wiring supports the prevention of accidents. - All cable line must be free of sharp edges,
to avoid a possible damage of cables. - If several furnishings are jointly wired, the single elements must be connected to each other.
This applies for example for desk-configurations, which consist of different single desks. - The desk possesses a GS-label for proven safety.
The GS-label guarantees the standard safety, resistance and the missing oscillation of the frame. GS proven products are free of sharp edges and are in accordance with the current guidelines.
The named criteria are part of the guideline L-Q 01-06 – Quality criteria for office workstations on which basis the QUALITY-OFFICE-LABEL is awarded.
Further information in QUALITY OFFICE can be found under www.quality-office.org.http://www.quality-office.org
These requirements on office chairs as well as other criteria to evaluate furnishing and whole office workstations are part of the Office-Check, which can be ordered or downloaded under Infoservice.
