New workplace standards address ergonomic issues

According to the American Chiropractic Association, more than half of all working Americans admit to having back pain each year, largely attributable to poor workstation posture.

But back pain isn’t the only job hazard facing the nation’s workforce. From eyestrain caused by insufficient lighting to wrist pain from improper keyboard and mouse usage, ergonomically appropriate systems are a critical component of a safe and healthy work environment.

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), a member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and an ANSI-accredited standards developer, has published ANSI/HFES 100-2007, Human Factors Engineering of Computer Workstations, a new standard that addresses the design of workstations, furniture, and computer systems.

HFES’s previous workstation standard (ANSI/HFS 100-1988) was administratively withdrawn in 1998.

Computing systems and workplaces have evolved significantly since the last edition of the standard. ANSI/HFES 100-2007 now includes computer mice and other pointing devices in its inputs chapter, and the displays chapter has been expanded to cover color devices. In an effort to correct the misunderstanding that the 90º posture used in ANSI/HFS 100-1988 was "the" correct working posture, the furniture chapter now provides four working postures for reference by designers.

Finally, the integration chapter demonstrates how individual ergonomic elements can be integrated into a larger, ergonomically appropriate workplace system.

For more information about ANSI/HFES 100-2007, read the HFES press release, or visit the Society’s website at www.hfes.org.