On 16 July 2014, the Environment, Occupational Health, and Safety (EOHS) Unit of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) carried out an ergonomics awareness training for ILRI Nairobi campus staff. The event, which was organized by the EOHS team and conducted by qualified occupational therapists and physiotherapists, was designed to provide staff with basic knowledge on how to prevent injuries and illness at work.

The session  provided participants with tips on how to set up the office work space including workstation setup, how you sit, and how long you stay in one position, how you do a certain task, the kinds of movements you make, and whether you make the same movements over and over, work area light, noise, and temperature, the tools you use to do your job and whether they are set up to fit your needs, musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic exercises that would help them avoid injuries related to poor ergonomics at work were also discussed.

Some of the key points discussed at the training that you should start practicing  are: 

• Adjusting the height of your chair so that your feet rest comfortably on the floor. If this makes your chair too low in relation to the desk, use a footrest and raise the chair up to the desired height. Correctly adjusting your chair can help you maintain proper posture and take the pressure off your back. When sitting, your knees should be about level with your hips, and the seat of your chair should not press into the back of your knees.
• Position the phone so that you can perform simple tasks such as taking notes without twisting or cradling the phone on your shoulder. This means that the cord must be long enough. If you frequently talk on the phone and type or write at the same time, use a headset rather than cradling the phone between your head and neck.
• Sit up straight, keeping your thighs horizontal with your knees and at about the same level as your hips. Keep your forearms level or tilted up slightly. If your chair is too high for you to rest your feet flat on the floor, consider using a footrest.
• The monitor should be roughly an arm’s length away. The top of the screen should be at eye level or just below so that you look down at a slight angle to your work.Place the monitor directly in front of you, about an arm’s length .The top of the screen should be slightly below eye level. If glare from fluorescent lighting or sunlight is a problem, turn off some or all of the overhead lights or close the window shades.
• Place your mouse within easy reach on the side of your keyboard. Keep your wrist in a natural and comfortable position when you’re using your mouse.
• Use a wrist rest to minimize stress on your wrists and prevent awkward wrist positions. While typing, hold your hands and wrists above the wrist rest. During typing breaks, rest the heels or palms of your hands — not your wrists — on the wrist rest. When you’re typing, keep your wrists in a straight, natural position — not bent up, down or to either side.

Based on the survey feedback from the participants, the EOHS unit will carry out work station assessments starting 11 August, 2014 to identify work environment issues. Priority will be given to those who have possible musculoskeletal disorders. A medical examination will then be carried out, then necessary recommendations such as change of work station components will be implemented in collaboration with management.

Contact Josephat Otieno (J.Otieno[at]cgiar.org) or Enid Ongaya (E.Ongaya[at]cgiar.org) of EOHS  for work station assessments.