Computer workstation ergonomics

Working from home

• Some days working on campus and some days working from home

  The University of Melbourne supports flexible work arrangements for its staff. For some staff, this may mean an opportunity for a planned work from home arrangement or a hybrid work pattern with some days in the office and some in the home.

  A planned working from home agreement involves the following steps:

  • Approval from supervisor and compliance with all local area requirements.
  • Completion of the ‘Planned working from home workstation assessment checklist'
    Note: this is due to be incorporated into ERMS R3 and the requirements will change

  This checklist authorises you to evaluate your own home workstation set up and identify any requirements necessary to conduct your work safely and effectively. It also requests you submit a photograph of your workstation set up and sign a declaration that you will work only within the designated work zone.

  • Completion of the Computer Workstation Training Series - “Working from home” module on TrainMe. This provides guidance for setting up a computer workstation at home
  • Complying with the University Health and Safety Policy (MPF1205) and reporting any incidents via ERMS.
• Unplanned working from home

  It may be possible to arrange a temporary loan of workstation items or furniture from your local workplace with permission from your supervisor. Alternatively, items can be purchased at a University-negotiated rate through the University’s panel of preferred suppliers.

  If unplanned working from home is required, ensure you:

  • Complete and comply with the 'Planned working from home workstation assessment checklist’.

  This checklist authorises you to evaluate your own home workstation set up and identify any requirements necessary to conduct your work safely and effectively during unexpected or unplanned events.

  Discuss any requirements, reasonable adjustments, or support with your supervisor

  Follow any advice from a health practitioner if indicated.

  It may be possible to arrange a temporary loan of workstation items or furniture from your local workplace with permission from your supervisor. Alternatively, items can be purchased at a reduced rate through the University preferred suppliers.

• Tips for working from home

  Whatever the reason you are working from home, here are some additional tips to help keep you safe and healthy:

  Identify and maintain a safe, designated work environment

  • Conduct work exclusively in your designated work zone. This will ensure that non-work zones can be accessed without distraction
  • Keep all paths of travel in and outside the home clear and unobstructed to avoid the risk of slips and trips.
  • Ensure you wear appropriate, correctly fitted footwear and clothing for the environment.

  Floor surfaces and chair castors

  • If using a task chair fitted with castors, it is important to make sure the floor surface offers the right level of castor rolling resistance when sitting.
  • A task chair fitted with castors is designed to be used on low profile, flat, commercial grade (typical office) carpet which provides a moderate level of rolling resistance. This means the chair will remain relatively stationary whilst occupied but roll without undue effort
  • Hardwood timbers, concrete, or tiled surfaces offer low resistance to a chair fitted with castors meaning the chair is likely to roll too freely. This can in turn lead to the occupant tensing the postural muscles (particularly the abdominal, back, and leg muscles) to keep the chair stationary. This muscle effort can be tiring. Hard castors can scratch and damage timber and concrete floors.
  • Thick profile, plush carpet generally creates a high level of rolling resistance meaning it will be difficult and effortful to move the chair over this surface.
  • A firm low profile carpeted mat with tapered flat edges can be used to address the issues associated with both low and high rolling resistance. For example, a polypropylene carpet tile (1000 x 1000mm) such as this carpet tile may be purchased to ensure safe, comfortable rolling resistance.

  Establish effective work practices;

  • Plan your day to simulate an in office day
  • Take regular lunch and tea breaks and brief rest breaks every 30 – 45 minutes, to stretch, move and relax working muscles. Irrespective of how well set up your workspace is, how well you are managing your workload, and how in control you feel, rest breaks and movement are restorative. Evidence shows we move less on work from home days. Check out our video on workstation stretches new link  
  • Consider using free rest break reminder software such as:

  • For PC: Big Stretch or Work Rave
  • For Mac: Time Out or Awareness

  • Set boundaries and define work times. Leave the work zone when you are not working and switch off your computer. Not having a physical separation between home and work can leave you feeling ‘switched on’ all the time which is fatiguing
• Purchasing furniture and equipment for home environment

  Guidance for purchasing furniture for your home environment is available on the Purchasing page

  Wherever possible it is a good idea to purchase office furniture and equipment from the University’s preferred suppliers as their approved range has been assessed and endorsed by the University. The University’s preferred suppliers of furniture and equipment can be found here.

  If you elect to purchase elsewhere there are some important things to keep in mind:

  • Check your home space and ensure you measure up carefully
  • If ordering an item online, check the specifications – are the dimensions suitable? Do you need power?
  • Avoid manually height adjustable desks as they require considerable effort
    e.g repetitive winding to raise/lower
  • If purchasing an item requiring assembly, do you have the right tools and assistance?  Assembling furniture and equipment can mean manually lifting, handling, and manipulating parts
  • Avoid desk surfaces with glossy surfaces as this can generate glare
  • If purchasing in store take a tape measure
  • If ordering task chairs with castors – consider the floor surface – see Tips for working from home section 
  • Read any available reviews
• Assistance or adjustments for working at home

  Assistance or adjustments for working at home

  If you require reasonable adjustments (as outlined in the Disability and Discrimination Act (1992) relating to a permanent or temporary disability) to your home workstation setup, environment or work conditions, a ticket should be submitted through Service Now under the category, Accessibility and reasonable adjustments.

  If you are working from home because you (or a dependent) are recovering from a health injury, issue or surgery, assistance may be available from the University’s Human Resources or Workplace Adjustments and Injury Management Team (WAIS)

Working in temporary locations may necessitate travelling between locations. This might include driving between city and rural campuses or flying to interstate or international locations. Travelling can be fatiguing for a range of reasons including interruption to routine and time zone changes, alternatively long periods of travelling, driving, sustained sitting in fixed postures, and handling luggage. The following section provides some useful tips for making your travel easier and safer.

• Tips for travelling in a vehicle

  Setting yourself up properly for a long driving trip or even a short one can make the journey far more comfortable and safe. Familiarising yourself with the vehicle and making appropriate adjustments to suit your body dimensions and comfort is vital, particularly if you are in a University fleet car or rental car.

  • Securely stow any items in the rear boot. Unsecured items in the cabin of the vehicle can behave like missiles in the event of sudden braking or collision
  • Ensure you familiarise yourself with all vehicle adjustments, controls, and displays before commencing your journey
  • Slide the driver's seat forward so your whole foot comfortably connects with the pedal and your thighs are relaxed and supported. Your knees should be slightly bent. Locking your knees can restrict blood circulation and give you less control over ankle movements. You should be able to actively lift up either foot when operating the pedals without any strain or discomfort
  • Recline the back support to between 100-110 degrees (shoulders behind hips) and sit right back in the seat so your lower back is well connected to the back rest (no gap). This hip angle reduces the load through the discs in the lower back. The aim is to move or ‘hinge’ from the hip joint, not the back
  • Adjust the integrated lumbar support so that it firmly and evenly conforms to your lower back curve
  • Check the height of the driver's seat. Raise or lower the seat so that you have a good view through the windscreen, sufficient head clearance, and clear visibility when the sun visor is down. Ensure there is sufficient clearance for your legs under the steering wheel including sideways leg movement for operating the foot pedals. Ideally, your hips should not be lower than your knees. Sitting at the correct height can greatly improve your driving comfort
  • Check the steering wheel position. Evidence recommends hand placement at 9 o'clock and 3 o’clock for maximum vehicle control and upper body posture. When your hands are grasping the wheel at these locations, your shoulders and upper arms should be relaxed and elbows slightly bent. This minimises the fatigue on your shoulders and allows your arm muscles to reflexively engage and respond more quickly if required. Adjust the steering wheel height and/or proximity by releasing the lever at the base of the steering wheel column so that you can position your hands/arms as described above. Sitting too close or too far from the steering wheel can result in reduced steering control. Being very close to the wheel increases the risk of facial injuries in the event of airbag deployment
  • Adjust all mirrors to allow maximum visibility with minimal neck movement
  • Position the top of the headrest at the top of your head or at least as high as the top of your ears, so the bulk of the headrest sits behind your head. Ensure the back of your head is no more than about 5cm from the headrest. This position will minimise rearwards and forwards neck and head movement in the event of a collision
  • Adjust the seat belt height on the B pillar so it connects at the point of the shoulder, not higher up the neck. Ensure the shoulder strap is flat and diagonal across the body and the lap belt is flat and low on your hips and securely connected. The same applies for any passengers
  • You should be able to move and shift in your seat without detracting from your driving. This will relieve pressure points and keep blood circulating during longer drives. Staying in a static position for too long can result in sustained compression of the discs in the lower back, pooling of blood in the feet, and general fatigue
  • Ensure mobile devices are secured in approved fixed mounted cradle or turned off so as not to cause distraction
  • Ensure you are wearing supportive well-fitting footwear
  • Break the journey at least every 90 minutes to stretch and revive
  • If you are a passenger ensure you adjust your seat for comfort and never position your feet on the dashboard. If you suffer from back soreness pack a small hand towel or pillow to place in the small of your back to provide some extra support as the passenger seat rarely has supplementary lumbar support
• Tips for flying

  Flying, especially long distances involves prolonged sitting in fixed postures. This can result in stiffness and discomfort as well as pooling of blood in the legs which in turn may cause swelling. There are multiple things you can do to optimise your health and safety whilst flying - including moving, stretching, and keeping hydrated. Some of these tips can also be applied to long train travel:

  • Consider packing a few simple items in your carry-on luggage on long flights to maximise your comfort

  • a small hand towel or pillow to place in the small of your back to provide supplementary support.
  • a stretchy resistance band which you can use to stretch out while you wait to board your flight or in your hotel room
  • a tennis or lacrosse ball to massage tight areas in muscles or trigger points. Self-massaging is “especially great for the gluteal (butt), hamstring (backs of legs), and paraspinals (muscles on either side of the spine).”

  • Before your flight and during any stopovers, make the most of the airport terminal space and stretch your legs by walking around and minimising sitting.
  • Recline your seat rearwards to reduce the load through the lower back when resting. Be sure to ‘hinge’ from the hip joint
  • Follow any in flight exercise advice that can be carried out whilst seated such as exercising the calf muscles and circling the ankles to stimulate blood circulation
  • Get up from your seat to move and stretch at least every 60 minutes
  • Avoid long periods working on a laptop. The available space (especially elbow room) in an economy seat plane is limited and makes it difficult to adopt a favourable posture.
  • Engage the tray table when reading or using your phone. This will allow you to support your forearms and reduce the need for forward neck movement which creates tension and load in the neck and back.

  Additional travel health tips can be found at https://www.traveldoctor.com.au/healthy-travel-facts/flight-health-tips

• Tips for selecting and handling luggage
  • When selecting and packing luggage consider how it will be handled. Ensure you select luggage that is suited to your travel, sturdy and light weight. The larger and heavier your luggage, the more at risk you are for neck, back, and shoulder injuries
  • Two smaller bags may be easier to handle than one large bag. Carrying a piece in each hand enables a more balanced symmetrical posture
  • If using a wheelie bag, select one with 4 wheels and an adjustable height stalk handle with an additional side handle.
  • Wheel a wheelie case along close to the body with the hand positioned close to the side rather than with the arm outstretched behind which places more load on the shoulder and neck.
  • If using a backpack ensure you select a lightweight model with padded and adjustable shoulder straps and a waist strap to balance and distribute the load. Pack the heavier things low and towards the centre. Avoid slinging a backpack over one shoulder as it does not allow the weight to be distributed evenly and can cause muscle strain. Avoid carrying around a backpack or day pack weighing more than 10% of your body weight for long periods.
  • If using a shoulder bag, alternate sides regularly or position diagonally across the body
  • Do not rush when lifting or carrying luggage. If it is too heavy and awkward, wait and seek assistance where possible.
  • Avoid twisting your body when lifting and carrying luggage. Point your toes in the direction you are headed and turn your entire body in that direction.
  • If handling luggage into an overhead aircraft locker, use 2 hands and balance it on the top of the seat as an intermediary step before placing it into the locker.
  • If handling luggage into the rear boot of a vehicle, secure it close to the front of the boot (handle facing outwards) to reduce the reach requirement and to the left (kerb) side so it can be unloaded away from moving traffic. A towel or rug draped over the lip of the boot can allow you to ‘roll’ the luggage over the lip and reduce the handling and subsequent load on the body.