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For the office and Remote workforce
In January I was invited to be a speaker at the Call Center Conference in Dallas, Texas. My presentation centered on ergonomics of the home work environment . I addressed the issues of productivity, safety, and OSHA compliance for the telecommuter. During my program I discussed the products I believe the attendees should consider for their offices and remote workforce.
Here in Chicago, Illinois during December 2000 the average daily temperature was 16 degrees Fahrenheit. And we were blessed with about 40 inches of snow. When I visited one of my clients office I was amazed at the number of employees using personal heaters. I recommended to my client they could resolve 5 employee issues by
incorporating the Cozy Footrest manufactured by Indus- Tool.
This footrest
1. has a heated surface so employees can feel warm and comfortable. And since employees usually say office temperature is the number one complaint; the employees will be much happier.
2. addresses the huge amount of electrical consumption ( only uses one tenth the power of a personal heater) not to mention the extra cost incurred by tthe company
3. eliminates the fire hazard that the exposed heating elements posed
4. reduces the likelihood of employee trips and falls caused by all the unprotected cords lying openly upon the floor
5.can place employees in a proper biomechanical position. By doing so, they could satisfy one of the ten VDT risk factors of the OSHA ergonomic standard screening
You can visit their website www.indus-tool.com or contact their representative Mr. Josh
Pierce at 800-662-5021
Continuing my presentation I discussed the fact too often telecommuters lacked a proper computer work surface . From the kitchen table to coffee table and on top of the bed; I'm sure these are just a sampling of the areas people work on at home. Computer Comforts manufactures two work surfaces that are ideal for the home work
environment. Both are quite durable, vertically adjustable, and available in just about any shape & color. It
doesn't matter if the employee is in the 95th percentile or not. You have a work surface that accommodates their individual size requirements. This work surface will help your remote workforce pass a number of the inquiries of the OSHA ergonomic standard VDT Checklist appendix D2.
You can visit their website www.computercomforts.com or contact their representative Mr. Chris Kolavo at 708-877-5000.
Refresh Contacts Contact lens drops
If you are one of the millions of technoworkers who wear contact lenses while using a computer relief is now just a trip to the store away! Dryness of the eye is directly linked to computer use. Whether you wear rigid or soft lenses; dryness of your contact lenses reduces both your eye's comfort and limits your clear vision. But earlier this year Allergan introduced a revolutionary contact lens lubricant.
Refresh Contacts comfort drops is a product we highly recommend you include in your briefcase. Based on its successful ocular lubricants Refresh Tears & Refresh Plus formulas, Refresh Contacts comfort drops in our evaluation provides the contact lens wearer immediate, improved comfort and clarity. Refresh Contacts comfort drops helps your eye maintain moistness for continued contact lens usage. And in my opinion Refresh Contacts comfort drops doesn't "tighten" the contact lens on the eye as compared to other brands of lubricants.
Just because you use a computer that doesn't mean your contacts have to be uncomfortable to wear on a regular basis. Refresh Contacts comfort drops can provide the solution to dryness of the eye and contact lenses. Refresh Contacts comfort drops is available in a reusable 12 ml bottle or in individual dosages. For specific lubrication procedures please refer to our ergonomic guidelines
Lighting considerations in the computer workplace....
Today when you or I enter most offices lit by fluorescent lighting; all you observe in the ceiling are big, bright white boxes. Typically this type of office illumination ( not including any window light) is between 50 and 100 foot candles. For the computer user that translates into a large level of glare. I recently read where computer users rated glare in the workplace as the #2 problem. (The office temperature was rated the #1 problem).
So I'd like to share some lighting recommendations for your computer workplace. If you wish to address glare in the computer workplace your illumination levels should be between 25 and 50 foot candles. Examine the implementation of parabolic louvers versus the "standard" prismatic lens which most fluorescent light boxes are supplied with. Supplemental Task lighting can play a vital role in allowing computer users to more easily view their work comfortably and efficiently.
If you are considering replacing the lighting; then I'd recommend indirect light sources. 70% of the usable illumination is bounced off the ceiling. This bouncing effect produces a uniform level of lighting throughout the work area. You avoid the mix of very bright - and very poorly lit areas common in today's workplace which uses standard fluorescent lighting. Indirect lighting has been shown to produce a level of illumination which is very similar to daylight. And while indirect lighting's cost may be higher than fluorescent; glare is virtually non existent. Bottom line: For the business these steps mean higher productivity and less employee complaints.
An often overlooked aspect is the colors in your office decoration scheme. If you currently have white walls and white ceilings; this is called a monochromatic style. This color scheme is highly reflective and contributes greatly to glare in the computer workplace. Consider implementing "full spectrum" color schemes in your office. This type of color design in studies has revealed employees view their work environment in a more appealing, positive manner. Employees in these types of office color designs have also been more productive.
If you have any questions; you can reach me at
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