Basic Office Equipment – A Must For Any Business

By Author: Tom Morgan
Total Articles: 2
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And the latest consensus amongst ergonomists, health professionals and designers is that the body is not made for just sitting still, but for movement and variation. Movement is natural and necessary to sustain a healthy lifestyle. In short, for the best outcomes, we should acquire the latest, innovative ergonomic products together with adopting dynamic seating postures and movement about the office.

And here’s a list of office workstation equipment to consider.

A sit-to-stand desk or adjustable table, custom fit ergonomic chair with or without arms (and loaded with lots of adjustable features) or stool, footrest, PC or laptop set up with appropriate monitor stand or laptop stand, desk angled board or document holder, adjustable monitor arms, forearm and wrist supports, ergonomic keyboard & mouse, back or seat cushion and LED desk light.

ADJUSTABLE TABLE

Height adjustable tables, or desks with adjustable legs, are designed for a sit-stand environment, creating the perfect work station for your back. Being able to alternate between sitting and standing is important to helps reduce repetitive ...
... strain injuries and relieves lower back pain. They are usually available in a range of materials, shapes and sizes with manual, electric, hydraulic or gas controls. Flat packed frames are also available, so you can select your own top.

OFFICE CHAIR

Office chair designs abound in the thousands and it can be difficult to cut thru the endless choices. Ideally they should include ergonomic features that allow a custom fit for the user and fit your budget. Such features should include good lumbar support, and form and function to include instinctive movement of the whole body. It’s worth checking on the length of the guarantee, the ‘green’ credentials and buy from a store you trust.

FOOT REST

Not always considered a necessary piece of furniture, a footrest does provide ergonomic benefits. A footrest that is adjustable in height is helpful so that you can reposition the chair height if needed. A tilting footrest is optional - use one if it feels good and for sitting in reclined positions. The top of the rest should have a tread that will keep your feet from sliding off. And make sure that you get one for the height that you need - one that is too high will position the hips and the spine at an undesirable angle.

MONITOR STAND & LAPTOP STAND

Inexpensive and practical monitor risers effectively raise the monitor to eye level to help reduce eye and neck strain, when a high-tech adjustable arm is not required.

An adjustable laptop riser allows users to place such products as notebooks, laptops or tablets at a more comfortable position to make computing easier on your eyes, neck and shoulders. It’s helpful if you choose a design that has built in ventilation holes to promote air flow and cooling, and folds flat for easy storage.

DOCUMENT HOLDER

When you’re stretching and twisting at your desk you can easily strain your back, neck and shoulders and significantly impact your output. The solution is a document holder that allows you to keep your body in the correct, neutral position while simultaneously working with papers or books while typing at the keyboard.

MONITOR ARM

A typical workspace is filled with an array of paraphernalia and so incorporating a monitor arm makes good economic sense. The simple reason they are so popular today is that monitors with a monitor arm offer easy height and depth adjustment and optimal viewing, while preserving that precious workspace by floating the monitor above the user’s work surface, and can be moved out of the way when not needed.

WRIST SUPPORT

Typing for many hours each day can develop painful wrists for many computer users. But fortunately there are a number of wrist braces & supports, gloves or wrist rest products on the market that may help prevent pain from repetitive strain injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other problems associated with repetitive tasks in the work environment.

KEYBOARD & MOUSE

Today there are many options available in an ergonomic keyboard and mouse, and the more you can try them out and get a feel for them, the more informed your decision will be. The designs should follow the shape and neutral position of the body, have a smaller footprint allowing the user to keep the mouse closer to the body’s neutral position. This in turn reduces stretching and helps minimise wrist and shoulder pain. The latest keyboard designs include slim, split and curved keyboards, touchpad keyboards, adjustable keyboard/mouse trays and wireless keyboards. As for the mouse, the important considerations to be taken into account are the shape, grip, where the mouse is placed relative to the keyboard and the wireless option.

BACK CUSHION

Let’s face it - A good backrest can make even the most uncomfortable chair a whole lot more tolerable. An ergonomically designed lumbar or back cushion provides much needed comfort, helps promotes proper posture and may relieve nagging back pain. Today various shapes and materials abound to give people an excellent opportunity to find the one that best suits them. You can choose from premium foams, the popular visco-elastic (memory foam), wooden contoured frames covered with soft foam padding, self inflating cushions, sculptured frames with reinforced mesh fabric (aerated for use in all climates) and ‘la pièce de résistance’ would be the air filled lumbar cushion designed to make static sitting more dynamic. With such choices available, there’s no reason the perfect backrest cannot be found for the home, workplace, sporting event or travel.

SEAT CUSHION

Choosing a seat cushion should be a consideration when you are uncomfortable …. in a chair, lounge suite or vehicle, on a hard indoor/outdoor surface, you need assistance getting out of a car or chair, for post natal comfort, post operative discomfort and anyone suffering from hemorrhoids or coccyx pain.

Seat cushion designs come in various shapes and materials and certainly worth trying before going out to buy a new chair. The choices include premium foams, memory foams, self inflating and air filled cushions that encourage dynamic movement for children and adults alike. Various shapes include swivel cushions, wedges with coccyx cut out, donut shaped cushions and angled wedges that encourage the pelvic tilt position to maintain the spine’s natural curvature.

LED TASK LIGHTING

Lighting is one of the most important considerations in the workplace, and in general, good lighting should enable people to easily view their work and surroundings without the need to strain their eyes.

Today LED technology is leading the way in ergonomic desk lighting. LED desk lights are available in a range a great designs to add character to your workstation, are much brighter, last longer than fluorescent or incandescent bulbs and a great way to save money in the long run by cutting down on energy costs.

Researchers tell us that investing in quality ergonomic office equipment is cheaper in the long run. It ensures happier employees, which in turn improves productivity over the long term, better OH&S and improves the environmental impact.

And finally a quote worth remembering …"Quality will be remembered long after price has been forgotten”… Sir Henry Royce, founder of Rolls-Royce.

Established in 2001, Bad Backs was started by a group of typical back pain sufferers, who found it impossible to find a single source of information and products related to back pain management. To know more about office equipment and desktop accessories visit our site www.badbacks.com.au.