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Ergonomic Eval Alameda 20180228

Ergonomic Assessment from Alameda County

Evaluator: Alfonso Mejorado, Associate Ergonomist Company: VSI Risk Management and Ergonomics, Inc. note: same company hired by Genentech

Focus

The focus of the ergonomic evaluation is my desk work.

Problems

  1. Radial Deviation and Ulnar Deviation are common issues I face
    • Try not to rest wrists while typing, especially on the far right of the keyboard where I am weak.
    • When I plant my hand while deviating, it causes contact stress at the base of the hand.
  2. Seat bucket too deep, pressure on middle of thighs.
  3. Seatback greater than 100 degrees moving me away from the desk.

Behavioral Corrections

  1. When sitting, move forwards: RULE: Elbow, Shoulder, Ear should be VERTICALLY aligned
    • I tend to always move my butt too far back which means my arms have to reach.
    • I do not want to reach with my arms because I end up planting my wrists and hunching my shoulders.
  2. Do not plant palms, too much contact stress.
  3. Move the mouse as close to center as possible
    • Avoid Right Shoulder Abduction when using the mouse
  4. Use TWO possible resting hand positions:
    1. Hands resting on 'meat' of hand below pinkie 'extra padding below pinkie`
    2. Hands resting in lap (neutral)
  5. Do not PLANT the wrist forcefully, especially during radial and ulnar deviation.
  6. Try to always free type, I think this means have your wrists up? Or maybe it was free flow type?
  7. 90 degree sitting angle is an active posture using the muscles. This is good.
  8. 100 degree sitting angle is relaxed but not moving you away from the desk. This is good.
    • Requires seatback to be positioned for 100 degree resting angle.
  9. Always put my notebook on the right side so I don't twist when writing and reading from it.
  1. Hands turned in, extra padding below pinkie resting on keyboard rest
  2. Shoulders fully at rest on arm wrests
  3. Feet planted at 90 degrees on the ground
  4. Back at 100 degrees resting on the backrest
  5. Do not plant palms.

Equipment Fixes

  1. Armwrests must not contact the desk (push them back)
    • Otherwise they may prevent me from moving close to the desk.
  2. Armwrests should be below my neutral elbow height when typing and just barely high enough to fully REST shoulders when resting hands.
  3. Move my coding screen up much higher so it is near the center of my vision
    • Alfonso: "Coders always work at the bottom of their screen"
    • This can cause some right neck and shoulder issues (due to turning head and looking down?)
    • Use reams of paper to move the screen up
  4. Seatpan is moved as far forward as possible to support the mid thigh and prevent cut-off bloodflow.
    • This is to avoid numbness in the legs and feet.
  5. Fix right armrest (this one is broken)
  6. Use a "RFM Internet High-Back Chair": http://rfmseating.com/portfolio-view/internet/
  7. Mouse is too narrow and activating my finger flexons or something. I am planting my hand while mousing in an ulnar deviation. BAD.
    • Replace mouse with a wider one, Kensington Slim Blade Trackball and a blue mouse slider identical to my Genentech one.

Future Fixes (recommendations)

  1. Get a "Workright Electric Sit Stand Desk" - Needs approved and delivered
  2. Repair the right armwrest of the "RFM Internet High-Back Chair"