Are Computers Hazardous to your Health?
Nov 21, 2001 11:45 AM
Computer Monitors
Q: What about placement of the computer screen?
A: You should sit at least 18 inches from the monitor (20-30 inches may be preferable for your eyes) with the screen directly in front of you, not off to one side.
To prevent neck and back strain, the height of the monitor should be adjusted so the top of the screen is just below eye level. You should not have to tilt you head up to read the screen.
If the monitor is too low, you can raise it with some books. An adjustable monitor stand or arm works even better, allowing you to move the monitor up or down and tilt it to find the most comfortable viewing angle.
Q: But my computer monitor is bolted to my desk in the far right-hand corner. I have to turn my head to the side to see it.
A: Unfortunately, the board routinely bolts down computer monitors for security and puts them in this inappropriate location so that secretaries have open space directly in front of where they sit. The union has convinced the board to install monitors where the secretaries want them. The best solutions are either on a desk return that’s at the proper height or on a freestanding workstation. (A return is a fixed extension at a right angle to the desk that provides an extra work surface and usually is lower than the desk top.) If those options are not possible, you can request that the board unlock the monitor and bolt it again it in a new location, such as the center of your desk.
Q: But if I bolt the computer to the center of my desk, I won’t have any place to work.
A: Right. The union recognizes that many secretaries work in cramped quarters and have few options about where to place office equipment. And we know that tight budgets limit your options for obtaining new furniture. But we have to level with you: Continuing to work with the monitor in the far right-hand corner of the desk is asking for physical trouble.
Perhaps you can have the school purchase a new, adjustable workstation for your computer, which would allow you to keep your desk for paper and telephone work. Or maybe you can locate an unused table or desk somewhere in the building that can be moved into the office and used for paperwork while the computer is moved to the center of your desk.
