NEC 2000 manual Pre-existing Conditions and Psychosocial Factors, Checking Your Chair

Note For more information on workstation setup, see the American National Standard for Human Factors Engineering of Visual Display Terminal Workstations. ANSI/HFS Standard No. 100-1988. The Human Factors Society, Inc., P.O. Box 1369, Santa Monica, California 90406.

Pre-existing Conditions and Psychosocial Factors

Pre-existing conditions that may cause or make some people more susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders include the following: hereditary factors, vascular disorders, obesity, nutritional deficiencies (e.g., Vitamin B deficiency), endocrine disorders (e.g., diabetes), hormonal imbalances, connective tissue disorders (e.g., arthritis), prior trauma (to the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, back, or legs), prior musculoskeletal disorders, aging, fluid retention due to pregnancy, poor physical conditioning and dietary habits, and other conditions.

Psychosocial factors associated with these disorders include: workplace stress, poor job satisfaction, lack of support by management, and/or lack of control over one’s work.

Contact a doctor if you experience pain, tenderness, swelling, burning, cramping, stiffness, throbbing, weakness, soreness, tingling and/or numbness in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, back, and/or legs.

Checking Your Comfort: How Do You Measure Up?

Use this checklist to see if you are setting up your work environment to fit your physical needs.

Checking Your Chair

!Do you sit in an upright position with the backrest supporting your lower back?

!When sitting, are your feet flat on the floor?

!Do you periodically adjust your chair and your posture?

Setting Up a Healthy Work Environment A-11