As a 'DSE' Health & Safety co-ordinator, I have had some training and can offer some useful tips. I have learnt is that the physical setup of a computer workstation is important. That is: seating, posture and layout. There is much more to this subject than this article can reasonably cover. Again this advice is at your own risk. If in doubt, check up.
Of course, you are not really supposed to be looking at private websites (like this one) when you are at work but then, let's face it, your boss has his own dirty little internet secrets and this subject is quite important. All UK companies are required to meet Health and Safety regulations and there should be arrangements available to make your environment safe and reasonably comfortable. There should be money available for it.
Workstation Setup
Work Environment
If you are at work, UK H&S rules tell you to take a break of at least five minutes each hour and get out of the seat. It gives your eyes a rest, frees up the spine and makes you a better worker. Walk a bit. Our bodies were not made for sitting still for hours. Make a cup of tea if you can and you are guaranteed another walk later on. They say it is a good idea to put peripherals (printer, paper, etc.) out of reach so that you have to stand up from time to time. You have a legitimate complaint if your work area is uncomfortable, too noisy, too hot/cold or in a draught. Your H&S co-ordinator has the power to improve your working day (if the remedy is not too dear).
Posture
I can tell you that you will eventually gain a bad back or 'referred pain' if your posture is badly wrong and it could lead to time off work. With seating, it is a fact that one size does not fit all. You might be able improve things by swapping chairs with a colleague who is much taller or smaller than you. Your seat should have height adjustments and lower back 'lumbar' support. Try this: Sit straight on to the computer with the chair at a height where the thigh is supported horizontally without undue pressure. Don't crouch over but sit fairly straight-backed (or it can also lead to stomach ache). I have personal experience of back pain when sitting in a bad position for long periods. It cleared up when I adjusted my posture and seat position.
Desk
You can't always adjust what you ought to - but the desk ought to be placed where you don't have bright light reflected from the screen or where direct sunlight falls on your face or where a reflection dazzles you. Make sure that you have enough legroom. Try to have your arms at about a right-angles to the keyboard. You are supposed to move the mouse with the arm, rather than the wrist but it does not work very well for fine mouse movements. I use a wrist pad so that it doesn't rub. Keep the desk tidy. Unless you touch-type, keyboard letters should be very clear and reasonably lit. You might find a document clip attached to the monitor useful.
Monitor
The correct height for the monitor is when your eyes are at a level of about a quarter way from the top. LCD screens are made for this optimum position. It might look snazzy in the company brochure for the receptionist's screen to be at a jaunty angle but they would soon become tired of it.
Eyestrain is a big risk and can easily lead to headaches or general discomfort. Make sure that the brightness and contrast are set up properly. You can buy cheap but good glasses for computer use, set for a distance slightly further away than for reading glasses. Some companies offer free eye test vouchers. Make sure that the print is clear enough by enabling 'Cleartype' in the 'display properties' or change the screen resolution or font size, if necessary. LCDs are designed to use a 'native resolution' which gives the sharpest text (often 1280 x 1024). If it is an old CRT monitor, make sure that the 'refresh rate' is high enough to stop it flickering (higher than 60Hz). If an LCD, you can set it to any refresh rate but it is alright at 60Hz. In fact, LCDs don't flicker much as the pixels are updated only as needed when something moves on the screen.
CRTs are constantly scanned and flicker rate can be a problem. They are also affected by strong magnetic fields and can fluctuate when close to electrical machinery. LCDs are cheap these days, so bin the CRT. It eats more power and is often poorer quality for office use than a properly adjusted LCD. Turn down the CRT monitor contrast and tell the boss it is on its last legs.
