Computer Health and Safety

If you're working from home, you'll probably have a computer. The following points will help you use your computer safely.

Avoiding Eye Strain

• Take a break from working at the computer every hour - otherwise you risk getting headaches, eye strain, and posture problems.
• Fit a glare filter to protect your eyes from glare and flickering.
• Look up from your computer every 10-15 minutes and focus on the middle distance, to relieve eye strain.
• Have regular eye tests.

Avoiding Physical Strain

• Sit at an adjustable chair when you're working. Your feet should be flat on the floor, your thighs parallel to the floor or with your knees slightly below your hips.
• Ensure that your desk is at the right height so that you can work at your keyboard with relaxed shoulders, with your forearms straight at the wrist, parallel to the floor, and not resting on the keyboard or desk.
• Guard against repetitive strain injury (RSI), a condition in which prolonged performance or repetitive actions cause pain in tendons and muscles. Stop work if your hands and wrists start aching.
• Make sure that the screen is at the right height so that you're not bending your neck backwards to look up at it, or bending to look down at it.