3 messages:

1)____

Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 15:27:57 -0800
From: Carol Morse <MorsCa@WWC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Ergonomic workstations (Deborah Harrell)

I tried a keyboard tray for a few days, and had to have the maintenance =
people remove it.  My arms and shoulders ached a lot--it doesn't support =
the arms or wrists.
Carol Morse

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*
Carol Morse                                    Phone: 509:527-2684
Serials Librarian                              Fax::  509) 527-2001
Walla Walla College Library            Email:  morsca@wwc.edu
105 S.W. Adams St.
College Place, WA  99324-1195

Grant us strength for the journey and wisdom to know the way.
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2)_____

Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 18:14:38 -0600
From: Gaele Gillespie <ggillespie@MAIL.LIB.UKANS.EDU>
Subject: Re: Ergonomic workstations

In response to Deborah Harrell's 3/18 question about ergonomic
workstations:

We have Herman Miller workstations -- without the pull-out keyboard shelf
(no pull-out keyboard shelf for the same reason Deborah states: due to the
materials we process, need to be nearer the work surface).  Some staff
have their workstation surface the same height all the way across; others
have the deep middle section, where the terminal sits, at a lower level
than the rest of the workstation surface. Each staff member specified
these surface heights BEFORE installation so that when the installers
came, they could put the workstation sections together at the proper
height for each person. Having adjustable-height chairs helps, too.

-- Gaele Gillespie / Serials Librarian / Univ. of Kansas
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

3)_____

Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 08:23:27 -0500
From: Margo Warner Curl <mcurl@ACS.WOOSTER.EDU>
Subject: Re: Ergonomic workstations (Deborah Harrell)

Several years ago when our building was expanded and renovated, Tech
Services moved to a new spot.  We insisted that we MUST have proper
ergonomic furniture.  Each person in TS now has an l-shaped work surface of
proper height (I don't have the figures handy, but its about 3-4" lower
than normal desk height); a top-of-the line chair that has adjustments for
heighth of seat, angle of back, height of arm rests, etc; and folks could
chose to get a split keyboard (again - don't know what they are called but
rather than having straight rows of keys, the keys for the right & left
hands are at a slight angle so that wrists are not forced to work in an
uncomfortable angle),  a track ball rather than mouse, an angled foot-rest.
 The one low-tech thing several of us use is an old LCSH "red book" to lift
up our monitors.
This has made a BIG difference for all on the staff - before this several
people had problems and one even had elbow surgery.
There is info in the literature about the proper height of stuff - or if
your institution has a campus safety officer, they might have info - or
contact the national "9 to 5" organization, and org. for secretaries &
other pink collar workers.

Margo Warner Curl
Technical Services Librarian
The College of Wooster Libraries
Wooster, OH  44691

phone: 330/263-2154
fax: 330/263-2253
email: mcurl@acs.wooster.edu