Safety and Comfort Guide for Computer Use

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The use of a computer, notebook, tablet, or video terminals involves a set of decisions that can affect both comfort and health and productivity. It is therefore important to pay attention to posture and, in any case, to adjust the position of the body according to the device. There is no "correct" position suitable for everyone and for all activities.

(Taken from the documentation of the Prevention and Protection Services of the University of Padova and the University of Udine)
Working at a video terminal can pose a health risk related to the characteristics of the workplace and the environment, the duration of exposure, the nature of the work performed, as well as the characteristics of the hardware and software.

The possible disorders may include:

visual disturbances mainly due to high strain and eye fatigue;
neck and joint pain attributable to incorrect postures maintained during the activity or resulting from a non-ergonomic workstation;
psychophysical stress due to the use of inadequate software or excessive workload.

Find the most comfortable position: avoid unnatural positions and make all possible adjustments to achieve a comfortable position.

MONITOR FEATURES

The video terminal screen must have the following characteristics:

dimensions suitable for the activity it is called to perform and such that it is readable at 68: 80 cm;
curvature radius, such as to minimize the possibility of light reflections from the environment;
surrounding. The monitor must be positioned so that external and internal light sources are neither in front of nor behind the operator;
adjustable contrast and brightness;
stable images;
defined and readable characters: the brightness and/or contrast between characters and the background of the screen must be easily adjustable at the operator's discretion;
easily adjustable and tiltable;
must be positioned in front of the operator to avoid neck and back twists;
the top edge of the screen should be at eye level;
those who use bifocal lenses should try to position the screen lower to avoid neck strain.

WORKSTATION

The keyboard must be:

as flat, independent, and mobile as possible;
with a matte surface;
tiltable;
the space on the table in front of it must allow for a comfortable resting place for the hands and forearms;
the keys should have a concave surface to allow for easy pressing; have easily readable labeling, written in a positive manner (dark characters on a light background);

The desk must have:

a light and non-reflective surface;
an adjustable height, if fixed from 68 to 82 cm from the floor;
dimensions suitable for a correct and flexible arrangement of the monitor, keyboard, and work documents;
the depth under the surface must allow for semi-extended legs;

The chair must be:

swivel;
height adjustable and able to be brought closer to the table;
dimensions not less than 40 by 40 cm, slightly concave and tilted forward by about 2° and backward by 14° relative to the horizontal, with a rounded front edge;
backrest, moderately shaped at the top, with the possibility of adjusting the depth, height, and tilt, and with additional padding to support the lumbar region;
without armrests or with short armrests;
covered with a soft and easily interchangeable surface;
with manageable and accessible controls while seated.

The accessories

The document holder: for those who wish, it should be adjustable and stable and at the same height and angle as the monitor.
The footrest: for those who wish, it should be stable and wide enough to allow for different leg positions.
The monitor support: it must be solid and easily adjustable.
The desk lamp: it must be adjustable and shielded.

The work environment must have:

sufficient workspace for changes in position;
light-colored non-reflective walls;
a comfortable climate, which assumes winter air temperatures above 18°C and summer temperatures not lower than 7°C compared to the outside;
The workplace must not be subject to drafts produced by air vents, opening doors and windows, etc.
adequate air exchange;
controlled ambient noise.

The lighting of the room must be:

sufficient. Windows preferably located on one side, better if facing north, should represent 1/8 of the floor area of the room;
the windows should be shieldable, possibly with blinds or heavy fabric curtains.
Uniform, avoiding glare, reflections, and flickering on the screen. If there are reflections, tilt the monitor or reduce the overall brightness;
The light sources must be perpendicular to the screen, and must diffuse warm white-neutral light.
The workstation must be at least 1 m away from the windows.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

It is good practice every 20 minutes to observe distant objects to change the focal point of the eyes.

To avoid visual fatigue, it is useful to implement the following measures:

correctly position the monitor in relation to light sources to avoid reflections;
use any fixed or movable screens to control natural light sources (curtains, blinds, etc.);
adjust the brightness and contrast of the screen to make the image clear and avoid excessive contrasts between the monitor background and the room background;
in case of visual fatigue, perform eye relaxation exercises;

To avoid disturbances to the musculoskeletal system, it is useful to implement the following measures:

use ergonomic seating and maintain correct postures;
position the keyboard so that the end of the forearm rests on the work surface or on the armrests of the seat while typing;
in case of fatigue, change position or perform relaxation exercises.

In any case, for those who work continuously at the video terminal, it is recommended to take fifteen-minute breaks every two hours of work, engaging in other activities, especially avoiding remaining seated.

HEALTH SURVEILLANCE

Workers using VDTs must undergo mandatory health surveillance, as indicated in Article 176 of Legislative Decree 81/08, with particular reference to:

risks to vision and eyes;
risks to the musculoskeletal system.

Following these assessments, the competent doctor expresses a judgment that can be:

fit for work;
partially fit, temporarily or permanently, with prescriptions or limitations;
temporarily unfit;
permanently unfit.

Except for special cases that require a different frequency established by the competent doctor, the periodicity of control visits is:

biennial for workers classified as fit with prescriptions or limitations, biennial for workers who have reached the age of fifty;
quinquennial in other cases.
Furthermore, for cases of temporary unfitness, the competent doctor establishes the deadline for the subsequent fitness visit.

The worker may also be subjected to a control visit for the above-mentioned risks at their simple request if “it is deemed by the competent doctor to be related to professional risks or their health conditions, which may worsen due to the work performed, in order to express the judgment of fitness for the specific task.” If the outcome of the medical visits highlights the necessity and it is not possible to use normal corrective devices, special visual correction devices will be provided to workers, at the expense of the Employer, depending on the activity performed.

Workers assigned to video terminals must then undergo periodic health surveillance to assess the possible onset of visual or general alterations related to work with video terminals. These health protection measures apply exclusively to workers who are classified as "assigned to the video terminal," meaning those who use the video terminal systematically and habitually for at least 20 hours per week, excluding the legally prescribed breaks (15 minutes every 2 hours of uninterrupted activity).

However, at any time, any worker can request to undergo a control visit if they experience disturbances in vision or the musculoskeletal system that could be related to the use of the video terminal.

WORKERS IN A STATE OF PREGNANCY

The risk assessment must also take into account movements, work positions, mental and physical fatigue, and other physical and mental discomforts related to the activities performed during the use of VDTs by pregnant workers.
The only issue for pregnant workers is related to the adoption of postural variations associated with pregnancy that could promote the onset of back pain, justifying a temporary modification of working conditions or hours. Specialized studies have indeed shown that working with VDTs does not pose particular risks or problems for either the worker or the unborn child.

Therefore, following the aforementioned assessment, preventive and protective measures are identified to be adopted, such as:

longer rest breaks (15 minutes every 60 minutes of VDT work) to allow for postural changes aimed at preventing the possible onset of back pain.
modification of work rhythms, so that they are not excessive and do not involve a particularly tiring position for the worker.
If requested by the competent doctor, a temporary modification of working conditions or hours will be arranged.
Workers assigned to VDTs and the workers' safety representative must be informed about the results of the assessment and the consequent measures taken.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY MEASURES

Any tampering with the electrical system and any unauthorized intervention is absolutely prohibited.
Never disassemble the PC and do not open the case for repairs or other purposes.
For any interventions (expansions, card changes, etc.), you must contact the designated personnel or technical support.
Do not unplug the cord from the socket by pulling on the wire: you could break the cable or the plug casing, making live parts accessible.
If the plug does not come out, avoid pulling too hard, as you could pull the socket out of the wall.
When a plug breaks, it must be replaced by a qualified technician with a new one marked IMQ (Italian Institute of Quality Mark).
Do not connect more than one electrical device to a single socket. This prevents the socket from overheating, which could lead to short circuits and fires.
Situations where multiple adapters are installed one on top of the other are expressly prohibited.
If necessary (and with prior authorization from the Safety Manager), always use adapters and extensions suitable for handling the current drawn by the devices used.
All sockets and power strips indicate the current in Amperes (A) or the maximum power in Watts (W).
German type plugs (Schuko) can only be inserted into Italian type sockets through an adapter that transfers the ground connection made via the side plates to a central pin.
It is absolutely forbidden to force Schuko plugs into Italian type sockets. In fact, in this case, the ground connection would be excluded.

NORMATIVE SOURCES

Work at VDT is considered a risky activity for the health and safety of workers, and as such, it is regulated within the Consolidated Act on Health and Safety at Work (Legislative Decree 81/08), amended by Legislative Decree 106/09. What is present in Legislative Decree 81/08 takes up, with some modifications, what was already present in Legislative Decree 626/94 (and s.m.i. including Law 422/00), which implemented a series of European Directives on various issues related to workplace safety.

INAIL: Prevention and safety -> Know the risk -> Ergonomics -> Video terminals
Read the INAIL documentation

Author: Loris Modena

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