Preferred VDT workstation settings, body posture and physical impairments

Area of Science:

• Ergonomics
• Occupational Health
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Workstation ergonomics are crucial for operator comfort and health.
• Existing ergonomic standards may not reflect individual user preferences.
• Video Display Terminal (VDT) workstations are common in many industries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess preferred ergonomic settings for adjustable VDT workstations.
• To investigate the relationship between preferred settings and anthropometric data.
• To evaluate the impact of preferred settings on physical complaints.

Main Methods:

• A field study involving 68 operators using adjustable VDT workstations for one week.
• Assessment of preferred workstation settings (keyboard height, screen height, viewing angle, visual distance).
• Observation of operator body postures and collection of subjective evaluations and physical complaint data.

Main Results:

• Preferred keyboard height: 71-87 cm; screen height: 92-116 cm; viewing angle: +2 to -26 degrees; visual distance: 61-93 cm.
• Little correlation found between preferred settings and operator anthropometric data (body length, eye level).
• Most operators adopted a backward-leaning trunk posture (97-121 degrees).
• Preferred settings differed significantly from many established ergonomic guidelines.
• Physical complaints in the neck-shoulder and back areas decreased with preferred settings.

Conclusions:

• Individual preferences for VDT workstation settings are significant and may deviate from current standards.
• Adjustable workstations allowing for preferred settings can alleviate physical discomfort for operators.
• Further research should explore the long-term effects and broader applicability of these findings.