VDT Workstation Design: Preferred Settings and Their Effects

Abstract

A field study was conducted to assess the preferences of VDT operators with regard to their body posture and the settings of an adjustable VDT workstation. Subjects came from four different companies, and the study took place during subjects' customary working activities. Means and ranges of the preferred settings are given. The operators preferred body postures that are distinctly different from those recommended in textbooks and other publications. Some of the workstation settings they preferred also strongly deviate from such recommendations.

VDT Screen Height and Inclination Effects on Visual and Musculoskeletal Discomfort for Chinese Wheelchair Users with Spinal Cord Injuries

“…This result is somewhat consistent with Sommerich et al 14) and previous studies 6,15) . Based upon these wheelchair users suffered from spinal cord injury, the lower monitors were not tested.…”

“…However, the subjective preference was significantly affected by the screen inclination when the vision axis is horizontal or inclined slightly downwards for ablebodied subjects. Grandjean et al 6) found that the subjects preferred a backward screen inclination, between -2å nd 13˚, and the lower the screen, the greater the preferred backward screen inclination. This study confirmed results from previous studies 1,6) .…”

“…Grandjean et al 6) found that the subjects preferred a backward screen inclination, between -2å nd 13˚, and the lower the screen, the greater the preferred backward screen inclination. This study confirmed results from previous studies 1,6) . The optimum screen inclination choice is horizontal for wheelchair users.…”

“…An improperly designed workstation places the VDT operator into a number of awkward postural positions. Awkward posture is highly related to musculoskeletal pain and eyestrain in VDT workers.To help control VDT-related injuries, many guidelines and standards for designing VDT workstations have been suggested 2,[4][5][6] . However, as mentioned by Wu and Yang 7) , most of the related recommendations and standards were developed in Europe and North America, with the data obtained from Caucasian, able-bodied populations.…”

Hand supports to assist toilet use among the elderly

“…Support for the finding that there is not a strong correlation between anthropometry and preferred product settings can be found in Grandjean et al (1983), where the preferred settings of workstations and the anthropometry of the subjects were not strongly correlated. Similarly, the optimal set height for a handrail and anthropometry did not have strong correlations for Japanese rural elderly people (Ishihara et al, 2002).…”