Clackmannanshire Council Online

Setting up your equipment

Setting up your equipment

Poorly setup workstations, or incorrect use of display screen equipment (DSE) can lead to musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, pain in the neck, shoulder, arm, wrist and hands, visual fatigue, and mental stress.

In order to eliminate or reduce the above risks as you work from home, it is important to ensure that your home workstation is correctly set up as far as you are able to, or as far it is practicable.

When setting up your home workstation, you should aim to achieve the following:  

1. Arms should be approximately at a right angle when typing. Where possible, seat height should be adjusted accordingly.
2. Forearms should remain as ‘flat’ as possible whilst typing.
3. Eye level should be roughly in line with the top of the screen (within the top third is acceptable). Screen should be lowered/raised accordingly.
4. Back should be as upright as is comfortable, with curved part of the chair back (if you have such a chair) providing support to lumbar region. If your chair has adjustable back rest, it should be moved up/down and tilted in/out as required.
5. There should be a slight downward slope from hip to knee.
6. Feet should be flat on the floor.
7. Mouse should be as close to the workstation as possible to avoid awkward movements and stretching.
8. Always sit with the keyboard & screen directly in front of you.
9. Avoid twisting, stretching etc.
10. Maintain good posture at all times.

Phones

If you do not have a laptop/PC with a software phone please use the How to use Avaya MyPhone guide to set up your phone at home.

If you have the feature on your laptop/PC, please use the Avaya User Guide.

Laptops

Most of us will be using laptops as we work from home. Due to their portable design, and some design compromises inherent in laptops, postural/musculoskeletal or other problems (eg bent back/neck due to the low position of the screen) may arise in their use.

The following are recommended, where possible, to help reduce the risks:

1. Avoid prolonged use, and take more frequent breaks.
2. Use a desk or a firm surface of suitable height, and avoid placing it on your lap for prolong use as this affects your sitting posture.
3. The height and position of the laptop’s screen should be angled so that you are able to sit comfortably. Use a laptop riser, or raiser blocks, to help raise the top of the screen to your eye level in order to avoid bending the neck/head. This will require a separate keyboard and mouse. 
4. If you have a monitor at home, the laptop can be connected to this and used as a desktop computer. This will also require a separate keyboard and mouse.