Keeping your work environment healthy
Space
- Avoid clutter. It is very easy to trip over things if you have them lying all over the floor.
- Get a waste paper bin to put near you so you don't have an excuse not to responsibly get rid of waste.
- Use cable ties or a conduit to organise your wires so they aren't in the way or all over the floor. For wires on the floor, velcro them in place so nobody trips.
- Make sure you don't have to constantly stretch or move awkwardly to reach something as this can cause Repetitive strain injury (or RSI), one of the injuries resulting from Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS). Symptoms include:
- Pain in muscles
- Fatigue
- Numbness/tingling
- Weakness
Housekeeping
- Clean around computers. The dust is bad for your health as well as a computer.
- If it's a shared computer, sterilize as follows (sterile wipes can also come in handy):
- An easy way to clean a keyboard is to invert it and gently shake it. You can also take a damp cloth and wipe around the keys. When you clean the monitor and box part, however, avoid spilling water into the gaps as it is not good for the computer.
- As stated in the space issue, do not have wires lying around. It's both messy and dangerous, especially if they open up.
Temperature
- Computers radiate, so you need to ensure both you and the computer stay at a comfortable temperature, especially if you're going to be around one for long periods of time.
- Ideal room temperature is 20-22 degrees C. Dependent on your preferences, any temperature between 18-26 degrees C is fine, althought temperatures above 27 degrees are bad for the computer.
- Here are some things you can do to regulate your room temperature so it is the best for you and your computer:
- get a jacket
- use a fan
- open some windows
- Install some air conditioning
Light
- In general, the brightness of your screen should match that of the surroundings
- A screen that is too dark is harmful, as pupils dilate in the dark and this allows space for radiation from the computer to enter one's eyes.
- If it is too bright, you can experience retina damage Sunlight can cause damage because of the UV rays, which is why it is a good idea to get curtains or blinds for your workspace.
- Warmer lighting colours are better as opposed to cool lighting.
Noise
- As with light, a balance is needed with noise levels of a workspace.
- If you are in a noisy area, e.g with lots of people or a server room, wear noise-cancelling headphones(learn sign language to communicate!).
- If you need some noise to work, you could buy a personal radio
Decor
- Bright colours can be a headache on the eyes, and too much business in decoration causes eye pain
- Settle for block colours, that are not too bold or too dull, e.g a pale blue or darker neutral colour
- you can use a wall planner, shelving etc. to break the monotony of plain walls.
Printer Location
- There are a couple of options for printer placement in the workspace. You can either:
- Place the printer in a separate room. This is a good thing so that going to print can be you micropause away from the computer.
- OR:
- Keep the printer close to you. For example, at a table adjacent to your desk , which will allow you to collect your printing easily.