Computer Safety and Ergonomics Term 2 2022

COMPUTER SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS
ERGONOMICS
What is Ergonomics?
It is . . . fitting the work to the worker
• Ergon = Greek for “work”
• Nomos = Greek for “laws of”
• The Study of Work
• Applies both on and off the job
Benefits of Ergonomics
• Decreased injury risk
• Increased productivity
• Decreased mistakes/rework
• Increased efficiency
• Decreased lost work days
• Decreased turnover
• Improved morale
Ergonomics is the science of matching workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities
of the working population. An effective and successful match ensures high productivity,
avoidance of illness and injury, and increased satisfaction among the workforce.
Ergonomics, further, refers to assessing those work-related factors that may pose a risk of
Musculoskeletal disorders and recommendations to alleviate them. Common examples of
ergonomic risk factors are found in jobs requiring repetitive, forceful, or prolonged exertions
of the hands, prolonged awkward postures etc.
Ergonomic Risk Factors
• Repetition
• Awkward posture
• Forceful exertion
• Static posture
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• Mechanical contact
• Stress
• Temperature
• Vibration
Ergonomic stress areas in computing environments include:
1. Eyes
2. Neck
3. Shoulders
4. Elbow
5. Wrist
6. Hand
7. Back/Spine
Resulting injuries are called Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTD) or Repetitive Strain Injuries
(RSI) or Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD).
REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURIES WHICH INCLUDE:
1. CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

Irritation of the median nerve, which runs through a bony channel in the wrist called the carpal
tunnel. Compression of the nerve produces numbness, tingling and, eventually, hand weakness.
It usually results from excessive flexing or twisting of the wrist from the use of wrong desks.
2. TRIGGER FINGER SYNDROME
Trigger finger is a painful condition that causes the fingers or thumb to catch or lock when bent.
Tendons in the fingers become inflamed, causing pain, swelling, and a loss of dexterity. This is
caused by the excessive use of the mouse or typing.
3. HAND/ARM VIBRATION SYNDROME
Stinging, tingling, numbness, paleness, loss of dexterity in the hand/arm. It is related to a
condition caused by repeated and prolonged use of the mouse and keyboard.
4. TENDONITIS
An inflammation of the tendons. Typically occurs in the shoulders, wrists, hands, or elbows.
It is caused by overuse of the tendons by repetitive actions.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
o Adjust keyboard height so that shoulders can relax and allow arms to rest at the sides.
o The keyboard should be close to the user to avoid extended reaching.

o Keyboard should be at the same height as the elbow.
o Mouse should be placed adjacent to the keyboard and at the same height as the keyboard (use
articulating keyboard tray if necessary).
o Do not rest the hand on the mouse when you are not using it. Rest hands on your laps when not
entering data.
5. EYE STRAIN/FATIGUE
The eyes become strained as a result of poor lighting, glare or viewing the screen from
uncomfortable positions. Focusing on the screen at close range and for long periods can cause
eyestrain, headaches, and double vision.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AGAINST EYE STRAIN

o Take a 10-15 minutes break every one or two hours.
o Minimize reflected glare on the screen by keeping the screen away from windows and other
sources of external light.
o Purchase an antiglare screen/shield for your screen
o The screen should be brighter than the room light.
o Bigger monitors cause less eyestrain than small ones.
o Clean the screen regularly.
o Position the monitor directly in front of the user to avoid excessive twisting of the neck.
o Position the monitor approx. 20-26 inches (arm's length) from user.
o Tilt the top of the monitor back 10 to 20 degrees
o The top of the viewing screen should be at eye level when the user is sitting in an upright
position.
A. Maintain a comfortable viewing distance from the screen—25 to 30 inches suits most people.
C. An adjustment may have to be made if you wear glasses so that you are viewing the
screen through the proper part of the lens.
D. Source documents should be at the same height and close to the monitor so that you can
avoid constant twisting and turning.
E. Position your monitor to minimize glare.
F. Adjust screen brightness to low and set the contrast to

high.
6. BACK AND NECK PAIN

Sitting for extended periods of time can cause increased pressure on the inter-vertebral discs.
Sitting is also hard on the feet and legs since gravity tends to pool blood in the legs and feet and
create a sluggish return to the heart.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
o The monitor should be able to tilt and swivel
o The keyboard should be detachable such that you can sometimes place it on your lap.
o Don't sit in one static position for extended periods of time i.e. "Dynamic sitting".

o Adjust the height of backrest to support the natural inward curvature of the lower back.
o Adjust height of chair such that the feet rest flat on the floor.
o Sit upright in the chair with the lower back against the backrest. It is recommended that
ergonomic chairs be provided for the employees:
A chair that is well-designed and appropriately adjusted is an essential element of a safe and
productive computer workstation. A good chair provides necessary support to the back, legs,
buttocks, and arms, while reducing exposures to awkward postures, contact stress, and forceful
exertions. This is particularly important if the chair has multiple users.
The following parts of the chair are important elements to consider in creating a safe and
productive workstation: Backrest, Seat, Armrest and the base.


1. Use a good chair with a dynamic chair back and sit back in this
2. Top of monitor casing 2-3" (5-8 cm) above eye level
3. No glare on screen, use an optical glass anti-glare filter where needed
4. Sit at arm’s length from monitor
5. Feet on floor or stable footrest
6. Use a document holder, preferably in-line with the computer screen
7. Wrists flat and straight in relation to forearms to use keyboard/mouse/input device
8. Arms and elbows relaxed close to body
9. Center monitor and keyboard in front of you
10. Use a negative tilt keyboard tray with an upper mouse platform or downward
tilt able platform adjacent to keyboard
11. Use a stable work surface and stable (no bounce) keyboard tray
EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

Video display terminals generate electromagnetic fields (EMF) emissions, which can pass
through the human body and cause health problems such as cancer.
MEASURES
Use low-emission monitors especially the modern screens.
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome (EHS)
That’s when electromagnetic radiation — emitted from wireless technology including Wi-Fi,
cellphones, and cell towers causes of nosebleeds, nausea, headaches, dizziness, memory loss,
tremors, exhaustion, and heart and thyroid problems.
SYMPTOMS OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

In Other Places of Work:

1. Take frequent short breaks (microbreaks)
2. Keep elbows close to the body.- Reduce the need for outstretched arms. Use a
higher work surface.
3. Avoid bending over your work.
4. Avoid overhead work. Use a ladder.
5. Use tools that distribute pressure evenly across the palm.
6. Bend the tool, not the wrist.
7. Use tools or extensions that allow you to stand upright
8. Use properly designed ergonomic tools
9. Vary your motions
10. Rotate to other tasks
11. Use low vibration tools if available
12. Maintain tools
13. Use anti-vibration gloves or tool wraps
14. Take frequent pauses
15. Stretch your hands and arm
COMPUTER CARE & MAINTENANCE

Like any other equipment, computers require care and maintenance to run smoothly.
A number of factors can cause damage to your computer’s hardware (the physical parts inside
the computer) or media (storage devices like CD-ROMs and hard drives).
The Right Computer Environment

-controlled rooms to avoid extreme temperatures.
conditioning or heating vents.

-free room.
not be stepped on or
rolled over by chairs.
Power Spikes/Surges
Connect the computer to a surge
suppressor to help avoid damage from power spikes. A surge protector can also be used to
protect computers from power fluctuations.
Use a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) device that will keep computers running in the
event of a power outage.
Computer Cleanliness
t will not track smoothly. When a keyboard is contaminated with
food particles (usually caused when people eat at their desks) the keys become “sticky,” meaning
they do not spring back up immediately after you press them. Dust particles (including paper
dust) cause printers to jam and smear your printouts. Keeping these and other devices well
maintained will make them work better and last longer.
Maintenance routines.
o Regularly clean the keyboard and mouse.
o Clean the printer of any dirt or dust to prevent jamming.
o Carefully remove any paper jams. Damaging the printer will make it jam more often and
decrease print quality.
There are some maintenance activities that should only be performed by an experienced
professional. These include:
o Replacing or upgrading internal components of the computer.
o Repairing physical damage to peripheral equipment.

o Re-routing or adding electrical connections.

Monitor Burn-In
If an image is allowed to remain on a monitor for very long periods of time it can become
“burned” onto the screen. To prevent this from happening, ensure that you use screensaver
software.
A screensaver is a computer program that blanks the screen or fills it with moving images or
patterns when the computer is not in use.
Protection against Viruses

Virus Detection software such as Eset Nod 32 and Kaspersky antivirus software detect and
remove potentially damaging viruses from the computer. Update the anti-virus regularly.
t questionable websites e.g. sites offering free software and music, pornography
indows that automatically runs a drive when it is mounted.
Disk Maintenance Routines
The easiest way to do this is to delete unused or temporary files regularly.

your computer safe and running
without errors. Some are supplied with the Windows operating system, others are available for
free, and some are available for purchase.
Defragmentation software like Diskeeper or the one supplied with the Windows operating
system gather files into one area on the hard disk to make searching faster.
Disk Compression programs like Virtual Drive and FarStone are designed to minimized the
amount of space used by files on the computer. A type of data compression that works by storing
compressed versions of files on the hard disk. A disk compression utility sits between the
operating system and the disk drive. Whenever the operating system attempts to save a file to
disk, the utility intercepts it and compresses it. Likewise, when the operating system attempts to

open a file, the disk compression utility intercepts the file, decompresses it, and then passes it to
the operating system.
Disk Scanning programs like ScanDisk (supplied with the Windows operating system) check
for and attempt to repair errors on the hard disk.
Firewall software like ZoneAlarm and BlackICE keep unauthorized users from accessing the
computer through the Internet.
Disk Cleanup to delete temp, old or unused files
COMPUTER SECURITY
What is Computer security?
Refers to safeguarding the computer & the related equipment from the risk of damage or fraud. It also
refers to protection of data & information against accidental or deliberate threats which might cause
unauthorised modification, disclosure, or destruction.
A computer system can only be claimed to be secure if precautions are taken to safeguard it against
damage or threats such as accidents, errors & omissions. The security measures to be undertaken by the
organization should be able to protect:
i) Computer hardware
ii) Computer software.
iii) Data and information
THREATS TO COMPUTERS & INFORMATION SYSTEMS.
1). Fire.
Fire destroys data, information, software & hardware.
Security measures against fire:
 Use fire-proof cabinets & lockable metal boxes for floppy disks.
 Use of backups.
 Install fire fighting equipments, e.g., fire extinguishers.
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2). Water, floods & moisture.
This causes rusting of the metallic components of the computer.
Security measures against water, floods & moisture:
 Set up computer rooms on higher grounds to avoid floods & humidity.
 Avoid installing computer components in the basement.
 There should be adequate drainage system.
 Use water-proof ceilings & floors.
3). Lightening, electricity & electrical storms.
This causes power failure that can cause damage to data, which has not been transferred to permanent
storage devices.
Security measures:
 Install facilities to control power fluctuations, e.g., use of Uninterrupted power source (UPS)
 Use power stabilizers.
 Have standby power generators/sources.
 Have lightening arresters in the building.
4). Excessive Heat or Temperature.
Excessive heat or temperature from the computer itself or from the surrounding environment can destroy
computer storage media or devices.
Security measures:
 There should be efficient ventilation system.
 Use a cooling system in the computer rooms, e.g., cooling fans & air conditioners.
5). Smoke and Dust.
Dust and Smoke particles settle on storage devices and may scratch them during Read/write operation.
Security measures:

 Have dust mats or carpets to prevent entry of dust.
 Fit the computer room with special Curtains to reduce entry of dust particles.
 Cover the devices with Dust covers when cleaning the room.
6). Unauthorised access
Data & information is always under constant threat from people who may want to access it without
permission. Such persons will usually have a bad intention, either to commit fraud, steal the information
& destroy or corrupt the data. Unauthorized access may take the following forms:
a). Eavesdropping:
This is tapping into communication channels to get information, e.g., Hackers mainly use eavesdropping
to obtain credit card numbers.
b). Surveillance (monitoring):
This is where a person may monitor all computer activities done by another person or people. The
information gathered may be used for different purposes, e.g., for spreading propaganda or sabotage.
c). Industrial espionage:
Industrial espionage involves spying on a competitor so as to get or steal information that can be used to
finish the competitor or for commercial gain.The main aim of espionage is to get ideas on how to counter
by developing similar approach or sabotage.
Control measures against unauthorized access.
i). Enforce data & information access control policies on all employees to control access to data
ii). Keep the computer room closed when nobody is using it.
iii). Reinforce weak access points, e.g., doors & windows with metallic grills & burglar alarms.
iv). Use file passwords to prevent any person from getting access to the electronic files.
v). Enforce network security measures, e.g., use of firewalls.

vi). Encrypt the data & information during transmission.
vii). Perform frequent Audit trails to identify threats to data & information.
7) Computer viruses
A computer virus is a destructive program that attaches itself to other files when the files are opened
for use, and installs itself on the computer, without the knowledge of the user.
A computer virus is a program designed specifically to damage other programs or interfere with the
proper functioning of the computer system.
It is usually designed to carry out 2 tasks:
(a) To copy itself from one computer system to another.
(b) To locate itself within a computer system enabling it to amend/destroy program & data files, by
interfering with the normal processes of the operating system.
Types of computer viruses.
1. Boot sector viruses – they destroy the booting information on storage devices.
2. File viruses – they attach themselves to files either erasing or modifying them.
3. Hoax viruses – they come as e-mails with an attractive subject & activate themselves when the e-
mail is opened.
4. Trojans – they appear to perform necessary functions, but perform other undesirable activities in
the background without the knowledge of the user.
5. Worms – viruses that stick in the computer memory.
6. Backdoors – may be a Trojan or Worm that allows hidden access to a computer system.
Sources of viruses.
 Contact with contaminated systems:
 Use of pirated software:
 Fake games:

 Freeware and Shareware:
 Updates of software distributed via networks:
Symptoms of viruses in a computer system.
The following symptoms indicate the presence of a virus in your computer:
 Boot failure.
 Files & programs disappearing mysteriously.
 Unfamiliar graphics or messages appearing on the screen, e.g., the virus might flash a harmless
message such as “Merry Christmas” on the computer terminal.
 Gradual filling of the free space on the hard disk.
 Corruption of files and programs.
 Programs taking longer than usual to load.
 Unusual error messages occurring more frequently.
Control measures against viruses.
i). Install up-to-date (or the latest) antivirus software on the computers.
ii). Restrict the movement of foreign storage media, e.g., diskettes in the computer room. If they
have to be used, they must be scanned for viruses.
iii). Avoid opening mail attachments before scanning them for viruses.
iv). Backup all software & data files at regular intervals.
v). Avoid pirated software. If possible, use the software from the major software houses.
9) Theft
The threat of theft of data & information, hardware & software is real. Some information is so valuable
such that business competitors or some governments can decide to pay somebody a fortune so as to steal
the information for them to use.
Control measures

i). Create backups & store them in locations away from the main computing centre.
ii). Reinforce weak access points, e.g., the windows, doors, & roofing with metallic grills and strong
padlocks.
iii). Put burglar proofs in the computer room.
iv). Employ guards to keep watch over data & information centres and backups.
COMPUTER CRIMES
A computer crime is a deliberate theft or criminal destruction of computerized data.
The use of computer hardware, software, or data for illegal activities, e.g., stealing, forgery, defrauding,
etc.
Committing of illegal acts using a computer or against a computer system.
Types of computer crimes.
The following are the major types of computer crimes:
1. Trespass.
2. Hacking.
3. Tapping.
4. Cracking.
5. Piracy.
6. Fraud (Theft of money)
7. Sabotage.
8. Alteration of data.
9. Theft of computer time / Theft of service.
10. Theft of data, information or programs.
11. Damage of software.

Trespass.
Refers to the illegal physical entry to restricted places where computer hardware, software & backed up
data is kept. It can also refer to the act of accessing information illegally on a local or remote computer
over a network.
Hacking.
Is an attempt to invade the privacy of a system, either by tapping messages being transmitted along a
public telephone line, or through breaking security codes & passwords to gain unauthorized entry to the
system data and information files in a computer.
Tapping.
Refers to listening to a transmission line to gain a copy of the message being transmitted. Tapping may
take place through the following ways:
a) A person may send an intelligent program to a host computer that sends him/her information from
the computer.
b) Spying on a networked computer using special programs that are able to intercept messages being
sent & received by the unsuspecting computer.
Cracking.
Is the use of guesswork by a person trying to look for a weakness in the security codes of a software in
order to get access to data & information. These weak access points can only be sealed using sealed using
special corrective programs called Patches, which are prepared by the manufacturing company.
A program patch is a software update that when incorporated in the current software makes it better.
Cracking is usually done by people who have some idea of passwords or user names of the authorized
staff.
Piracy.
Software, information & data are protected by copyright laws. Piracy means making illegal copies of
copyrighted software, data, or information either for personal use or for re-sale.
Ways of reducing piracy:
i) Enact & enforce copyright laws that protect the owners of data & information against piracy.

ii) Make software cheap enough to increase affordability.
iii) Use licenses and certificates of authenticity to identify originals.
iv) Set installation passwords that prevent illegal installation of software.
Fraud.
Is the use of computers to conceal information or cheat other people with the intention of gaining money
or information. Fraud may take the following forms:
a). Input manipulation:
Data input clerks can manipulate input transactions, e.g., they can create dummy (ghost) employees on
the Salary file or a ghost supplier on the Purchases file.
b). Production & use of fake documents:
E.g., a person created an intelligent program in the Tax department that could credit his account with
cents from all the tax payers. He ended up becoming very rich before he was discovered.
Sabotage.
Is the illegal or malicious destruction of the system, data or information by employees or other people
with grudges with the aim of crippling service delivery or causing great loss to an organization. Sabotage
is usually carried out by discontented employees or those sent by competitors to cause harm to the
organization.
Alteration.
Is the illegal changing of stored data & information without permission with the aim of gaining or
misinforming the authorized users. Alteration is usually done by those people who wish to hide the truth.
It makes the data irrelevant and unreliable.

DETECTION & PROTECTION AGAINST COMPUTER CRIMES
The following measures can be taken to detect & prevent computer crimes, and also seal security
loopholes.
Audit trails
This is a careful study of an information system by experts in order to establish (or, find out) all the
weaknesses in the system that could lead to security threats or act as weak access points for criminals.
An audit of the information system may seek to answer the following questions: -
1. Is the information system meeting all the design objectives as originally intended?
2. Have all the security measures been put in place to reduce the risk of computer crimes?
3. Are the computers secured in physically restricted areas?
4. Is there backup for data & information of the system that can ensure continuity of services even when
something serious happens to the current system?
5. What real risks face the system at present or in future?
Data encryption
Data being transmitted over a network faces the dangers of being tapped, listened to, or copied to
unauthorized destinations. To protect such data, it is mixed up into a form that only the sender & the
receiver can be able to understand by reconstructing the original message from the mix. This is called
Data encryption.
The flow diagram below shows how a message can be encrypted and decrypted to enhance security.
Log files

These are special system files that keep a record (log) of events on the use of the computers and resources
of the information system. Each user is usually assigned a username & password or account. The
information system administrator can therefore easily track who accessed the system, when and what they
did on the system. This information can help monitor & track people who are likely to violate system
security policies.
Firewalls
A Firewall is a device or software system that filters the data & information exchanged between different
networks by enforcing the access control policy of the host network.
A firewall monitors & controls access to or from protected networks. People (remote users) who do not
have permission cannot access the network, and those within cannot access sites outside the network
restricted by firewalls.


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COMPUTER SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS

COMPUTER SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS

• Nomos = Greek for “laws of”

• The Study of Work

• Applies both on and off the job

• Decreased lost work days

1|Page j.Kirimi. Karumo tti ©2022

REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURIES WHICH INCLUDE:

1. CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

o The keyboard should be close to the user to avoid extended reaching.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AGAINST EYE STRAIN

E. Position your monitor to minimize glare.

F. Adjust screen brightness to low and set the contrast to

6. BACK AND NECK PAIN

3|Page j.Kirimi. Karumo tti ©2022

4|Page j.Kirimi. Karumo tti ©2022

5|Page j.Kirimi. Karumo tti ©2022

2. Top of monitor casing 2-3" (5-8 cm) above eye level

3. No glare on screen, use an optical glass anti-glare filter where needed

4. Sit at arm’s length from monitor

5. Feet on floor or stable footrest

6. Use a document holder, preferably in-line with the computer screen

7. Wrists flat and straight in relation to forearms to use keyboard/mouse/input device

8. Arms and elbows relaxed close to body

9. Center monitor and keyboard in front of you

EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

SYMPTOMS OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

6|Page j.Kirimi. Karumo tti ©2022

In Other Places of Work:

3. Avoid bending over your work.

4. Avoid overhead work. Use a ladder.

5. Use tools that distribute pressure evenly across the palm.

6. Bend the tool, not the wrist.

7. Use tools or extensions that allow you to stand upright

8. Use properly designed ergonomic tools

9. Vary your motions

10. Rotate to other tasks

11. Use low vibration tools if available

12. Maintain tools

13. Use anti-vibration gloves or tool wraps

14. Take frequent pauses

15. Stretch your hands and arm

COMPUTER CARE & MAINTENANCE

The Right Computer Environment

7|Page j.Kirimi. Karumo tti ©2022

o Repairing physical damage to peripheral equipment.

8|Page j.Kirimi. Karumo tti ©2022

Protection against Viruses

indows that automatically runs a drive when it is mounted.

Disk Maintenance Routines

The easiest way to do this is to delete unused or temporary files regularly.

9|Page j.Kirimi. Karumo tti ©2022

ii) Computer software.

iii) Data and information

THREATS TO COMPUTERS & INFORMATION SYSTEMS.

Fire destroys data, information, software & hardware.

Security measures against fire:

 Install fire fighting equipments, e.g., fire extinguishers.

10 | P a g e j.Kirimi. Karumo tti ©2022

2). Water, floods & moisture.

This causes rusting of the metallic components of the computer.

Security measures against water, floods & moisture:

 Set up computer rooms on higher grounds to avoid floods & humidity.

 Avoid installing computer components in the basement.