SUBMODULE NINE: COMPUTER SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS

9.1 Introduction
Social responsibility is a duty every individual has to maintain; a balance between the
economy and the ecosystem one lives within. A trade-off might perhaps exist between
economic development, in the material sense, and the welfare of the society and
environment.

9.2 Learning outcomes

Ergonomics training aims to provide greater practical guidance for all the
relevant personnel to ensure safer jobs with reduction in injuries
including workers, supervisors, engineers, managers, administrators,
helpers etc.

9.3 Meaning and importance of ergonomics

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.
9.4 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 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).
9.4.1 Repetitive strain injuries which include:

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.
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.
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.
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.

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. 20-28 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.

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.
Ergonomic Chair

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

Muscle fatigue or pain

Aching
Burning
Numbness
Stiffness
Tingling/stinging

9.6 Summary of Topic One

This technology assist in enhanced access to education, in the form of on-line
tutorials, and distance learning.

9.7 Session One Quiz

9.8 Reflection
Projects can be worked on conjointly using forums or by exchanging
documents in their virtual learning environments.

9.9 Resources e.g Videos, Articles

9.10 References and further Readings

SUBMODULE TEN: COMPUTER CARE

10.1 Introduction
Place computers in temperature-controlled rooms to avoid extreme temperatures.
Keep computers away from air conditioning or heating vents.
Keep computers in a dust-free room.
 Keep computer storage media a safe distance from electrical or magnetic fields.

10.2 Learning outcomes

Ergonomics training aims to provide greater practical guidance for all
the relevant personnel to ensure safer jobs with reduction in injuries
including workers, supervisors, engineers, managers, administrators,
helpers etc.

10.3 Importance of Computer care

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).

10.4 The Right Computer Environment

Place computers in temperature-controlled rooms to avoid extreme temperatures.
Keep computers away from air conditioning or heating vents.
Keep computers in a dust-free room.
Keep computer storage media a safe distance from electrical or magnetic fields.
Make sure cables are not kinked or twisted. Route cables so they will not be
stepped on or rolled over by chairs.

Power Spikes/Surges

Do not connect the computer directly to power source. 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.
Connect all power cables in a way such that they cannot be accidentally
disconnected.

Computer Cleanliness

If a mouse becomes dirty, it 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.

10.5 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.
Don’t visit questionable websites e.g. sites offering free software and music,
pornography
Don’t open doubtful email attachments
Scan USB drives before opening them.
Use a firewall program to help block unwanted internet traffic.
Disable autorun feature in Windows that automatically runs a drive when it is
mounted.
Scan email attachments before downloading them

Disk Maintenance Routines

Keeping a clean and organized hard disk will result in better system performance. The
easiest way to do this is to delete unused or temporary files regularly.

A variety of utility programs are available to help keep 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.
Run Disk Cleanup to delete temp, old or unused files

10.6 Summary of Topic One

This technology assist in enhanced access to education, in the form of on-line
tutorials, and distance learning.

10.7 Session One Quiz

10.8 Reflection
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) can impact student
learning when teachers are digitally literate and understand how to
integrate it into curriculum.

10.9 Resources e.g Videos, Articles

10.10 References and further Readings.