Health and safety in the office

The Health and Safety Executive has published a new edition of its booklet Working with VDUs. It has been updated to include the latest guidance on the use of a mouse.

Over 5 million workers in the UK are regular users of VDUs and, in the absence of sensible working practices, they can develop a range of different musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and other health problems. During 2000/2001, around 1.1 million people in Great Britain suffered from MSDs caused or made worse by work, and an estimated 12.3 million working days were lost due to work-related MSDs. On average each sufferer took 19.4 days off.

When using a mouse, the main points highlighted in the booklet are to adopt a good posture, placing the mouse close so it can be used with a relaxed arm and straight wrist; to support the arm, for example on the desk surface; and to take frequent breaks and try to limit the time spent using the mouse. If users still find gripping the mouse awkward, the advice is to try a different sized or shaped mouse, or another device such as a trackball. The revised booklet also recommends using a docking station when working with a portable computer in an office environment.
(Source: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg36.pdf and
www.hse.gov.uk/hthdir/noframes/dse.htm#published
...back to 3 July 2003