Home office ergonomic checklist

Fix: Lower the seat until your feet rest flat and your thighs are about level. If that leaves the desk too high, raise the seat to the desk instead and put a footrest, or a sturdy box, under your feet.

Fix: Slide the seat pan back if it adjusts, or put a cushion behind your lower back to bring you forward. The HSE’s posture guide shows a gap of 2 to 3 cm.

Fix: Move the backrest up or down until it meets the curve of your lower back, or add a small cushion there.

Fix: A chair that wobbles or sinks needs repairing or replacing. If you work from home for an employer, ask them: the HSE says workers can’t be charged for equipment an assessment shows they need.

Fix: Lower or remove the armrests, and clear anything stored under the desk, so you can sit close with your elbows by your sides.

Fix: Hunched shoulders usually mean the desk is too high for the seat: raise the seat (with a footrest) or lower the desk.

Fix: Bring the keyboard to elbow height, or just below, by moving the chair, the desk or a keyboard tray. The desk height calculator works out the numbers.

Fix: Centre the keyboard and screen in front of you so you don’t sit twisted.

Fix: Fold the keyboard’s feet away if they bend your wrists up, type with a soft touch, and leave space in front of the keyboard to rest your hands between bursts.

Fix: Clear boxes, bins and cables from under the desk.

Fix: Keep the phone, notebook and mouse within easy reach with your elbows near your body; things you use now and then can go further away.

Fix: Move the mouse next to the keyboard. A keyboard without a number pad lets it sit closer to your body.

Fix: Rest your forearm on the desk or the chair arm, and hold the mouse lightly.

Fix: Change the pointer speed in your computer’s settings, and clean the mouse or use a mat if it skips.

Fix: Raise the screen on a stand or a stack of books, or lower it. If you wear bifocals or progressive lenses, a lower screen tilted back usually suits you better.

Fix: Move the screen to about arm’s length (OSHA gives 50 to 100 cm, 20 to 40 inches) and make the text bigger rather than leaning forward.

Fix: Move the screen, or the desk, so you don’t turn your head to read it. With two screens used equally, put the join between them in front of you.

Fix: Turn the screen side-on to windows, use blinds, and move lamps. A small mirror held against the screen shows where a reflection is coming from.

Fix: Clean the screen, set brightness and contrast to suit the room, and turn up the text size or zoom.

Fix: Plug in a full-size keyboard and mouse, or use a docking station, so the screen and the keys can each go where they should.

Fix: Once you have a separate keyboard, put the laptop on a stand, a riser or a stack of books. The laptop page works out the height.

Fix: Clear the space around your chair, and tidy cables so they aren’t a trip hazard.

Fix: Use blinds and a desk lamp you can adjust, angled so it doesn’t reflect off the screen.

Fix: Let fresh air in if you can. The HSE notes that equipment can dry the air, and suggests plants, or a humidifier if discomfort is severe.

Fix: Move noisy equipment such as a printer away from you, or work somewhere quieter for focused tasks.

Fix: Short, frequent breaks are better than long, rare ones: the HSE’s example is 5 to 10 minutes every hour rather than 20 minutes every two hours.

Fix: Try the 20-20-20 timer: every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet (6 m) away for at least 20 seconds.

Fix: If you use a screen daily for an hour or more at a time, you can ask. Your employer pays for the test, and for basic glasses if you need them for screen work.

Fix: Tell your employer and see a GP, physiotherapist or occupational health service if it doesn’t go away or gets worse. Numbness or tingling is worth getting checked.