Ergonomics

Start small and build

Pick one work area, make a few changes, and learn as you go. For example:

• Start at a packing table, cash area, dish pit, or one office pod
• Set simple goals like fewer reaches, shorter carry distance, or less reported discomfort by week’s end

Form a small team

Include a supervisor and a few workers who do similar tasks. Examples:

• Add a health and safety rep, a new hire with fresh eyes, and someone who has reported discomfort
• Assign roles such as observer, note-taker, and decision-maker
• Book a 30-minute walk-through

Listen and look

Ask where work feels hard on the body. Watch the job. For example:

• Use prompts like “When do your back or shoulders feel it most” and “What tool slows you down”
• Look for bending at the waist, reaching overhead, twisting, pinching small parts, carrying heavy loads, or staying still for long periods
• Take photos or short videos with consent to review posture and reach

Fix quick wins

Make small changes first, such as:

• Raise work to elbow height with blocks or an adjustable bench
• Bring heavy items to middle shelves, and move parts or printers within easy reach
• Add a cart or handles to totes, and set short movement breaks
• Adjust a chair or add a footrest, and reduce screen glare with blinds or a task light

Tackle bigger changes

Plan improvements that need more time or budget, like:

• Redesign the layout to cut walking and carrying, and add a conveyor or lift table
• Choose lighter or power-assisted tools, and add height-adjustable benches or sit-stand desks
• Set a two-person lift rule with a posted weight limit
• Build a rotation schedule for high-force or repetitive tasks

Test and adjust

Try it, learn, and improve. For example:

• Pilot two handle styles and ask which reduces strain
• Run a one-week trial of a new cart
• Collect end-of-shift feedback, and compare before-and-after photos
• Track discomfort reports

Make it routine

Bake ergonomics into everyday work, such as:

• Add an ergonomics check to monthly inspections
• Include workstation setup in onboarding
• Review high-force tasks after an incident

Material handling

• Keep work near waist height
• Use stands, benches, or adjustable platforms to raise work
• Move loads with carts, dollies, hoists, patient transfer devices, or wheelbarrows
• Store heavier items at mid-shelf height
• Use turntables or reposition work to avoid twisting
• Set a clear team-lift trigger, such as over 23 kg (about 50lbs)
• Keep paths clear so you can carry loads close to the body

Tools and equipment

• Choose lighter tools or power-assisted options
• Use handles or grips that keep the wrist straight
• Extend reach with long-handled tools for floor or overhead tasks
• Use tool balancers or counterweights at fixed stations
• Add quick-change tool couplers to reduce awkward twisting

Work planning

• Rotate high-force or repetitive tasks throughout the shift
• Build in short movement breaks
• Add a second person for peak load periods
• Spread out heavy work instead of doing it in one long block

Chair

• Feet supported flat on the floor or a footrest
• Set the backrest to fit your lumbar curve—add a small cushion or rolled towel if needed
• Set armrests so elbows are about 90° and shoulders stay relaxed

Keyboard and mouse

• At elbow height, close together, wrists straight, elbows near the body
• Use a keyboard tray or adjust desk height so forearms are level
• Keep the mouse beside the keyboard
• Use a palm rest between typing bursts
• Try a low-force or vertical mouse if your wrist bends to the side
• Increase mouse speed to reduce movement

Monitor

• About an arm’s length away
• Top of screen at or slightly below eye level
• Centre it in front of you
• Raise with a rated riser or monitor arm—sturdy books can be a short-term fix only if stable
• For two screens, centre the primary and place the second close beside it
• Tilt the screen slightly back to match your line of sight

Layout

• Keep often-used items within a half-circle in front of you
• Manage glare with blinds, screen angle, or task lighting
• Keep headset or earbuds, external number pad or trackpad, charging cables, and reference documents within easy reach
• Aim a desk lamp at the work surface, not the screen

Laptops and tablets

• For longer use, add an external keyboard and mouse
• Raise the screen to slightly below eye level
• Dock to a full-size monitor when possible
• On the go, take short movement breaks every 30 to 60 minutes and change positions often