Ergonomic Parameters of a Room - Essay Example

The detailed specifications, based on O’Neill’s (2011) discourse are as follows: (1) the chair shall support the user’s back and thighs and must have a backrest that reclines; (2) the chair seat height shall be adjustable according to the user’s need to as much as “a range of 4.5 inches between 15 and 22 inches” (O'Neill, 2011, p. 3); (3) the seat width shall meet the specified width of at least 17.7 inches; and (4) there shall be a support for the lumbar, as needed.

The visual or eye standards should incorporate distance between the user and the monitor display. According to the Department of Energy (DOE) (2008), in the article entitled “Creating a Healthy Workstation Environment: Workstation Ergonomics Made Easy”, the optimum distance between the user’s eyes and the visual display by operators in seating position is 600 mm (Department of Energy (DOE), 2008, p. 7). Likewise, it was noted that special computer glasses that would assist in preventing eye fatigue and vision problems for long hours of monitoring visual displays shall be considered.

It has been emphasized that the effectiveness of performance in undertaking monitoring of visual displays is affected by lighting. In this situation, it was stipulated that the operator does the monitoring in a dark room. According to ergonomic standards, light requirements vary depending on the performance of tasks. Since the operator focuses on monitoring visual displays from the computer, which already self-illuminating, less light is needed; but, it would help to provide focused task lighting (“a separate lamp”) (Department of Energy (DOE), 2008, p. 21) to assist in other tasks and prevent creating a dark environment.

Display placement considers elements such as the distance between the monitor and the user’s height, positioning, and proper angle including the illumination from the monitor. The comfortable placement was noted as 35 degrees below the horizontal line as confirmed by considering the measurement of stress on back and neck muscles and should be located at least 20 inches from your eyes, or whichever considers the best comfort to the user (Department of Energy (DOE), 2008, p. 19). Likewise, the images to be monitored from the visual display are to be considered including the visual contrast level and resolution (“a display resolution of approximately 1000 x 800 pixels was needed for good visual performance” (Department of Energy (DOE), 2008, p. 19). Large fonts and positive polarity (dark letters on a light background) are most applicable (Department of Energy (DOE), 2008, p. 20).