Do you feel like this by noon? See if you are living in an ergo friendly workspace

Ergonomics is a hot topic in offices these days. Most of us look around and wonder if our workspace is cutting the mustard. Is my chair secretly destroying my back? Is my monitor slowly searing my eyeballs? Is my keyboard unwittingly pushing me ever closer to carpal tunnel syndrome? When we really stop and look, every innocent paperclip suddenly becomes a potentially life-threatening hazard.

Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic. Still, the equipment you use and the organization of your workspace can deeply impact how you perform daily tasks. And that can have a significant impact on your physical health.

If you’re wondering what kind of dangers lurk in your office, take this quiz to see if your environment is an ergo-friend or ergo-enemy.

Instructions
For each category, evaluate your current office situation. Choose “true” or “false” for each point and note your answers on a piece of paper.

Chair Evaluation
1. My chair has lumbar (lower back) support. 2. My chair has adjustable height.
3. My chair has adjustable back positioning and tension.
4. My chair has adjustable armrests.
5. My chair has adjustable seat depth.
6. When seated in my chair, my feet rest comfortably on the floor with knees bent at a 90 degree angle (a foot rest is used to achieve this if needed).

Lighting Evaluation
1. My computer screen is free of any reflection.
2. My computer screen can be seen easily (no glare).
3. My desk is positioned at a right angle to the window or main source of light.
4. The level and position of overhead lighting is satisfactory.
5. My lighting can be adjusted (if light is from a window, blinds are present).

Equipment Layout
1. My work area is free from obstacles.
2. Commonly used items are kept within easy reach.
3. The layout of my workspace prevents undue twisting and lifting.
4. Cords are kept straight and away from walkways.

Desk Evaluation
1. My desk is 26 inches to 29 inches high.
2. My desk surface is a suitable size for the work being done (i.e. a minimum of 35 inches x 29.5 inches for paperwork tasks or 45 inches x 35 inches for mixed clerical and computing tasks).
3. The area underneath my desk is clean and uncluttered.
4. The work surface of my desk is a matte finish to minimize glares and reflections.

Computer Evaluation
1. The top of the computer screen is at eye level when I’m seating in my chair and looking straight ahead.
2. My keyboard is either resting on an adjustable tray or, if on the desk, is approximately 1.5 inches from the edge of the desk and in line with the monitor.
3. The monitor is at least arms distance when seated and directly in front of the keyboard.
4. The characters on the computer are set to display at an appropriate size.
5. A document holder is used if documents are referred to when typing.

If your computer doesn’t meet any of these requirements, make the necessary adjustments. You can fix all of these issues by adjusting your body position or simply investing in some low-cost accessories.

Take a look at your overall results. Count the number of times you selected “true”.

If you chose “true” 19 to 24 times
Congratulations. You can rest easy tonight – your workspace isn’t trying to hurt you! Of course, it’s still up to you to be cautious and continue to make adjustments as needed. As your body changes and ages, you’ll want to constantly re-evaluate how things are working. But you have the right equipment so you’re two steps ahead of the game!

If you chose “true” 14 to 18 times
Your workspace is definitely lacking in the ergonomic department. You may be noticing a few aches and pains. Adjust what you can and make a resolution to upgrade the old, tired equipment that is – yes -secretly plotting your demise.

If you chose “true” less than 14 times
Let me be clear: It’s them or you. Either the office equipment goes or your health will certainly suffer. Save yourself! Toss the junky gear before it all gathers together and forms a mega-army that’s impossible to stop…!

What? Did I get carried away again?

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Republished by our friends at Office Arrow

We’ve always felt like Steelcase Leap Chair is #1 but it’s always nice to hear it’s made it to the top of others lists too!

Apartment Therapy states Kevin Costello, president of U.S. Ergonomics, ranked the Steelcase Leap chair among the top chairs for comfort and health.

For more Leap reviews, see the In the News section on the Leap product page.

Quick pop quiz- What’s going to be the hot fashion and décor trend next summer? Most likely, it’s going to be trash. Ok, I don’t mean awful (although some of us might thing so), but actually and literally, trash. My grandma calls it rubbish, and it’s going to be here in a big way.

Take YakPak for example. If you’re an urban dweller, odds are you really need a good backpack. Not only that, but for the sake of your image, it needs to be cool too. Problem is, most good bags cost around $100, and the ones that only look cool aren’t very good. So, where do you go? YakPak. Last month, they started selling backpacks made of recycled vinyl from used billboards. They’re only $35, guaranteed to last forever, and all one of a kind.

Still don’t believe me? Try Justin Gignac’s art studio, NYCG, short for New York City Garbage. That’s right- Lucite cubes of trash, plucked directly from the bin during America’s biggest events including New Years Eve in Times Square, the Republican National Convention, and the last game ever at old Yankee Stadium. They’re signed, numbered, and dated, and typeset in Helvetica. The cubes retail between $50 and $100- possibly the classiest junk you’ll ever buy.

Next month, it’s going to be hot to wear an old billboard, or have someone’s used coffee cup on your mantle. You know, now that you mention it, make old things new too with our Cradle-to-Cradle products. Products that, when they’re finished being used, can be returned to the Earth without harm, or be repurposed into another chair. Either way, it’s pretty good to see reuse getting some love.

Looking for a new office chair and comparing features? Gizmoto has already done the work with Cobi.

Gizmoto recently conducted a comparison of Cobi and provided some great info and detailed pics.

Check out their comparison at Task Chair Battlemodo: Herman Miller Setu vs. Steelcase Cobi.

For more cobi reviews, check out the Product Reviews section of the cobi product page.

Is it just me, or is there an over abundance of green-certifications out there? It’s really confusing. There are almost two-hundred estimated standards that are in use, but one that really seems to stand out is Cradle-to-Cradle.

Started in the 1990s by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, C2C has gained some steam since about 2002, when their book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things was released. It’s not necessarily the coolest name around, but the criterion to get the certification is stringent. What needs to be accomplished to be C2C certified, you may ask. We just happen to know…

1. Materials – Whatever goes into making the product, if synthetic, needs to be nontoxic,
   non-harmful, and must be able to be reused over and over again into the
   “same level” product, without becoming lesser (ie. tires to artificial turf). If
   organic, the materials should be able to be disposed of in any natural environment
   and decompose into the soil.


2. Disposal – When a product is finished being used, a plan to either dispose of it in
   a safe way or reuse the materials must be outlined.


3. Production – Making the product must be green, too. For the highest level of
   certification, at least 50% of all energy in production needs to come from the sun.


4. Water – If water’s used in making the product, the discharge from the plant is
   measured for safety.


5. Social Responsibility- The factory in which the product is made must treat its
   workers with fair wages, hours, and in a humane manner.

If you’re more interested, check out McDonough and Braungart’s book, or their website. We’ve got some C2C-certified chairs, too – try Leap, Think, Amia & Move. And that’s not all, Cobi and i2i are currently going through the C2C certification review process so check back soon.