In ergonomic design for office workers, which practice best reduces musculoskeletal risk?

In ergonomic design for office workers, which practice best reduces musculoskeletal risk?

• A. Ignoring chair height.
• B. Using only one monitor.
• C. Having only one break per day.
• D. Incorporating adjustable seating, monitor positioning, keyboard placement, and break scheduling to vary tasks.

Answer: (D)

In office ergonomics, reducing musculoskeletal risk comes from designing the workstation to support neutral postures and allow regular movement. The best practice is to combine adjustable seating, monitor positioning, keyboard placement, and break scheduling to vary tasks. Adjustable seating lets the user set the chair height, seat depth, and lumbar support so feet rest flat, thighs are supported, and the back remains in a natural curve. Proper monitor positioning keeps the screen at or slightly below eye level and about an arm’s length away, reducing neck flexion and eye strain. Keyboard placement should allow wrists to stay straight and forearms to rest, avoiding awkward angles that stress the wrists and shoulders. Break scheduling, including microbreaks and task variation, helps prevent prolonged static postures and repetitive strain by giving muscles time to recover and encouraging movement. The other options fail to address multiple ergonomic risk factors: ignoring chair height prevents proper posture; using only one monitor can limit comfortable viewing and neck posture adjustments; and only one break per day reduces opportunities to shift positions and recover, leaving muscles persistently loaded.

In office ergonomics, reducing musculoskeletal risk comes from designing the workstation to support neutral postures and allow regular movement. The best practice is to combine adjustable seating, monitor positioning, keyboard placement, and break scheduling to vary tasks.

Adjustable seating lets the user set the chair height, seat depth, and lumbar support so feet rest flat, thighs are supported, and the back remains in a natural curve. Proper monitor positioning keeps the screen at or slightly below eye level and about an arm’s length away, reducing neck flexion and eye strain. Keyboard placement should allow wrists to stay straight and forearms to rest, avoiding awkward angles that stress the wrists and shoulders. Break scheduling, including microbreaks and task variation, helps prevent prolonged static postures and repetitive strain by giving muscles time to recover and encouraging movement.

The other options fail to address multiple ergonomic risk factors: ignoring chair height prevents proper posture; using only one monitor can limit comfortable viewing and neck posture adjustments; and only one break per day reduces opportunities to shift positions and recover, leaving muscles persistently loaded.