Ergonomic Products Make Life Easier

Poorly designed office environments are hazardous to your health. Most people have heard of carpal tunnel syndrome, a nerve problem that affects people who do repetitive work, such as keyboarding, with their hands and wrists. Back problems from poor seating and eyestrain from computer monitors also are common. Jay Brand, a researcher at Haworth Furniture, says that sitting for too long creates pressure on the backs of the legs, compressing capillaries, damaging tissue and causing the body to release chemicals that increase fatigue.

These facts, plus growing awareness that people with disabilities are not the only ones who need accommodations from time to time, have led manufacturers to come up with all sorts of innovative ways to improve the physical work environment.

• Propagated Development Group has developed the FootRat, which in combination with a specialized mouse pad (the RatMat) allows the user to control a computer pointer with foot controls. The product can help people with disabilities as well as those with arthritis or problems stemming from overuse of traditional mouse pointers.

• Haworth has introduced an overhead storage unit that can be opened and closed with the touch of one finger. It was designed to meet the needs of workers in wheelchairs and others with limited mobility.

• Also from Haworth comes the "Boogie board," which is a keyboard pad that can be adjusted from a single control. It incorporates a mouse pad that adjusts independently of the keyboard pad. Its ergonomic design helps users reduce joint strain.

• DRG International offers a computer workstation that received the contract furniture industry's 1999 Best of NeoCon Award for addressing ergonomics in the workplace. The workstation is unique in that it is designed to reduce the risk of eyestrain. Users can adjust it "without chains, gears, or cranks," which is important not only for people with limited mobility but also when several users share a single workstation.

Contacts

Haworth Furniture
www.haworth-furn.com
1-800-344-2600

Propagated Development Group
(Foot Rat) www.touchtime.com
636-271-9760

DRG International
www.drginternational.com
1-877-4-MACsys