Cornell University Ergonomics Web

DEA 651 Fall '00 Project: Cornell University Health Fair

Our Mission: Every year, Cornell University holds a health fair to educate staff and professors about ways to improve their health and well-being as well as expose them to different services in the area. This year, the organizers of the fair approached the graduate section of the Ergonomics and Anthropometrics class and asked if we wanted to have a booth. "Of course," we said. "The principles of Ergonomics should be spread to the people so that they can change the ways that they are working and enjoy a more healthy work environment." Because so many Cornell staff and professors work on computers for long hours each day, we focused on ways to improve computer workstation layouts so that they meet ergonomic guidelines and support healthy computing posture.

The Team:

Our Process: We researched what health problems are related to computing and ways that the physical environment causes those health problems. We then developed ergonomic guidelines that prescribe optimal ways to configure workstations and how to use the workstations to prevent injury.

1) An ergonomics information sheet. The word "ergonomics" sounds complicated but in actuality, ergonomic principles are not difficult to understand. This sheet explains what ergonomics is and lists web sites that supply information on research, products and principles.

2) Correct and incorrect workstation layout posters. These posters illustrate proper and improper arrangement of a computer workstation.

3) Bookmark. This bookmark lists simple ways to make your workstation more ergonomic. The bookmark is easy to pin up at your office and it makes a wonderful Christmas present for those friends who might be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome or neck strain.