Posts Tagged ‘Ergonomic Mice’
Posturite, Britain’s leading provider of ergonomic solutions for the workplace has produced the world’s first truly ambidextrous vertical mouse.
Called the Penguin, the new mouse is the result of more than 18 months development work by Posturite’s ergonomic design team in conjunction with the University of Brighton’s Product Development Centre in Hastings.
It offers computer users new standards of protection against work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs) by allowing both hands to share the daily workload.
Problems such as back pain are a major cause of sickness absence in office-based work. Richard Graveling highlights what to consider when setting up an ergonomically-sound workplaceMany people will have heard of ‘ergonomics’ (or human factors) and many will have their own idea of what it is all about. Some will have encountered ‘ergonomic chairs’, ‘ergonomic keyboards’, or other furniture and equipment with the label ‘ergonomics’. Sometimes the label is justified but, on other occasions, it seems little more than a useful marketing tool.
Ergonomics (or human factors) is concerned with the understanding of the interactions among human and other elements of a system, in order to optimise wellbeing (including the risk of injury) and overall system performance. In the office ‘system’ this can cover physical, environmental and psychological aspects of office work and its organisation, not just the desks and computers. This article will outline the physical elements of the office but it is important to recognise that this is only part of the story.
Why bother with ergonomics?
A survey of over 1,300 office computer users, from a total of 130 organisations from throughout the UK, carried out by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), found that nearly three quarters of respondents reported one or more musculoskeletal symptom. According to HSE figures, in 2007/08 an estimated 539,000 people in Great Britain, who worked in the last year, suffered from a musculoskeletal disorder they believed to have been caused or made worse by their work. Between them they accounted for an estimated 8.8 million working days lost, averaging an estimated 16.4 days off per person affected.
It is clear that, in office-based work as with many other sectors, problems such as back and neck pain and upper limb disorders are a major cause of sickness absence from work, with many other people functioning at a reduced capability whilst remaining at work.
WorkRite has won a three-year contract to administer the DSE training and assessment requirements of more than 2,000 UK staff working for QBE, one of the world’s leading international insurers and reinsurers.
The fully-managed service covers QBE’s offices in Manchester, London, Birmingham, Bristol, Chelmsford, Glasgow, Leeds, Norwich and Stafford.
WorkRite is controlling the whole assessment programme and carrying out evaluations of any issues raised as people work their way through WorkRite’s market-leading AssessRite e-learning and assessment program.
WorkRite’s updated and refashioned online learning portal, WorkRite 2.0, is now available to existing customers as an upgrade and to all new subscribers.
The portal supports WorkRite’s comprehensive suite of computer-based training and assessment courses which enable organisations to comply with their legal obligations while also saving time and money and improving productivity.
Major design and functional changes and additions have been made to the new site, based largely on feedback received from clients.
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is a commonly used term that can refer to a number of clinical conditions.
One of the most widely known is carpal tunnel syndrome, which tends to affect people who work with their hands a lot, such as carpenters, musicians, office workers, etc. There are any number of theories regarding the causes of RSI, including stress factors and psychosomatic illness. What is clear is that the disorder results from repetitive movement within a limited range which results in muscular tension and nerve impingement. Overwork can also be a factor, as well as poor ergonomics in the workplace.
The Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 is designed to comfortably fit within the hand providing both hand and wrist support to reduce pressure on the carpal tunnel. With the hand slightly tilted, the users’ resting weight is supported by the side of the hand rather than the wrist. The mouse is made from soft-touch materials and has Tilt Wheel Technology, allowing the user to move around the page, scrolling four ways for greater efficiency and comfort.
What the reviews say:
IJ Ivory on Amazon.com says: “This is so comfortable! I’ve tried tablets, trackballs and mice galore but I always ended up with a tired arm after a days’ work. Not with this beauty! The size and tilted angle means my hand is more upright and so does not put tension on my forearm over all the time as with normal mice. It’s also accurate and the Intellipoint s/w has a really nice magnify function. Can’t comment on its gaming qualities but for the office, its perfect.”
What the manufacturer says:
“This mouse is designed to conform to your hand in its most relaxed position. Breakthrough ergonomic design, the tilted, elevated hand position is designed to reduce pressure on the carpal tunnel and wrist.”
The Wow-Pen Joy Vertical Ergonomic Optical Mouse was designed to be less stressful on the wrists to assist with the prevention of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – an injury that can be caused by using less ergonomically sound computer mice. The product’s ergonomic efficiency was tested and it went on to achieve a “Red Dot Design” award in 2008. The product is designed to offer the comfort of holding a pen hence the name ‘Wow Pen’
