While every environment and workplace space is unique, there are some guidelines in The European Directive on working with Computers and Safety Legislation that require an ergonomically designed office environment to meet the needs of each person.

Workstation

This workspace must be as large as possible, taking into consideration the following requirements. The workspace must have enough space to hold all paperwork and equipment necessary for the user’s job. A workspace furniture should be able to accommodate the anatomy and tasks of each user. These two things must be considered when designing a workspace. Depending on these factors, workspaces can take many forms.

Elevation of job

The standard height of office desks is approximately 720mm from floor to desktop. This allows for 90% of the population to use the space. The height range of a height adjustable desk is usually between 650mm and 1200mm. This type of desk can be used by tall people or those who use wheel chairs. For users who have to change their work position from sitting down to standing, a height adjustable desk can be a great option. To achieve a standard work position, users who are shorter than average height will be able to use a footrest underneath a normal height desk.

Operational profundity

It is important that the desk is not too deep for the user. The majority of computer monitors now come in the LCD or thin TFT style. They can be mounted on the desk or placed on it in various ways. (See the Monitor Height Section below!) These monitors are thinner than CRT monitors of the past. This allows designers to create desk depths as low as 600mm.

As a rule of thumb, the desk should have approximately 100mm of clear space between the keyboard and the user’s wrists. The keyboard measures approximately 150mm in depth and leaves 350mm behind a 600mm-deep desk. A standard 800mm office desk has a depth of 550mm.

Examine Loftiness

Every user has different needs regarding the height of their computer monitor. However, it is common to align the monitor horizontally with the users’ vision unless the task is altered or the monitor is adjusted to block glare from the light.

It is necessary to mount the monitor on an articulated arm in order to achieve the desired adjustability, as mentioned above. Mount the monitor arm to the desk edge, through a cable port using a clamp, or directly through the desktop. This is not recommended, as it can cause damage to the desk. You can mount another type of monitor arm to a desk-mounted or freestanding screen. However, the brackets will only attach to screens that have at least two toolbars.