Health and Personal Hygiene when Working with Computers

General working environment

Don't forget that rules for all electrical appliances apply in a computer room. This means:

• there should be no trailing wires

• food and drink should not be placed near a machine

• electrical sockets must not be overloaded

• there must be adequate space around the machine

• heating and ventilation must be suitable

• lighting must be suitable with no glare or reflections

• benches and desks must be strong enough to support the computers

Possible dangers and solutions

Within information technology it is important that people have an awareness of the various health and safety issues. Steps should also be taken towards preventing common problems rather than trying to cure them at a later date.

Back problems

Many computer users suffer serious back problems. This is probably due to a poor posture or an awkward position while sitting at a computer.

Solutions

• A fully adjustable chair should avoid poor posture.

• Footrests can reduce these problems.

• Screens should tilt and turn to a position that avoids awkward movements.

Eyestrain

Eyes can become strained after staring at a computer screen for a long time, particularly if working in bad light, in glare or with a flickering screen.

Solutions

• Screen filters can remove a high percentage of the harmful rays emitted from a computer screen.

• Use screens that do not flicker.

• Take regular breaks - do not work for more than one hour without a break.

• Lighting must be suitable and blinds fitted to windows to reduce glare.

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is damage to the fingers, wrists and other parts of the body due to repeated movements over a long period of time.

Solution

• To prevent RSI, make sure your posture is correct, use wrist rests and have a five-minute break from typing every hour.

Ozone irritation

Health experts have suggested that ozone emitted from laser printers can lead to breathing problems.

Solution

• It is recommended that laser printers should be situated at least one metre away from where people are sitting and there should be good ventilation in the area.

Screen Time & Your Wellbeing

There are three main ways of managing your online wellbeing. The first is recognising it’s important to make time for rest and reflection so that you have a healthy balance of activities in your life on and offline.

Solutions

• Turn off your notifications. You can’t relax when your phone is always pinging or buzzing, or even when you’re expecting it to.

• Play a game of “phone stack” with your friends: when you’re hanging out together, everyone puts their phones (or any other digital device) in a pile. Whoever can last longest without picking theirs up wins!

• Log out of all your social networks, turn off wi-fi or turn off your phone at bedtime and you’ll be better rested for it.

• Schedule screen free times. Research has shown that even ten minutes of doing things like going for a walk, exercising, or spending time with a friend – can do a lot to relieve stress.

• Take an occasional break from social media and digital devices. If that sounds hard for you, start with one day a month and try to work up to one day a week or more.

Changing Habits and Attitudes

• Don’t compare yourself to people you see online including your friends. Remember everyone is trying to look like they are living their best life!

• Be in the moment. When you’re doing something fun, enjoy it. Don’t worry about getting pictures of it or worrying about what other people will think of it.

• Accept that you can’t be there for everything even virtually. Trying to keep tabs on everything will just stress you out.

• Don’t take it personally. Odds are, your friends aren’t posting things to make you jealous: they’re trying to make themselves and their lives look good, just like you.

Time Management

Finally, by being mindful of your time management: if your time is better organised, your online life won’t get in the way of other things you need to do.

You can’t do everything. Think about the things

that are most important to you (School? Family?

Hobbies? Work?) and make sure to put those first.

• Make a to-do list of things you need to do and use a planner to keep track of them.

• Put an alarm on when playing games online to show you how long you have been playing for and to take a break from the screen. This will ensure you don’t lose track of time playing games.

• Decide ahead of time when you’re going to check social media. Do it at specific times (every half hour, for example, or when you’ve finished a specific task) rather than whenever you feel like it.