Benefits of a Document Holder

By Ryan Fogel,

Through the course of workdays, office workers are required to manage and track documents. While this paperwork does not present any challenge, employees can greatly benefit from the use of ergonomic document holders.

While employers might try to let workers enjoy plenty of space, many workstations are still filled with different items that take up space. Papers, pens, and notebooks can fill a worker’s desk, and he or she might have to move awkwardly to grab specific materials. While these actions may seem to be nothing, repetition can lead to occupational health and safety hazards for both the employee and his or her company. Which is why a document holder is necessary.

What is a Document Holder?

A document holder is a tool that allows you to position a physical document that you refer to while working on your monitor screen in a way that allows you to see both the screen and hard copy document well.

Almost everybody who use computers on a daily basis at least occasionally have tasks that involve referring to a hard copy document while typing. In those times and when properly used, a well-designed document holder can be greatly impactful ergonomically.

With a document holder, you can avoid twisting the neck by bringing the hard document close to the monitor at a readable angle. This also reduces eyestrain by ensuring the document is kept at the same distance and angle as the screen. Most workers who use computers work with sheets and documents that they often place in front of the keyboard or beside it. This causes an avoidable curved spine posture. A document holder places the document 45⁰- 60⁰ angle between the keyboard and the monitor. When the holder is well placed, you can reduce or eliminate risk factors like awkward head and neck postures, eye strain, headaches, and fatigue and be more comfortable.

Improtance of Using a Document Holder

A document holder helps to avoid ergonomic hazards which include:

1. Neck twisting

When you position the document close to the monitor and in line with your eyesight as it runs from screen to keyboard, you can avoid unnatural twisting of your neck when looking between the hard document to the screen and back.

2. Unnecessary eye fatigue and headaches

If you use a proper document holder, the document is always at the same distance angle as the eyes from the computer screen. Assuming that you have set your computer screen at the optimal ergonomic distance, the document holder will keep the paper document positioned as ideally as possible.

3. Curved spine

In the absence of a document holder, you’ll lie your documents often beside the keyboard. To read the document, which in some cases contains smaller print or notes, you’ll have to bend forward with a curved spine, which is a posture that can lead to ergonomic problems.

To achieve an optimal ergonomic workstation, it is important to hire a Specialist to examine your current workplace.  At Accredited Rehabilitation Consultants, we can evaluate your current workspace, find ways to make it more ergonomic, and then provide and install the necessary equipment to do so. To learn more, contact us today!

 

  Filed under: Ergonomic Injury Prevention, Ergonomics Products, Workplace Injury Reduction
  Comments: None


Benefits of an Ergonomic Mouse

By Ryan Fogel,

If you spend many hours of the day in front of your computer, then you are sure to use a mouse often. Consistent use of a traditional mouse is likely to strain your wrist, causing issues such as numbness and stiffness. With the use of an ergonomic mouse, the risk of these wrist problems is greatly reduced. Here are just a few benefits to switching to an ergonomic mouse, and in turn reducing the likelihood of experiencing and injuries while mousing:

1. Prevents twisting in the wrist

When using a traditional mouse, you will often twist your wrist continuously, which results in stress to the tendons. This can possibly lead to reoccurring injuries due to stress and long-term damage. Your wrist was not meant to handle repetitive stress for the whole day. An ergonomic mouse gives you a handshake position, preventing stress and pain during your workday.

2. Less is more

Unlike the regular mouse, the ergonomic mouse requires less strength for your grip. This helps to release tension from the tendons in your wrist, resulting in less aggravation and less fatigue as you work. A vertical mouse, for example, enables you to transfer the energy from operating the mouse from the wrist to stronger muscles in the upper arms.

3. Prevents aggravation of existing pain

The existing pain you developed in your wrist, such as tendonitis as a result of using the regular traditional mouse, may be alleviated when you switch to an ergonomic mouse. Tendon damage to the wrist may result in long-term problems like arthritis. This is why an ergonomic mouse to help prevent further damages to your wrist that may lead to these life-altering conditions later in life.

4. Prevention of future injury

You don’t need to wait for the pain caused by the long-term use of a regular mouse to switch to an ergonomic model. You can quickly prevent excess stress by making sure to get an ergonomic mouse right away that is tailored to your needs.

Ergonomic mice come in several sizes and shapes to promote a neutral posture in your wrist as well as comfort. Each of these shapes relaxes your wrist by transferring the strain from the wrist to the upper arm muscles. Thus, you prevent future pain to your wrist, which may lead to lasting damage to the tendons.

Over the last couple of years, several products and design changes have been made to ensure that there is exceptional efficiency and comfort in your work. This is also true with ergonomic mice. Long-term damage to your wrist and diseases such as arthritis can be prevented with the use of proper equipment.

At Accredited Rehabilitation Consultants, we can evaluate your current workspace, find ways to make it more ergonomic, and then provide and install the necessary equipment to do so. To learn more, contact us today!

  Filed under: Ergonomics Products, Workplace Injury Reduction
  Comments: None


Benefits of An Ergonomic Stapler

By Ryan Fogel,

Staplers are excellent tools that can be used in the office, home, or store. There are many staplers out there, but there are special ones that have been made with ergonomics in mind. Electric staplers, for example, are decently built and offer many ergonomic benefits for the office or home.

Better Stapling Capacity

Most electric staplers are able to fasten more pages together compared to manual ones. There are products that can even staple upwards of 70 sheets instantly, making them great for use with thick documents.

Eliminates Pain

Manual staplers can be painful to use, especially when large documents or many different documents have to be stapled together. Not only do they cause sore hands, but they also contribute to repetitive motion conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome. An electric stapler saves staples documents automatically, helping you to avoid excess pain and preventing work-related injuries.

Saves Time

Electric ergonomic staplers generally save more time compared to manual staplers. Manual staplers are rough on the hand and can take a long time when working with large stacks of papers. An electric stapler can fasten pages together in a split second. This ensures you get more time for more productive activities, rather than spending a large chunk of the day or week stapling papers together.

Improves Accuracy

After you have managed to get your papers together by hand, chances are you will not be accurate with your stapling. For example, staples may be placed too close or too far to the paper edges, or even mangled if your stapler isn’t able to handle the amount of paper being processed. This can be solved with an electric stapler because it is able to staple accurately every time.

There’s a Device for All Kinds of Offices

There are many different types of electric staplers on the market. One of the best names in the market is Swingline, a company that has become popular for their range of high-quality electric stapler products. Swingline has been in the business for years and produce many great products for the office like Optima 70 and 45 (the numbers refer to the sampling capacity of each product) and the Speed Grip, a portable stapling device that runs either that runs on outlet power or on battery. If you want to make your own booklets, you will find some electric stapling machines that are capable of performing center-stitch stapling.

For recommendations for a suitable electric stapler and to achieve an optimal ergonomic workstation, it is important to hire a Specialist to examine your current workplace.  At Accredited Rehabilitation Consultants, we can evaluate your current workspace, find ways to make it more ergonomic, and then provide and install the necessary equipment to do so. To learn more, contact us today!

  Filed under: Ergonomics Office Design, Ergonomics Products, Workplace Injury Reduction
  Comments: None