Electric workstations

The ideal concept for electric workstations

Within the past few years the topic of physical health in jobs got more and more into focus. The reason for this is not only due to the increasing sick-at-home-days, it is also because latest scientific data are evident for the correlation between physical health, well-being and the mental capability of a person. It shows, that the requirements on health-conform workstations is a complex topic. As an example, let‘s take a workstation for electrical engineering, where the user regularily has to deal with highly precise working tasks. In following we will explain, what is important for you as an user and what employers need to know about the topic.

More efficiency due to height adjustment

Each employee is an important resource, whose mental fitness is as important as his social comfort and physical health. For that reason the well-being of your personnel on electric workstations is an important matter. They have to do skillful tasks, which require excellent fine-motoric capabilities and a high level of concentration, so they need to be prevented from any kind of pains, e.g. due to back problems. A back-friendly design can have an enormous effect in this. Besides the requirements with regard to stability, transverse rigidity and protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD), the electric workstation should be adaptable in height, or even better, be height adjustable. So it is your decision whether you prefer to work in sitting or standing posture as the frequent position change is important for the health of your back.

Fast and individual adjustment

Important for the height adjustability of a bench is, that the adjustment can be done in an easy, fast and save manner. For you as the user, a memory function would be an advantage. Especially in case you take turns on a workstation with a college or if repeating tasks require different working heights. Tip: Change your working height every now and then, in case your task allows it. Your back will be grateful. Not even mentioning the fact, that one or another work might be easier to accomplish in a different position. The frequent change to standing work posture will hold your concentration high and delay the signs of fatigue. Of cause always under consideration of all safety aspects.

Tip: Not each work can be done in standing position. So the selection of a suitable work chair should be a matter of cause. Either a classic work chair or a standing aid.
Important: Avoid to work in permanent forced postures and frequently change your working postion. Find out what‘s important particularily for work chairs in our rubric for industrial work chairs.

Considering reaching area and accessory

If you are working on an electric workstation you will know how unnerving it can be, if some utensils are not in their usual place or if they are difficult to reach. This means, we need to take into account the reaching area and the arrangement of required working aids. Experienced colleagues surely can give you some valuable tips. For fine-motoric tasks we would recommend an elbow support as this relieves the strain on your body -, shoulder – and neck musculature. Any add-ons of your bench should be light weighted and easy to use. The same should be true for tool holders, monitors if required and any other necessary accessory. In general, you should make sure to place frequently used utensils into the center of your view and in perfect reach, while occasional used utensils can be more decental.

The rule of light

One more essential aspect for ergonomic, back-friendly and of cause efficient use of your electric workstation is the perfect illumination. Missing or wrong light causes fatigue and thus, has negative influence on your concentration. This causes more mistakes and frustration. Furthermore bad illumination causes poor body postures, mainly effected are head and neck. Muscle tension will soon be the result. This can be prevented with a shadow – and dazzle-free workstation illumination which offers sufficient brightness.

Tip: A summary with detailled information to the ideal illumination of an industrial workstation is available in the extra rubric to illumination.

A full harmonic concept

The ideal contribution of a workstation to a healthier back lies in the systemic configuration of a whole workplace. Individual elements have only limitted positive effects on the health of your back. Only if all modules – individual adaption to different persons, reasonable reaching areas, ideal illumination, suitable chair – are combined to a complete whole, then it is considered a back-friendly and efficient workstation, where the user reaches optimized results.

Note: Individual components, which are extraordinary back-friendly and which are already certified by AGR, such as workbench, illumination, chairs, tools, etc. can be combined in a modular design and it is assumed that the positive effects for a healthier back are even increased.

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