Library Worklife

HR Practice

Attending to Details

Quick Fixes to Nagging Problems

By Paula Singer, Ph.D. and Linda Goldberg, SPHR, CCP

A walk through a library will generally show the great care given to design of the public spaces. Like having company for dinner, we always ensure that the spaces our guests see are totally up to snuff. What’s hidden in the back bedrooms, however, is another matter and may resemble Fibber McGee’s closet.¹

In the back rooms of libraries, where the materials are ordered, received, moved, unpacked, catalogued and prepared for the circulation areas, nagging problems may lurk making the work environment, at times, uncomfortable. In worst case, over time these nagging short-term annoyances can cause long-term problems. What follows is a quick checklist for a weekly safety walk-through. We also review some issues associated with new technology and some quick, inexpensive fixes.

Weekly checklist
Walk through the working areas of the library and look for:
Obstructed aisles and walkways
Blocked emergency escape routes, exits and fire doors
Loose wires and electrical cords creating possible tripping hazards
Unsecured or frayed carpeting
Overloaded electrical circuits
Frayed or exposed electrical wires
Slippery floor surfaces
Space heaters near fire hazards
Inadequate lighting levels
Temperature extremes
Inadequate ventilation, including dampness and mildew

Low Technology Hazards

Slips, trips and falls account for the majority of the reportable workplace injuries to non-construction workers. Add to these back strains due to improper lifting and we’ve accounted for the majority of acute injuries library employees are most likely to experience. A preventive program of weekly inspections can reduce tripping and slipping hazards. In addition, checking the work areas for typical work practices will indicate whether your employees are adding to their risks. For example, employees who use appropriate ladders and step stools to reach upper shelves will fare much better than those using chairs as improvised step stools. In moving heavy materials, improper lifting is a major culprit in causing lost workdays from lower back strain. Lifting manageable loads with the knees and a straight back will minimize muscle damage. Alternatively, reducing the load by unpacking boxes of books prior to moving them and/or keeping cartons of books at waist level and transporting on carts will keep backs healthy.

The Technology Interface

While our work has been made immeasurably more efficient thanks to computer technology, that same technology, when inserted with little care or planning, can constitute a real pain in the neck (literally and figuratively). Work position is very important for those employees who spend extended time at a desk and computer workstation performing repetitive tasks such as data entry. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises employers to set up computer workstations to promote "neutral body positioning."² Neutral body positioning means a comfortable working posture in which your joints are naturally lighted. Employees who work with the body in a neutral position reduce stress and strain on the muscles, tendons and skeletal system and reduce the risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder. A neutral body position is characterized by:

Hands, wrists and forearms straight, in-line and roughly parallel to the floor
Head level, or bent slightly forward, forward facing and balanced. Head generally in-line with the torso.
Shoulders relaxed and upper arms hang normally at the side of the body.
Elbows maintained close to the body and bent between 90 and 120 degrees.
Feet support by floor or footrest.
Back fully supported with appropriate lumbar support when sitting vertically or leaning back slightly.
Thighs and hips supported by a well-padded seat and generally parallel to the floor.
Knees about the same height as the hips with the feet slightly forward.

Customized, expensive furniture are not required to meet these guidelines. Adjustable chairs are helpful, but can be supplemented by lumbar cushions as necessary to relieve tension in the lower back. A simple wood block, section of a two-by-four lumber, or stack of telephone directories can easily do the trick to provide a foot rest and ease the pressure on thighs. While adjustable keyboard trays are great adaptations to a desk, keyboards and computer terminal screens can be raised to the correct heights using wood scraps placed under the keyboard, terminal or desk. Additionally, encouraging the use of good work habits can minimize stress. Employees who work for long periods at a desk performing repetitive tasks should be encouraged to stretch fingers, hands, arms and torso throughout the day and take periodic walks to alter position and give muscles a chance to recover.

Aside from taking occasional stretch breaks, high volume computer users can make some adjustments to their work processes and save a bit of wear and tear on tendons which can become sore from overuse. Clearing enough workspace around a computer allows for the mouse to be used by either hand. Switching between hands for mouse use allows the free hand’s muscles and tendons important rest and recovery time. Alternatively, learning and incorporating the use of quick keys—Ctrl+S to Save, Ctrl+P to print—reduces the use of the mouse and some strain on wrist tendons.

Easing Visual Tasks

Inappropriate illumination—too much or too little - and glare can result in eyestrain and headaches after prolonged computer monitor use. Placement of bright lights relative to images on the display screen makes the eye muscles work overtime in making sense of poorly contrasted images. Straining to view screen objects can promote eye fatigue and headaches. OSHA suggests some easy corrections with little or no cost:

Place desks and work stations such that overhead rows of light fixtures are parallel to your line of sight.
Ensure placement and clean condition of light diffusers on the overhead lights. These reduce direct brightness of lights on the computer screen.
If diffusers are not available, request the removal of the middle bulbs of 4-bulb fluorescent light fixtures to reduce the brightness of the light to levels more appropriate to computer use.
Use supplemental task/desk lighting to brighten specific materials while limiting brightness around computer monitors.
Reduce glare on computer monitors, which adds to eyestrain. Reorient desks and workstations so that bright lights from open windows are at right angles with the computer screen.
Avoid intense or uneven lighting within your peripheral field of vision. Use blinds or drapes on windows to reduce direct bright light. Blinds and furniture placement should be adjusted to allow light to enter the room but not directly into your field of vision.
Clean the monitor frequently as accumulated layers of dust can add to glare.
Where possible, tilt the monitor downward slightly to prevent it from reflecting overhead light.
Dark characters on a light background will be less affected by random reflections than light characters on a dark background, so encourage users to use standard settings for most applications.

Keeping employees safe and healthy is the best way to optimize productivity at work. Workplace safety takes little in the way of money, relying instead on some creative adjustments and common sense. Make sure your employees return home each evening safe and sound.

References

For history buffs, this radio show aired from April 16, 1935 to September 6, 1959, and featured the crashing sounds of an overloaded closet emptying onto the floor.
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration, Computer Workstations, www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/positions.html.

Paula Singer and Linda Goldberg are with The Singer Group, Inc., a human resources, compensation and organization design consulting firm. They can be reached at (410) 561-7561.