Consoles and Control Rooms 101

Could your current workstation (or console) be even more ergo friendly?

#2 – Personal environmental control

Personal environmental control units are now common with small control boxes that actually allow you to adjust your individual workstation’s:

• Temperature – vents blow cool air when you are warm; heat panels warm you when you are cold
• Ambient noise – ‘white noise’ speakers drown out distracting sounds around to maintain focus
• Lighting – dimmer switches can also allow you to adjust your task lighting levels

Complete comfort control at your fingertips!

#3 – Electronically adjusted monitor arrays

This one may be unique to Evans, but our patented Unity Arm actually allows touch-of-a-button adjustability (height, tilt, etc) of an array of up to 8 LCDS at once - ideal for adjusting to multiple operators at a single console for shift work, etc.  Sure beats having to adjust each one by hand!

**View our Response product video to see #‘s 1-3 in action all on one console!**

#4 – Slat-wall mounted accessories

Slat-wall is great because it allows you to keep your desk and work area clear by mounting movable standard desk accessories off the work area yet stay within easy reach:

• adjustable monitor arms, telephone shelves, binder/paper trays and more! 

No excuse for a messy desk now!  Read our article on slat wall in this newsletter

#5 – Soft work surface waterfall nosing

What kind of edging is on your current work surface?  Chances are its straight or a hard, rounded edge that can be very uncomfortable on wrists after long periods of time.  Soft, urethane (or similar) waterfall nosing helps cushion arms/wrists and minimize strain and injuries - a huge benefit to those who spend significant time each day at their work area as many of us do.

Did you count how many of these you or your operators currently have?

Product Fundamentals 201

Slat Wall – looking to clear the clutter and be more productive at work?

What exactly is Slat Wall?
Quite simply, Slat wall is an extremely functional wall option mounted to the rear of a console/workstation work surface that allows for multiple user-friendly accessories that would normally sit on the desk surface to be mounted up and off the work surface and be easily moveable (or even removed) by the operator(s) as needed.

5 ways slat wall can benefit both you and/or your operators at work:

• Keeps your desk work area clear and unobstructed
  • Mount everything from monitor arms to phone shelves to binder trays up and off your desktop
  • Gives you more free and usable space
• Allows you to mount, adjust and remove functional accessories quickly and easily
  • Ideal for workstations that are used by multiple people (shift work, 911 centers, etc)
  • Allows for personalized work environments with moveable/adjustable accessories that can be changed to suit each user and maximize ergonomics
  • Some functional options include:
    • articulating monitor arms
    • telephone shelves –fixed and articulating
    • shelves, paper & binder storage
    • functional task lighting
    • pencil holders and more!
• Can be combined with other material options to add diverse functionality
  • Can incorporate acoustic panels to restrict unwanted noise
  • Can incorporate fabric panels to use as a bulletin board area
  • Can add Plexiglas top for improved sightlines and aesthetics
• Structure can allow for additional effective and clean cable management
  • Depending on slat wall type, can use it to run your cabling to ensure a clean and efficient workstation
• Because of the above, simply allows you and your operators to be more organized and productive

Click here to learn more about Evans’ own functional slat wall solution

Ergonomic Tips – Advanced 301

Could your work lighting be affecting your health and perfomance?

Lighting is considered by many ergonomists to be one of the top three office ergonomics concerns.
Poor lighting leads to poor ergonomics and some typical health-related symptoms directly attributable to poor lighting include headaches, indigestion, nausea, blurred or double vision, flickering sensations, itching and burning eyes, tension, and vision fatigue.

While most of us surely have suffered from any of these at work on occasion, if you regularly experience some of these symptoms, maybe its time to take a look at your lighting.

Causes of poor lighting issues

Most office lighting problems are due to one or more of the following:

• Flicker and hum of old electro-magnetic ballasts
• Glare on monitor (caused by reflections from windows, shiny walls or poor task light location)
• Generally over lit office – most offices are garishly over lit
• Excessive background light – i.e. having your monitor in front of a window
• General fatigue from staring at the monitor screen

Possible solutions to these issues

• Ballast flicker: about 25% of the population is sensitive to ballast flicker and hum and actually can become physically ill from too much exposure to it. An easy solution is to simply upgrade old ballasts.
• Monitor Glare: use blinds on windows; ensure screens are always located at right angles to your window; use flat wall paint; re-adjust your task light; DON’T use glare guards – they can actually contribute to vision fatigue
• Over lit office: turn off some overhead lights; put overhead lights on dimmers (also saves $); convert to an indirect lighting system
• Background light: reduce light behind monitor if possible (i.e. blinds) or simply move monitor away from source
• Vision fatigue: people blink less or even stare when looking at a monitor so it is very important to a) consciously blink more to lubricate your eyes and b) every 15 mins, change your vision to focus on something beyond your monitor (your eyes need the stimulation of change of focus to stay refreshed and fight fatigue).

The Task light advantage

According to OSHA, studies estimate that 90% of the U.S. workforce using comput­ers for more than 3 hours per day, experience CVS (computer vision syndrome) in some form. Task lighting can reduce CVS symptoms including eyestrain, head­aches, and fatigue. Task lighting may also reduce dilation of eyes between tasks, which will reduce eyestrain.

Individual task lighting augments ambient lighting and lets users control the light level for task specific needs — such as computing, reading, and writing. Benefits are less eyestrain & lower costs.   Want some tips to ensure you are using a task light that is as effective as possible in improving your work environment?

Ensure your task light:

• Is easily movable and/or has an adjustable arm –vital as your tasks change throughout the day
• Has a dimmer to allow you to adjust the light to your comfort level as needed
• Emits a low glare, soft and uniform light to avoid glare on the documents or your screen
• Is properly positioned to avoid the light shining directly into your eyes or monitor yet effective for any daily tasks where needed – a proper ergonomic or lighting assessment may be a worthwhile investment.

Good luck!

Intro to a Healthy Workplace 401

Feeling sluggish at work?  Changing your work eating habits can help

Whether you work in an office or are a 911-dispatch operator, an air traffic controller or any other demanding position requiring consistent focus throughout the day, you inevitably have moments of low energy and lack of focus throughout the day.  For most of us who work in an office, it may not have a profound affect on our performance but for those operators whose constant focus is critical and lives can literally be at risk, maintaining constant energy levels and focus while reducing stress is vital.

Below are some simple healthy eating tips that can help you maintain your energy levels, stay focused and reduce stress:

1. Eat breakfast. Your mother was right: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Studies show that people who skip a morning meal often have trouble concentrating, feel fatigued and irritable. Avoid foods high in sugar — toaster treats, store-bought muffins — that instantly raise your blood sugar and cause it to drop as quickly. Instead, stick to a balanced meal that contains complex carbohydrates (e.g. whole grain toast or cereal), protein (e.g. an egg, a slice of cheese or lean meat) and a serving of fruit or vegetables.

2. Snack well, snack often. Eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day ensures your blood glucose levels remain steady. It also helps avoid that shaky or headachy feeling that occurs when you deprive your body of food for too long. Keep healthy snacks like nuts, seeds, fruit, yogurt and veggie sticks on hand at work and at home. Steer clear of ‘empty’ foods such as pastries, candy, pop and other processed munchies that are normally high in calories, low in nutritional value.

3. Don’t overindulge. Loading up at lunchtime — especially with carbohydrates — will leave you craving a siesta. Stick with lots of vegetables, lean protein (beans, chicken, fish etc.) and ease off the breadbasket. Moving your carbohydrate consumption to dinner will help you sleep better.
 
4. Avoid caffeine. Coffee or tea may give you the jolt you need to get up in the morning, but rely on it too much and it can actually have the reverse effect. More than three cups a day can create a jittery, then lethargic cycle and may also interfere with your quality of sleep.

5. Drink up. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help stay alert as fatigue is a sign of mild dehydration. Eight glasses is standard, but if you had a tough workout or overdid it on the caffeine, try to drink more. Thirst is one of the final cues you’re dehydrated so it’s important to indulge in the H20 before you start feeling thirsty.

6. Pump up the iron. Sluggishness, especially in women, is often a sign of a low iron levels. Note that iron found in red meat is most easily absorbed by the body. Other options include: seafood (clams, in particular), spinach, fortified cereals, almonds, dried figs and legumes. These should be consumed with foods or drinks rich in Vitamin C (e.g., orange or grapefruit juice) to maximize absorption of the iron. If you suspect your iron is low, or have noticed a drastic change in your energy level, consult your doctor.

Making the right choices easy

When choosing snacks, get back to basics with nutritious foods from the four food groups: grain products; vegetables and fruit; milk products; meat and alternatives. Try to combine foods from at least two of the food groups – ideally, a carbohydrate-rich food with a little lean protein.  These will help you maintain consistent energy levels and focus throughout the day.

Make it easy - stock your work area or kitchen so that you’ll be prepared before the munchies hit.  Here are some great examples that are easy for anyone and their hectic day:

Try this for a couple weeks and you will notice the difference.  Good luck!