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Welcome to the Self-Assessment page

Here you can assess your desk and office setup in a methodical way, by answering a series of some 60 yes/no questions.  You will get advice and a record of your responses, in a web page and optionally by email.  Anyone can use this facility, see the contact page for details.

You need to answer all the questions before you can process the assessment, so allow enough time to complete it all in one session.
Before attempting this self-assessment, you should equip yourself by completing the steps in It's a Setup and reading the Principles page.

1) Have you completed the It's a Setup procedure and made the adjustments as far as possible?

Yes No

2) Have you read and understood the broad principles of overuse injury?

Yes No

3) Is there enough space on your desktop for the flow of work?

Yes No

4) Is there adequate leg room (height, width and depth)?

Yes No

5) Is the monitor a readable and comfortable distance from your eyes, in the range 50-70 cm (20-27")?

Yes No

6) Do you always sit squarely facing your monitor?

Yes No

7) Do you have, and habitually use, a comfortable resting place for your hands/wrists when not keying (in the lap, a gel wrist rest)

Yes No

8) Is the layout of the desktop equipment satisfactory?

Yes No

9) Is your chair at a height that puts your elbows at approximately desk height when you are using the keyboard?

Yes No

10) Is the bottom-cushion a suitable length for your upper leg length, i.e. can you sit fully upright and back in the seat without your knees hooking the front of the cushion?

Yes No

11) If fitted, are the armrests at a suitable and supportive height when you are sitting upright?

Yes No

12) Can you get the chair close enough to the desk to type with your elbows vertically under your shoulders?

Yes No

13) Does the backrest support the small of your back (lumbar spine) in an upright posture?

Yes No

14) Does the foam on the bottom and back of the chair cushion your fist when you press hard into them?

Yes No

15) Is the chair comfortable?

Yes No

16) Can the backrest be adjusted to provide adequate support and encourage good posture?

Yes No

17) Is the chair stable and undamaged?

Yes No

18) With the seat and desk adjusted correctly for the elbows, are the feet firmly on the floor without compressing the underside of the thighs?

Yes No

19) If a footrest is (thus) required, is an appropriate one present?

Yes No

20) Is the top of the visible area of the monitor at eye height when you are sitting upright?

Yes No

21) Is the monitor at a suitable distance from your eyes?

Yes No

22) Is the monitor directly in front of you so that you do not sit twisted?

Yes No

23) Is the screen free from glare and reflections?

Yes No

24) Is the information on the screen well defined and easy to read?

Yes No

25) Is the image stable and flicker free?

Yes No

26) Are you free from discomfort in the eyes and neck?

Yes No

27) Is the screen tilted to the best angle?

Yes No

28) Can you adjust the brightness and contrast easily?

Yes No

29) Is the keyboard angle set to prevent an angle through your wrists when typing - looking from side-on?

Yes No

30) Are your wrists in a flat, neutral position when you are typing?

Yes No

31) Is the keyboard at a distance from you that puts your elbows vertically under your shoulders when typing?

Yes No

32) Is the mouse close enough to be used without extending the arm at the elbow?

Yes No

33) Does the mouse run smoothly and work accurately, without fiddling?

Yes No

34) Do you know how to adjust the tracking speed and double-click interval?

Yes No

35) Do you know how to minimise mouse use by using quick keys, styles and templates? (and do you know that you should?)

Yes No

36) Can your computing tasks be completed without the need to refer much to paper documents?

Yes No

37) Is other equipment at the workstation appropriate for its use?

Yes No

38) Is the extra equipment located in a position that is compatible with correct posture?

Yes No

39) Is there adequate access to the workstation?

Yes No

40) Is there space to manoeuvre the chair?

Yes No

41) Is there sufficient storage space?

Yes No

42) Is the monitor positioned at right-angles to the windows, or at least optimally within constraints?

Yes No

43) Is the work area free from obstructions and hazards such as tripping?

Yes No

44) Is there adequate lighting for all the tasks?

Yes No

45) Do the windows have effective blinds to control daylight?

Yes No

46) Is the workstation quiet enough for concentration and conversation?

Yes No

47) Is the temperature comfortable, most of the time?

Yes No

48) Can you adjust the temperature locally?

Yes No

49) Is humidity normally comfortable for your eyes and sinuses?

Yes No

50) Is the work area free from draughts?

Yes No

51) Are you free from stressing levels of uncertainty and anxiety when using software?

Yes No

52) Can you organise your time to have adequate breaks from the screen?

Yes No

53) Do you have non-computer activities incorporated into your daily routine?

Yes No

54) Is your workload reasonably free of urgent peaks and troughs?

Yes No

55) Do you know where to report workstation problems?

Yes No

56) Is your workstation tidy and cleaned regularly?

Yes No

57) Is your equipment cleaned regularly?

Yes No

58) Can you generally stop typing while you're on the phone?

Yes No



To receive a record of your assessment by email, enter your email address here (it is not recorded):

Use HTML email?

When the email arrives you can Forward it to your Assessor, if you wish.
When you click the Process button, a new page will open with general advice about the issues you reported, and a record of your Yes responses.


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