Workstation quiz
Answer the questions to find out what you know about health risks when using computers.
Question 1
You should maintain your head at a distance about equal to the length of your arm away from the computer screen.
- True.
- False.
Feedback:
- Correct. You are more likely to be sitting with your head upright at this distance. Also older monitors based on cathode ray tubes emit low energy levels of electromagnetic radiation. The strength of this decreases greatly with increased distance from the screen. This distance will also reduce the chance of experiencing eye strain.
- Incorrect. You are more likely to be sitting with your head upright at this distance. Also older monitors based on cathode ray tubes emit low energy levels of electromagnetic radiation. The strength of this decreases greatly with increased distance from the screen. This distance will also reduce the chance of experiencing eye strain.
Question 2
When working on computers, I frequently experience back and neck pain. Possible solutions include:
- Checking that my chair provides lumbar support.
- Ensure that my head is level with the top of the monitor
- Making sure the keyboard is sloping upwards.
Feedback:
- Correct. There are two correct answers.
- Correct. There are two correct answers.
- The position of the keyboard can influence repetitive stress injuries of the wrists and arms. Generally it is recommended that the keyboard slopes downwards.
Question 3
If using a laptop for any length of time, it is a good idea to have a separate:
- monitor
- keyboard
- central processing unit
- DVD drive.
Feedback:
- Correct - or keyboard
- Correct - or monitor
- Incorrect. The problem of having the keyboard attached to the screen means good posture is impossible to achieve. Either the keyboard or the monitor should be separate.
- Incorrect. The problem of having the keyboard attached to the screen means good posture is impossible to achieve. Either the keyboard or the monitor should be separate.
Question 4
A foot rest should be used when:
- the chair is very low and you can only sit comfortably with legs outstretched.
- you have a chair with adjustable height controls.
- you cannot adjust the height of your chair and your feet do not reach the floor.
Feedback:
- Incorrect, in fact the opposite. If you cannot adjust chair height and your feet do not reach the floor so that they rest flat on the floor, you should use a footrest.
- Incorrect. If you can adjust chair height make sure that your feet reach the floor so that they rest flat on the floor. If this is done you should not need a footrest.
- Correct.
Question 5
You should sit so that:
- you are leaning slightly forward
- you are sitting vertically, upright
- you are reclined slightly back.
Feedback:
- Incorrect. You should be reclined slightly back. This ensures greater comfort, relaxes back muscles and puts less pressure on the lower back, spine, neck muscles and vertebrae.
- Incorrect. You should be reclined slightly back. This ensures greater comfort, relaxes back muscles and puts less pressure on the lower back, spine, neck muscles and vertebrae.
- Correct. You should be reclined slightly back. This ensures greater comfort, relaxes back muscles and puts less pressure on the lower back, spine, neck muscles and vertebrae.
Question 6
Your chair should support your lower back because:
- it helps to maintain the natural curve of your spine
- it helps to maintain good posture
- it helps you to keep leaning forward while you work.
Feedback:
- Correct. It also helps to maintain good posture.
- Correct. It also helps to maintain the natural curve of the spine.
- Incorrect. You should be reclined slightly backward. Lower back support helps maintain the natural curve of the spine and good posture.
Question 7
Standing up and stretching from time to time helps because:
- it increases pressure on the feet
- it decreases pressure on the spine
- it increases circulation.
Feedback:
- Incorrect. It helps because it decreases pressure on the spine and sit bones and increases circulation.
- Correct. It also increases circulation.
- Correct. It also decreases pressure on the spine and sit bones.
Question 8
To make the best use of the mouse you should:
- place the mouse far away from the body and twist and turn your wrist
- hold it close to your body and pivot from the elbow rather than turning the wrist
- have the mouse away from the body and keep the arm tense.
Feedback:
- Incorrect, and in fact the opposite. You should have the mouse close to your body, hold your wrist straight and move from the elbow. This helps to prevent tendon damage.
- Correct. This position helps to prevent tendon damage.
- Incorrect. This could cause overreaching and twisting of the shoulder, arm and wrist.
Question 9
The keyboard should be positioned so that:
- arms are bent at about forty five degrees and you are leaning forward
- wrists are flexed upwards while typing
- arms are relaxed and parallel with the thighs when feet are flat on the floor.
Feedback:
- Incorrect. Arms should be relaxed and parallel with the thighs when feet are flat on the floor. This reduces muscle strain and tension and promotes circulation in the arms and hands.
- Incorrect. Wrists should be in the neutral position with the keyboard ideally tilted slightly downward. Arms should be relaxed and parallel with the thighs when feet are flat on the floor. This reduces muscle strain and tension and promotes circulation in the arms and hands.
- Correct. This reduces muscle strain and tension and promotes circulation in the arms and hands.Wrists should also be in the neutral position.
Question 10
The position of the screen should be:
- off centre, so you have to twist your spine or turn your head
- central so your body is straight.
- so the top of the screen is about 5 cm above eye level.
- at arm's length.
Feedback:
- Incorrect. The monitor should be central, at arm's length and at eye level. This prevents neck and eye strain.
- Correct. The monitor should be central, at arm's length and at eye level. This prevents neck and eye strain.
- Correct. The monitor should be central, at arm's length and at eye level. This prevents neck and eye strain.
- Correct. The monitor should be central, at arm's length and at eye level. This prevents neck and eye strain.
Question 11
Eye health is best maintained by:
- leaning close to the monitor
- blinking frequently and looking away into the distance from time to time
- keeping the head in a constant position.
Feedback:
- Incorrect. This is bad for posture and causes eye strain.
- Correct. This keeps eyes moist and prevents eye muscle strain.
- Incorrect. You should look away into the distance from time to time to avoid eye muscle strain.