Set Up Your Workstation in Five Moves
Chair first
Feet flat on the floor or a footrest, thighs roughly level, lower back supported by the lumbar curve.
Desk and keyboard height
Elbows near 90 degrees with shoulders relaxed and wrists straight.
Monitor position
About an arm's length away, top of the screen at or slightly below eye level.
Mouse within reach
Close to the keyboard so you aren't reaching out to the side all day.
Light and glare
Screen perpendicular to windows where possible, brightness matched to the room.
What You'll Be Able to Do
Adjust chair, monitor, keyboard and mouse to neutral-posture guidelines
Recognize early symptoms of repetitive strain before they become injuries
Use the 20-20-20 rule and movement habits that offset sitting
Adapt ergonomic principles to laptops and home workspaces
Movement Matters as Much as Setup
Even a perfect chair causes problems if you don't leave it. The course builds in micro-breaks, stretches you can do at a desk, and the 20-20-20 rule for eyes: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Laptops are the hardest case because the screen and keyboard are joined. Simple fixes — a stand, an external keyboard and mouse — turn a hunched setup into a workable one.
- Change position often
- Stand or walk during calls
- Rest eyes on a distant point
- Report numbness or tingling early
Why a Crane Company's Office Needs It
Crane businesses run on desk work too: dispatchers juggle radios and screens, lift planners spend hours in CAD and load charts, and estimators build bids. Those roles rarely appear in field safety programs, yet strain injuries there cost time just the same.
There is no OSHA standard specific to office ergonomics; it falls under general workplace duties and good practice. The course is a quick, low-cost way to give office staff the same attention field crews get. Planners who want to understand the field side of their work can look at our Lift Director exam prep, and office teams new to the industry can learn the basics in our guide to crane certification bodies.
Who It's For
- Dispatchers and schedulers
- Lift planners and engineers
- Estimators and sales staff
- Administrative and accounting teams
- Remote and hybrid workers
Not a medical evaluation
The course teaches general setup principles. Workers with ongoing pain should see a healthcare provider, and employers decide on equipment purchases and individual assessments.