Good Studio Ergonomics Can Help You Avoid Aches and Pains by Charles Lewton-Brain

CHAIR HINTS

You can develop back problems from slouching or using the wrong chair if you sit for long periods of time. When you sit, your spinal disks have to bear approximately twice the pressure per square inch as when you stand. Use a chair that helps you maintain good posture easily, with your spine nearly vertical. The back rest should support the spine, particularly the lower spine. It should contact the back around 4 to 6 inches above the seat. Some people use a cushion there to improve support. Have an adjustable seat, both in angle and height from the floor. Have an adjustable back rest (depth, height, tilt). The chair should be low enough that both feet can be on the floor with the knees at a comfortable angle. Knees should be slightly higher than the hips; a foot rest can be used to raise them -- this helps the lower spine stay flat. Do not use too soft a seat cushion. Wool and rayon covers are preferred to vinyl or other synthetic covers because they breathe. Using arm rests can help lower upper-back strain. The chair should have a swivel seat and no casters (which can cause strain when trying to stay still). Sit upright without either arching your back or pushing your neck and head forward. Keep your lower back flat against the supportive back of the chair. Shift positions frequently to change the pressures on the spine; get up, walk around (hence the use of a stand-up soldering station in my workshop). Moving your neck, head and shoulders occasionally will help relieve stresses. Make sure your head and neck are not bent forward when working; this strains them, suggest health and safety book authors Merle Spandorfer and Dan Pinchot.

Sore back? Achy wrists? Have a kink in your neck? Do you have to twist and reach for tools? Are your eyes tired and sore? Got craftsperson's hunch? If so, your body is trying to tell you something, and you should be listening.

Many craftspeople have posture problems. Bernardino Ramazzini, the founder of occupational medicine and author of a groundbreaking book on workers' diseases published in 1713, wrote, rather cruelly (and he was a great humanitarian in his time), about the effects of working posture and position in regard to cobblers and tailors: "It is a laughable sight to see those guilds of cobblers and tailors on their own special feast days when they march in procession two by two through the city or escort to the tomb some member of their guild who has died; yes, it makes one laugh to see that troop of stooping, round-shouldered, limping men swaying from side to side; they look as though they had all been carefully selected for an exhibition of these infirmities."

How you sit, stand, move and work can affect your body in the short- and long-term. Learn from others. As the old saying goes, "The truly smart person learns from his mistakes, the truly wise one from the mistakes of others." Do some research: Talk to your doctor, an office furniture supplier, your insurance agent and your OSHA office about ergonomics and your working positions. A lot of information about safety and ergonomics is available for free from government agencies and sites on the Internet.

We all know craftspeople with back pain, with workshops where the layout is nonsensical, causing the craftsperson to reach awkwardly for tools, with bad lighting and innumerable other problems. Your shop layout, working procedures and workspace affect the rest of your life. (See "Organize Your Studio for Maximum Productivity," TCR March 2000, for information about how to organize your studio for safety, efficiency and ergonomics.)

Change positions frequently
Take breaks and change your working position (e.g., the height of your chair and work surface) now and then. If you do a lot of sitting, get up every 45 minutes to move around and change positions. Julian Waller suggests in his book, "Safe Practices in the Arts and Crafts: A Studio Guide," that "Any activities that strain back or wrist muscles, or cause noise or vibration, should be done for only short periods of time (e.g., half-hour stretches) and alternated with another activity for a similar time span. This gives the body a chance to recover."

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Ergonomic information online: http://ergoweb.com/Pub/ The ergoweb (ergonomics) site search engine page. http://ergoweb.com/Pub/Info/Ref/bibg2h.html One part of a large bibliography on ergonomics at the ergoweb site. http://www.nwbuildnet.com/nwbn/osha_search.html OSHA search engine for regulations, etc. Resources: Arun Garg and J. Steven Moore. "Epidemiology of Low-Back Pain in Industry." Occupational Medicine: State of the Art Reviews 7.4, 1992. (October-December 1992): 593-608. Katharyn Grant. "Case Studies: Biochemical Hazards in a Jewelry Manufacturing Facility." Applied Occupational Environmental Hygiene 8.2, 1993. Dan Pinchot. "The Skeleton, Fantastic Framework." New York: Torstar Books, 1985. Bernardino Ramazzini. "Diseases of Workers." 1713. Transcript: Wilmer Cave Wright. "History of Medicine." New York: Hafner, 1964. Merle Spandorfer. "Making Art Safely." New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1993. Julian Waller. "Safe Practices in the Arts & Crafts: A Studio Guide." 2nd ed. New York: College Art Association of America, 1985

Is your workstation the right height for the task?
One of the themes that recurs in ergonomic analyses of crafts factories is that much damage could be avoided by having different working heights, and that people often perform tasks at inappropriate heights. Some tasks should be done at waist height, while others should be done at higher or lower work levels. Particularly if you are doing the same job over and over again all day, as occurs in a production situation, it can help dramatically to work at varying heights. This may mean different workstations, but also may mean easily adjustable chairs and tables. Get a headset telephone so you don't hold your body in a strange position while you talk on the phone and continue to work. As Arun Garg and J. Steven Moore's book, "Epidemiology of Low-Back Pain in Industry," reports, studies have linked mostly standing or mostly sitting jobs with more lower-back pain problems than jobs where changes in posture occur.

Easy access
Having tools easily accessible helps as well. Keep tools in rotating bins, or blocks with tools sprouting from them, or places such as shelves, compartments and tool boards. An easy reach and avoidance of twisting motions to reach tools are important considerations.

It is worth researching and talking to knowledgeable people about your specific situation and working methods. Describe what you do and how you work, then make modifications to your work space where needed. Ergonomic improvements can make a real difference to your life and long-term health.

Charles Lewton-Brain is a widely recognized goldsmith and author. He invented Fold-forming, a new system of working sheet metals. His recently published book, "The Jewelry Workshop Safety Report," is available from Brain Press, Box 1624, Ste. M, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 2L7; (403) 263-3955; fax: (403) 283-9053; e-mail: brainnet@cadvision.com.

JUNE 2000: TABLE OF CONTENTS