UBC's Ergonomics Program has the following resources to assist you in setting up your workstation.

Ergo your UBC office  

• Online course. This course consists of a few short videos to help you in setting up your UBC office workstation and provides guidance on how to access additional support.  Register online.
• Ergo Your UBC Office Tips. See below for tips and examples on how to set-up your UBC office workstation correctly.
• Ergonomic equipment and furniture guidelines.  See UBC's ergonomic purchasing guidelines for tips and information.
• Okanagan campus.  Okanagan specific ergonomic resources. 

Ergo your remote work office

• Online course. This course consists of a few short videos to help you in setting up your remote home office workstation and to provide more clarity around the ergo questions in the SRS work area assessment checklist for remote work. Register online.

Ergonomics & desk sharing

• Resource sheet. Desk sharing refers to an office that provides a pool of desks rather than assigning individual desks to individual people. Please see our Ergo & Accessibility tips for desk sharing to learn how to set your office up for success if your office is transitioning to this. 

Ergo your UBC office  

• Ergo Your UBC Office Tips. See below for tips and examples on how to set-up your workstation correctly. 

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Working in a biosafety cabinet can result in an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury risk due increased reaching over the air vent. Take care to ensure you’ve set-up your workstation optimally to reduce injury risk.

Working at biosafety cabinet

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MSI risks

Poor Ergonomics: the awkward shoulder posture and extended reaching when using a standard pipette filler and long seriological pipettes are amplified due to the glass barrier and need to reach over the air vent.

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Improved ergonomics

• Adjust the height of the biosafety cabinet
• Adjust chair height and height of footring/footrest
• Organize work to keep frequently used items as close as possible
• Place a low provide garbage bin within as close of a reach as possible
• Use ergonomic pipette filler and shorty seriological pipettes

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Improved ergonomics

• Obtain elbow rest if needed
• When purchasing a biosafety cabinet an NSF certified with as large of an opening as safely possible, e.g. 12″ to 14″ and a sloped window is preferable

Cleaning biosafety cabinet

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MSI risks

• Extended reaching to wipe the back of the cabinet
• Places increased strain on the shoulders, neck and back

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Improved ergonomics

Use a telescopic pole with flat head and paper towel to reach the back of the cabinet. This will reduce the strain on the shoulders, neck and back.

Pipettes provided courtesy of ThermoFisher. Armrest provided courtesy of NuAire.

Resources, links, and contacts for finding a home to buy in Metro Vancouver.

Visit our relocating to Kelowna page for helpful information on buying a home in Kelowna.

Traditional pipette-fillers result in working in awkward postures which causes pain, reduces speed and duration, and increases risk of errors. An ergonomic long handle pipette filler combined with a shorty seriological pipette significantly improves shoulder posture.

MSI risks

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• Shoulder abduction strains the shoulder and neck musculature

Improved ergonomics

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• Use an ergonomic long handle pipette filler and a shorty seriological pipette-this will allow you to keep your arms close to your side as you work
• Take micro-breaks
• Rotate tasks

Pipettes provided courtesy of ThermoFisher. Wells provided courtesy of VWR International.

Extensive pipetting increases the risk of developing a repetitive strain injury (RSI). Purchasing the right pipette can improve efficiency and reduce the risk of injury.

Below is a list of key ergonomic factors to consider when purchasing new pipettes.

Please contact ergonomics.info@ubc.ca if you require assistance.

Electronic pipettes

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• Recommended if pipetting >2hrs/day
• Benefits include reduced force and repetition

When purchasing an electronic pipette look for ones that have an adjustable finger support, allow multi-finger involvement (e.g. index finger trigger), electronic tip ejection and auto-dispense.

Low aspiration and dispensing force

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When purchasing manual pipettes look for ones with low trigger force to reduce the risk of injury.

Frequent repetition with a manual pipette, particularly one that requires high trigger force, can strain the thumb musculature and result in an increased risk of injury.

Low tip insertion force

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Ineffective tip insertion can result in tips falling off or staff using excessive force to secure the tips. Purchasing pipettes that require only light force and provide feedback of successful tip insertion reduce the risk of injury and improve efficiency.

Benefits:

• Reduced hand/arm force to secure tips
• Reduced hand/arm force when ejecting tips
• Reduced risk of tips falling off and inadvertent sample loss

Adjustable spacing multi-channel pipettes

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Multi-channel pipettes tend to be heavier and have higher tip insertion/tip ejection forces; however, they can significantly reduce the number of repetitions.

When purchasing a multi-channel pipette look for low tip insertion force and electronic options.

Multi-channel pipettes with adjustable spacing allow staff to move liquid between wells of different sizes and thus significantly reduce the number of repetitions required which will reduce the risk of injury and improve efficiency.

Alternative arm position

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Some pipettes have been specifically designed to promote a more neutral arm and wrist posture. This design may also improve accuracy.

Pipettes provided courtesy of ThermoFisher. Wells provided courtesy of VWR International. Alternative posture pipette provided by VistaLab.

MSI risks

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• Workbench positioned too low: results in bending
• Legs, feet and back can become tired with static and sustained standing

Improved ergonomics

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• Use anti-fatigue mat for sustained standing
• Ergonomics could be further improved by raising the workbench
• Take micro-breaks: move and stretch

Pipettes provided courtesy of ThermoFisher. Wells and anti-fatigue mat provided courtesy of VWR International.

MSI risks

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• Insufficient leg space results in twisting and extended reaching
• Poor posture is a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury and also increases the risks of spill and errors.

Improved ergonomics

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• Sufficient leg space to pull into work bench
• Seat raised (bench height just below elbow height)
• Adjust foot ring: feet supported with knees at 90 degrees
• Use backrest and adjust height as needed
• Adjust height of work bench if possible

Improved ergonomics

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• Supporting the arm improves stability (i.e. less risk of spilling)
• Use elbow pad (reduce pressure point at elbow)
• Arrange workspace: frequently used items within elbow’s reach
• Use low profile garbage bin for tips

Alternative options- saddle stool

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If achieving optimal is not possible then consider using a saddle stool to minimize the negative effects of twisting and leaning forward (note: this is not ideal but is better than sitting and twisting as pictured at the top of the page)

Pipettes provided courtesy of ThermoFisher. Wells provided courtesy of VWR International.

Microscope work involves sustained static postures of the head, neck and body. Adjust your workstation to minimize awkward postures and improve comfort.

MSI risks

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• Forward bending-strains back musculature
• Leaning on arms-strains upper shoulders/neck
• Forearm contact pressure on table top

Improved ergonomics

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• Work in an area with proper leg clearance
• Position microscope near the edge of the table
• Use a height adjustable chair; preferred if table is also height adjustable
• Eye piece should be at eye level
• Backrest should support low back
• Feet should be supported on ground, footring or footrest
• Use a forearm pad to reduce contact pressure on the forearms (demo available through UBC’s Ergonomics Program)
• If standing, raise microscope so that the eye piece is at eye level and use an anti-fatigue mat
• Take frequent micro-breaks to adjust posture
• Posture in photo could be futher improved with an extendable and adjustable eye piece

MSI risks

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Shoulder fatigue will develop if staff are required to point and reach to the tablet screen. Ideally, a separate trackpad should be provided or at minimum provide an armrest for support

Improved ergonomics anchor

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If purchasing a new microscope look for options that allow a tablet attachment with a separate track pad. A separate trackpad is recommended if staff will be pointing, selecting or highlighting items on the tablet.

Microscope and tablet provided courtesy of VWR International.

Take some time to set-up your workstation to fit you and consider ergonomics when purchasing new equipment.

Setting up your workstation

• Biosafety Cabinets
• Microscope Ergonomics
• Pipette Fillers
• Pipetting & Purchasing
• Pipetting & Sitting
• Pipetting & Standing

Ergo your lab training

• Contact ergonomics.info@ubc.ca to arrange a live, in-person training for your lab

   

Technical guidelines

• Section 01 60 00 Ergonomic Requirements Section 2.2 (UBC’s Technical Guidelines)