Office Ergonomic Evaluation Details
Office Ergonomic Evaluations
At Colorado State University, we understand that a well-designed workspace is fundamental to your comfort, health, and productivity. Our expert ergonomists are here to help you identify and address workstation-related issues, whether you’re experiencing discomfort, aiming to prevent future problems, or simply looking to enhance your daily work experience.
We offer two distinct levels of ergonomic evaluation, tailored to meet your specific needs, from a quick check-up to a comprehensive, data-driven assessment. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and adjustments necessary to work more comfortably, safely, and efficiently.
Level 1 Ergonomic Evaluation – Quick Check (Concise)
This concise and qualitative evaluation typically takes ~15-45 minutes. It’s designed for a quick review of your workspace and work habits.
During this evaluation, our ergonomic specialist will:
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Gather brief information about your work environment, workstation, tasks, and tools.
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Observe you performing regular work for 5–10 minutes to identify potential issues.
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Take pictures to document any identified risk factors, equipment, or inefficiencies.
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Manually customize your workstation by adjusting your chair, monitor, and desk during the evaluation to provide an optimized setup immediately where equipment allows.
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Demonstrate the correct use of your equipment and explain why certain settings fit your needs.
This evaluation is ideal if you’re looking for an initial review of your ergonomic setup, want to proactively identify potential areas for improvement, or simply wish to ensure you’re working as comfortably and efficiently as possible. It’s a great starting point.
To request an evaluation, please complete the – Office Ergonomic Evaluation Questionnaire/Intake Form.
Level 2 Ergonomic Evaluation – Comprehensive/Detailed Assessment
This detailed and quantitative evaluation typically takes 45-75 minutes. It provides an in-depth analysis of your workstation, work environment, and tasks.
During this comprehensive assessment, an ergonomic specialist will:
- Conduct a comprehensive evaluation and gather more thorough information about any discomfort, injury risks, and other concerns you may have.
- Observe and evaluate your work for 10-30 minutes, capturing photos and/or video to document risk factors, equipment, and inefficiencies.
- Take detailed measurements which may include various office anthropometric measurements such as your seated and standing elbow heights, popliteal height, and critical workstation dimensions like desk height, monitor height and distance, and chair height.
- Manually customize your workstation set-up on the spot to align with your specific measurements (anthropometric data) and optimize your work environment for immediate risk reduction (where feasible)
- Provide a hands-on demonstration of workstation adjustments including your chair, desk, and monitor while educating you on the why behind these settings.
- Discuss findings and go over your personalized ergonomic evaluation report, including injury risk and ergonomic risk evaluation scores across 6 body areas.
- Identify the primary causes of ergonomic exposure and provide practical solutions and workstation adjustments to reduce injury risk and improve comfort.
- Evaluate workstation equipment against university standards to ensure all tools provide the necessary range of adjustability to support the employee’s specific physical dimensions.
This type of evaluation is particularly beneficial for:
- Anyone seeking a thorough and data-driven review and optimization of their workstation and work habits to prevent future issues and improve overall well-being.
- Employees who have had a Level 1 evaluation and require more in-depth assistance or further investigation into persistent issues.
- Individuals experiencing pain or discomfort related to their work, or those with specific concerns about their workstation setup.
- Anyone unsure of which evaluation to pursue.
- Departments seeking to implement Universal Design principles by ensuring furniture and tools are adjustable enough to accommodate the full range of their workforce dimensions.
To request an evaluation, please complete the Office Ergonomic Evaluation Questionnaire/Intake Form.
Understanding Your Ergonomic Risk Scores
Following a Level 2 evaluation, you will receive a personalized report that includes ergonomic risk evaluation scores. These scores help to quantify your exposure to risk factors across different body areas, providing a clear benchmark for improvement.
These scores are a valuable tool for understanding your ergonomic profile and tracking progress as adjustments are made. These scores are utilized as leading metrics to identify high-risk areas and track the percentage of risk reduction achieved following the implementation of our ergonomic recommendations.
Equipment Standards and Universal Fit
Our program works in conjunction with university furniture standards to recommend equipment that accommodates the widest possible range of body types and physical dimensions. By utilizing height adjustable tables and highly adjustable ergonomic chairs, we ensure that workstations can be tailored to the individual rather than forcing the individual to adapt to a static environment. This commitment to adjustability allows us to meet the needs of a diverse workforce in alignment with universal design principles and international ergonomic benchmarks.
Virtual/Remote Office Ergonomic Evaluation
With the rise of hybrid and fully remote work schedules, the home office has become a critical extension of the professional work environment. We apply the same evidence-based standards and ergonomic principles to these spaces as we do on campus to ensure consistency in comfort and safety.
Because a home environment presents unique spatial layout and equipment differences compared to a campus workstation, our virtual evaluations are specifically structured to address those distinctions:
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Tailored Remote Assessment providing full support from CSU experts to help you create a safer, more comfortable home office – without anyone stepping foot in your home!
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Home-Specific Solutions focusing on creative equipment adjustments, computer configurations, and utilizing household items as temporary stop-gap measures to improve positioning
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Complete Privacy and Confidentiality for your personal residence by utilizing interactive digital tools and employee photo submissions rather than an on-site walkthrough
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Dedicated Separate Focus ensuring your home setup receives individual, concentrated attention away from your on-campus evaluation to properly address the distinct environment
Ergonomic Evaluations for Work-Related Injury
In the case of a report of a work-related of injury, the Level 2 evaluation process from above will be utilized along with similar and related physical demands analysis (PDA). Read more here – Understanding PDA and Ergonomic services.
Photos/video will need to be taken as part of the evaluation process (and use of AI/Motion capture) and will be included in the ergonomic evaluation report, which will be provided to the Authorized Treating Physician (ATP), the CSU Workers’ Compensation team and CSU’s insurance company. Wearable equipment such as electrogoniometers may also need to be worn by the employee to collect precise data required for the workers’ compensation claim (this varies on situation and the part of the body reported as injured).
If an injured employee cannot perform their normal/regular job tasks (i.e., due to restrictions given by a physician), a willing co-worker can fill in. However, this individual would need to be okay with being observed for several hours, videotaped, etc. Along with observation, photos and videos, more detailed measurements may also be needed and may include but are not limited to grip force, weight lifted, the force to push/pull, reach distances, heights, etc.
Please contact the ergonomics manager with questions.
Professional Oversight
All Colorado State University ergonomic evaluations and programming are managed and reviewed by a Board Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE). This ensures that every assessment follows best practices and meets the rigorous professional support requirements set by international standards by OSHA, HFES, and WELL.
Contact CSU Ergonomics
(970) 491-2724