Ergonomics in the Home

Ergonomics looks at how people work, sit, reach, lift or do daily activities. The goal is to create a safe, comfortable and efficient workspace that prevents injuries. Sometimes, this workspace is at home, where you don’t pay attention to overuse or poor positioning.

• Use a variety of healthy postures.
• Rotate tasks.
• Use large muscle groups instead of small muscle groups.
• Pick up objects one at a time.
• Work in a comfortable position that limits reaching and bending.
• Use equipment that makes tasks safer (carts, shoulder straps, levers, etc.).
• Work on surfaces with edges to prevent objects from falling.
• Use shelves that pull out or rotate, and keep things within reach.

• Use gloves that improve your grip but don’t prevent you from closing your hand around an object.
• Use large handles with big grips.
• Push rather than pull.
• Use gravity (such as a downward slope) to make pushing easier.

• Arrange your workspace so your body can be in a comfortable position.
• Relax your arms, forearms and shoulders.
• Avoid postures or positions that feel tense or painful.

• Select tools that allow you to be in a comfortable position with a straight wrist.
• Use kneepads.
• Find cleaning tools that have wheels.
• Use tools with extended handles, stools and ladders to limit overhead reaching.
• To avoid bending, use extended handles and sit on a stool to reach lower objects.
• Use carts to move things whenever possible.

• Alternate the hand you rely on to hold equipment and supplies.
• Sweep dirt or dust into a pile, and pick it up with a vacuum.
• Soak dirty objects for a while, so you can avoid forceful scrubbing.
• Frequently change techniques when mopping, to alternate stress on muscles. (For example, vary the following: push/ pull; figure 8; rock side-to-side; etc.)
• Alternate stressful tasks with less difficult ones.
• Avoid twisting and bending at the waist while cleaning or moving large items.