Deviations from VDT workstation preferred settings and physical discomforts

[[abstract]]VDT workstation preferred settings and field settings were assessed for thirty experienced VDT users from a semiconductor manufacturing company. Self-reported data on visual and musculoskeletal discomforts were collected. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the physical discomforts and the deviations in field settings from the preferred settings. Regression models explained up to 49% of the variance in discomfort of different body parts. Deviations in the eye to monitor distance, in the elbow height to keyboard height difference and in the trunk inclination angle were the most predictive variables for physical discomforts. The results indicate that visual and neck discomforts are significantly affected by deviations in eye and neck posture-related preferred settings. Shoulder-arm-wrist area and trunk discomforts are influenced by deviations in the upper extremity and back related preferred settings. The trunk inclination angle acts the leading factor in thigh and lower leg discomfort. The systematic pattern of correlations suggest that it is necessary to consider VDT users' preferred settings for VDT workstations into the VDT workstation design to eliminate the musculoskeletal discomforts associated with prolonged personal computer use in the office environment.[[fileno]]2020405010084[[department]]工工