Rules for working at a computer: norms, requirements and features

Computers have become an indispensable attribute of work, leisure and socialization. The age limits of people using computers have increased, and behavioral habits have changed. According to the studies of the monitoring company Childwise, over 20 years the number of hours spent behind the monitor among children has more than doubled: from 3 in 1995 to 6.5 in 2015. In adults, the average daily “communication” with computer equipment is an average of 8 hours. Given this trend, it is important to remember the organizational and technical aspects of interacting with a PC so that work and leisure do not turn into unpleasant consequences. Find out why you must follow your computer guidelines.

Safety precautions

Before admitting employees or students to the equipment, the inspector is obliged to instruct. As a rule, it comes down to the fact that you can’t touch electrical appliances with wet hands, eat or drink at a workplace and, God forbid, use broken equipment. These common truths are obvious even to a child. Consider other inalienable safety precautions when working with a computer, which are also useful for home use.

• The operation of computer equipment in conditions of high humidity is not allowed. In rooms where its rate is increased, it is required to use moisture absorbers, preferably with a built-in hygrostat. According to SanPiN standards, the optimal humidity level is in the range of 55-62%. In this case, the temperature should not be lower than 19 degrees.
• The device can only be connected to extension cords or sockets with a grounding bus. The use of a line filter is preferable: it neutralizes surges, current overloads and prevents short circuits.
• You can start working only after making sure that the sockets, cables and the integrity of the PC modules are intact. Do not contact exposed wires.
• You cannot clean a computer that is connected to the network.
• When working at a computer, do not touch other conductive surfaces, such as central heating radiators, pipes, appliances or objects with a metal coating. This is due to the likelihood of damage to the insulation of the internal electrical circuits of the power supply, which is why voltage appears on the case of the system unit. Simultaneous contact with it and with another metal surface leads to circuit closure and, as a result, to electric shock. Although manufacturers provide for such a situation and apply double insulation, do not neglect this rule.

Safety technology

Compliance with safety rules when working with a computer applies directly to the equipment. Often, the users themselves become the cause of the problem. We point out three common errors in user practice:

1. Shutting down the computer with incomplete processes. This sin 20% of users. Shutting down the device by pulling the cord from the network or pressing the power button harms, first of all, the file system. This means that unsaved data will be lost. In addition, such manipulations threaten damage to the hard drive. Since the device is mechanical, it is characterized by a torque. A sudden power outage causes physical damage. The action is comparable to emergency braking of the car: in exceptional cases it can be used, but on a regular basis this leads to the erasure of the brake pads. In the case of the hard drive - to bad sectors.
2. Closing vents. A favorite habit of laptop owners. In addition to drawing dust into the housing, it overheats, since hot air does not find a way out of the cooling system. To prevent this, it is recommended that you use cooling pads, or at least put books in it. Users of stationary PCs must provide a distance of at least 40 cm from the monitor and the system unit to the wall.
3. Removing external devices during information processing. Although these actions harm the media, not the computer, you should not remove the flash drive or disks during operation if you do not want to provoke a malfunction. The result of such manipulations is the inability to recognize the device or read information from it. This directly relates to CDs and DVDs, since in this case the law of mechanics also works. It is allowed to remove the media if the computer does not access them - this is indicated by the absence or presence of a light indication.

Electromagnetic radiation

When personal computers only went into home use, there was a widespread opinion about the harmful effects associated with electromagnetic radiation. At that time, PCs were equipped mainly with monitors based on a cathode ray tube. The radiation level exceeded the biologically permissible norms, therefore, additional protective coating was applied to the screens of such monitors, minimizing the negative impact. In current practice, such monitors are rather rare. Preference is given to liquid crystal and plasma, the electromagnetic radiation of which is within normal limits and hardly exceeds the radiation level of other electrical appliances. The highest dose of radiation comes from the back and side surfaces. It is advisable to place the monitor in the corner of the room: the walls will absorb harmful rays.

Not only the monitor creates EMP. The same applies to processors and other live components. Therefore, while working on a laptop, do not put it on your knees. It is advisable to get a separate keyboard and wireless mouse to spend as little time as possible close to the device. The basic rules of working with a computer are aimed at reducing the harmful effects, including those caused by electromagnetic radiation. To normalize the electric field in the room, it is recommended to do wet cleaning and ventilation.

Furniture selection

Regardless of the nature of the interaction with the PC, whether it is an eight-hour work day or entertainment, you need to ensure maximum comfort. Since being behind the monitor implies a static position, well-being directly depends on the quality of office furniture and the correspondence to the anatomical parameters of the body. Characteristics of computer tables according to SanPin requirements for adults:

When choosing a chair, you should pay attention to models with a lift-and-swing design and adjustment in such planes: height, back angle and the distance from it to the edge of the seat. Preference is given to chairs made of semi-soft non-slip material that allows air to pass through and is easy to clean.

Workspace organization

Depending on the type of video monitor used, the area of ​​the working space per person is:

• 6 m ² for CRT monitors ；
• 4.5 m2 for LCD monitors.

The normal distance to the monitor is 60-70 cm. The minimum acceptable border is 50 cm from the human eye. The keyboard is placed 10-30 cm from the edge of the table. If we are talking about an office layout, then the gap between the back of the monitor and the front user closest to it is at least 1.5-2.0 m - EM radiation is spread in this radius. At the same time, the workplace is equipped with side partitions, the height of which is also at least one and a half meters.

The rules for organizing work at a computer provide for exemption from foreign objects. So, on the table should be absent:

• hanging wires ；
• fluid containers ；
• flowerpots ；
• cooler ；
• other office equipment (in one plane).

Lighting

Placement of the table relative to the windows is better organized so that natural light falls on the side, ideally on the left. When choosing lamps, pay attention to the uniformity of lighting and the ripple coefficient of light, the permissible value of which should not exceed 5%. The degree of illumination of the working space varies between 300-500 suites. At the same time, the illumination of the screen does not exceed 300 lux. The screen and countertop are chosen so that glare is not created on their surface.

In the dark, you will need the use of table lamps. The combination of local and general lighting is also permitted by the rules. Work at the computer will become more comfortable if you get a "flexible" lamp, the design of which takes the right position. It is desirable that additional light is located on top of the monitor at a height of 30-40 cm - this will help to avoid glare on the monitor and create a favorable background for the eyes. It is worth abandoning the “cold” white lamps in favor of the “warm” yellowish shades.

Landing

Staying in a sitting position for two or more hours provokes blood stasis, muscle weakness and joint pain. If you sit incorrectly, the effect is exacerbated. Follow these rules so that working at a computer does not bring discomfort:

1. Furniture meets the parameters of a person.
2. There is no gap between the back of the chair and the back - this removes excessive load in the lumbar.
3. Feet are placed on a special stand at an angle of 90-100 degrees.
4. Avoid tossing your legs over the legs - this leads to a curvature of the spine and constriction of the veins.
5. The position of the hands on the keyboard corresponds to the level of the elbows.
6. The hand of the control mouse is located directly on it, without bending to the left or right.

Vision

In the past, CRT monitors were considered the main culprits for reducing vision in those who work for the PC. This was due to the high flicker coefficient. Although liquid crystal technology is devoid of this factor, the danger continues to exist. The reason for this is the increased brightness, small print and variegation of the viewed web pages. Adjusting these parameters will reduce eye fatigue. Use specialized software (for example, flux) that adjusts the color temperature depending on the time of day: the "cold" palette in the light period, and the "warm" in the dark.

Keeping the recommended distance to the monitor will also help maintain the ability to see normally. Screens with anti-glare or matte coating will protect your eyes from excessive shine, which provokes tearing, redness and pain. To neutralize the effects of radiation, computer glasses with an absorbing coating are used. However, the main rule for preserving vision remains the regular change of activities and charging for the eyes. Follow the "rule of twenty": after every 20 minutes, focus your eyes on an object located at a distance of 20 meters for 20 seconds. This rule of working at a computer will significantly reduce eye strain.

Work breaks

Doctors prescribe a 15-minute break at the end of each hour. However, you do not need to watch the clock: if you feel tired, then it's time to take a break. Do not forget about the duration of the sessions: continuous operation over two hours is unacceptable.

During the "intermission" you should turn off the computer monitor and leave the room until it is ventilated. It is advisable at this time to distract from electronic devices so that the eyes rest, and stretch themselves. Practice shows that regular “five minutes” help increase productivity, as the brain switches to other tasks and thus rests from the routine.

Features of PC use by children

Experts agree that children under 5 years old have nothing to do at the computer, since the visual organs are not fully formed. Temporary regulations for schoolchildren vary. Russian doctors and scientific staff adhere to a radical point of view and recommend that parents of first-graders should limit their pastime behind the monitor to 15 minutes a day. Middle school students are allowed to play up to half an hour a day, and high school students - up to 50 minutes. In the 21st century, such standards seem unrealistic and even ridiculous.

But progressive scientists from Oxford believe that regular communication with technology does not harm, but, on the contrary, develops a tendency to multitask in a child. Regarding the harm to health, researchers believe that it is exaggerated, because children use a personal computer more often as a replacement for the TV, and not just for gaming purposes.

However, it is better not to go from one extreme to another, but stick to the middle ground. Agree with the child that play is allowed only after completing lessons and performing basic household chores. Make sure that a single computer session does not exceed 45 minutes. After that, do exercises with him, go for a walk or have a snack. The main thing - no gadgets during the break. Otherwise, the rules for working at a computer for schoolchildren are no different from the rules for working for adults: the room should be light and clean, children's furniture matches the size, and the child himself is comfortably and properly seated at the table.