System: look at all components and their interaction

The lawyer saw this as an indication that the person might be entitled to significant damages against the employer. I saw it as an appalling example of oversimplification and the demonising of computers. In this specific case, I do not know how well founded the diagnosis was (for carpal tunnel syndrome I believe), nor do I know whether the doctor's pessimism was justified (although I have my suspicions). However, what is clearly ridiculous to anyone who gives it any serious consideration is that simply touching the keyboard is neither the problem nor is simply avoiding it the solution.

Upper limb disorders have a variety of causes and although overuse of equipment is often a causal factor, it all depends how the equipment - in this case the keyboard is used. It may well be that the individual in question was sufficiently weakened that they would be unable to work at a job where intensive keyboard use is required, but gross oversimplifications do not help. The other aspect of this demonising of the keyboard which is unhelpful is that it also gives rise to the equally simplistic 'I'm ok as long as I do not use a keyboard'. Similar demands can be placed on the musculo-skeletal system by a variety of tasks, often with nothing even remotely connected to computing.

I remember the comments of a journalist I was helping to make sensible ergonomic adjustments to their workplace to prevent a recurrence of their upper limb symptoms that their week's leave did not seem to have helped their wrist pain even though they had not typed all week. When we discussed what they had been doing, it emerged that they had painted their kitchen ceiling - a task not only involving extensive wrist movement but also requiring some force. Even this intelligent person had wrongly assumed that their problem was with the computer equipment itself rather than the way it was being used.

Certainly the design of many items of computer equipment plays a major factor in determining the safety and comfort of the user but most computer related work is really just a slightly special case of activities which we undertake in a wide variety of environments.

If, as an ergonomics consultant, I am asked what makes computer-based office work more risky from a health and safety point of view, I identify postural issues (static postures, a more restricted range of movements etc), workload issues (demanding work schedules and technology oriented organisations - for example, call centres as the new 'sweat shops'), environmental issues (inappropriate lighting for screen work, equipment noise and heat) and stress issues (for example from 'unforgiving' software). But none of these is unique to computer - based work, it just seems slightly more demanding in many small ways.

First published 2003

Last reviwed Jan 2008