Ergonomics Program

For ergonomic requests, please contact Peter Wells, Director of Environmental Health & Safety at extension 8287 or pjw6@stmarys-ca.edu

Are you working from home and need ergonomics support?  Read on for more information. 

If you are working from home and need ergonomic support, see Comfort Tips 1 and Comfort Tip 2 below and this video for general office setup recommendations.  You can also email Peter Wells at pjw6@stmarys-ca.edu for questions or recommendations.  Peter can provide you with small office equipment, such as mouse, keyboard, wrist rest and similar small items that can be picked up from campus.

If you require office furniture, such as an office chair and/or sit/stand desk, please discuss your needs with your department head to explore the possibility of purchasing this equipment through your department.  Listed below are recommended office chairs and sit/stand stations that you can purchase from reputable vendors.

Home Equipment: Listed below are links for regular chairs, big and tall chairs, petite chairs as well as sit/stand stations.  If a department needs help with ordering, please provide a GL code and the requested item to be purchased to Peter Wells.  In most cases, the items will be delivered to the employee's home.  Most items may require minor assembly.

1. Priority one: GET OFF YOUR LAPTOP and take occasional breaks; walk around and stretch
2. Priority two: Use your laptop with external monitor, external keyboard and an external mouse.  Using the bare laptop for extended periods of time can harm you.  Peter can provide you with a mouse, keyboard, wrist rest and similar small items that can be picked up from campus
3. Priority three: Do not use bifocal glasses when using the computer.  The bifocals force you to lift your head when reading and that can cause neck discomfort.  Obtain and use dedicated reading or computer glasses for your computer
4. Monitor: If you need an external monitor for your laptop, please work with IT Services to obtain one.  IT Services requires a GL code
5. Standard Chair 1
6. Standard Chair 2
7. Big & Tall Chair
8. Petit Chair
9. Sit/Stand Workstation - small (32 inch) for one monitor
10. Sit/Stand Workstation - large (36 inch) for two monitors
11. For other specialized equipment not listed, please contact Peter Wells
12. See this video; office ergonomic set up for working from home

Working on campus: Your department must provide you with the basic equipment for your on-campus workstation, as follows:

• A standard desk - not a dining table, student desk, typewriter desk or something similar,
• An external keyboard, external monitor(s) and an external mouse, particularly if you were issued a laptop,
• A suitable (and not broken) chair

Ergonomic Reviews on Campus: The College also conducts monthly ergonomic audits for on-campus workstations on the third Tuesday of every month.  Additionally, we can conduct mini reviews to help you get comfortable between audits.  We can provide you with needed small equipment, tools, training and awareness to minimize the potential for repetitive stress syndrome.  If you would like to have your workstation audited by our ergonomist, please contact the program manager, Peter Wells at pjw6@stmarys-ca.edu to be included.  Availability is on first-come-first-serve bases, as the list fills up.

Please review the files below for more information.

• ST. MARY'S COLLEGE Ergonomics Program
• Minimum Office Equipment Required for On-boarding Brochure
• Comfort Tip 1 - Proper Office Equipment Setup
• Comfort Tips 2 - Approximate Measurements of Office Setup