Is Early Ergonomics Better Economics?

Workplace use of computers has increased dramatically since 1988. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, half of all adults in the United States use computers in the workplace. Many spend the majority of their days engaged in computer work. The same source noted that about three-fourths of all school-age children
use computers. At the same time that the number of users has increased, the means of interacting with and using computers has also changed. As computers become fixtures in more and more workplaces, the need to develop and maintain technical standards to derive the maximum benefit from computer use becomes increasingly apparent.

The new document recognizes the growing importance of computer workstations and the consequent benefits to users and employers from workstations that are ergonomically designed and integrated to enhance productivity and comfort. BSR/HFES100 guides designers in ways to accommodate variation both in the size of individual users and in the manner of usage. It also provides guidance to the individuals who must integrate individual
workstation components designed for a wide variety of users into a system that fits the intended individual user.