Computer Workstation Setup: Common Questions
Workstation setup and use for people who work regularly at computers.
Last revised
Computer Workstation Setup: the questions people actually ask, answered from published guidance.
Key takeaways
- Ergonomic assessment: many employers offer one; ask HR or your safety team
- Monitor position: top of the screen at or slightly below eye level
- Most useful single change: Ask your employer for an ergonomic assessment of your workstation.
- Commonest mistake: Working from a laptop on your lap for long periods.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
What is Computer Workstation Setup?
Workstation setup and use for people who work regularly at computers.
Why does it matter?
A poorly arranged workstation is linked to neck, back, wrist and eye strain, and the largest single factor remains how long you stay in one position.
Ergonomic assessment for Computer Workstation Setup?
Many employers offer one; ask HR or your safety team.
Monitor position for Computer Workstation Setup?
Top of the screen at or slightly below eye level.
Viewing distance for Computer Workstation Setup?
About an arm's length, roughly 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100 cm).
Break interval for Computer Workstation Setup?
Change position every 30 minutes or so.
What is the single most useful thing to do?
Ask your employer for an ergonomic assessment of your workstation.
What is the most common mistake?
Working from a laptop on your lap for long periods.
When should I see a doctor?
See your doctor for persistent numbness, tingling or weakness in the hands or arms, which can indicate nerve compression. Go to the emergency room or call 911 for sudden weakness in both legs, or any bladder or bowel changes with back pain. Report work-related symptoms to your employer.
Related topics
- Workstation Setup: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Back and Posture)
- The Evidence on Screen Use and Eyes, Without the Hype (Eye Health)
- Car Seats and Seat Belts: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Injury Prevention)
- Falls Prevention: What Published Guidance Supports (Bone and Joint)
Where to go next
- Your Questions About Computer Workstation Setup, Answered
- Computer Workstation Setup: The Quick Reference
- Computer Workstation Setup — the reference entry
- Workplace Health: The Complete Guide
- The Evidence on Occupational Asthma, Without the Hype
- Noise at Work: What Published Guidance Supports
When to get help
See your doctor for persistent numbness, tingling or weakness in the hands or arms, which can indicate nerve compression. Go to the emergency room or call 911 for sudden weakness in both legs, or any bladder or bowel changes with back pain. Report work-related symptoms to your employer.
Where this comes from
- OSHA — Computer Workstations eTool
- American Academy of Ophthalmology — Computers, Digital Devices and Eye Strain
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
