When you think about workplace ergonomics, the first things that likely come to mind are office chairs and standing desks. You might not immediately think about where your monitors are positioned, or how their positioning can affect your health.
Improperly positioned monitors can lead to discomfort from poor posture related to slouching, tilting the head upwards, or bending the body sideways. This is especially true when multiple monitors are placed at a single workstation. Chronic discomfort can lead to headaches, eye strain, and back pain—and even musculoskeletal injury. Therefore, it’s important to ensure all monitors are positioned at the optimal viewing angle and viewing distance.
Viewing Angle. Put simply, the viewing angle refers to the height of the monitor’s position. When the operator is sitting up straight, the center of the screen should be at the same height as the operator’s eyes. Additional monitors should be positioned to match the primary screen vertically and minimize the operator needing to turn the head for optimal viewing.
Viewing Distance. Monitors should be positioned from 15 to 27 inches from the operator’s eye. This range should prove comfortable for the majority of operators. If this viewing distance is too great for the operator to see the screen comfortably, it’s preferable to increase the magnification onscreen rather than move the operator closer to the screen.