HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES IN ICT

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• ICT tools have transformed our living conditions and made life easier for us. Gone are the days of writing letters and having them delivered days later. We ah e computers, phones, and other tools to help us do that.
• However, ICT tools do have some negative effects on us. There are many health and safety risks in using ICT tools. Fortunately, there are solutions or ways to prevent each of these issues.

HEALTH RISKS AND SOLUTIONS

MUSCULOSKELETAL PROBLEMS

• Pain in the lower back
• Repetitive Strain Injury or Carpal-tunnel Syndrome
• Back and neck aches
• Tension headaches

PAIN IN THE LOWER BACK

• The lower back is also referred to as the lumbar region.
• This is caused by in an unnatural or unhealthy position
• If you sit in a non-ergonomically made chair, you will most likely develop this pain.

REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY/ CARPAL-TUNNEL SYNDROME

• Google defines this as "a painful condition of the hand and fingers caused by compression of a major nerve which passes over the carpal bones through a passage at the front of the wrist."
• It causes painful swelling of the wrist and fingers
• Mainly due to typing or using the mouse for long periods of time, holding the mouse incorrectly and typing in cramped workspaces.

BACK AND NECK ACHE

• This is due to having a bad sitting posture.
• Being hunched over your computer or any ICT tool will probably cause back and neck aches.

TENSION HEADACHES

• According to Mayo Clinic, a tension headache is "a mild to moderate pain in your head that's often described that's often described as feeling like a tight band around your head."
• Staring at the computer for too long may lead to tension headaches.

SOLUTIONS

MONITORS SHOULD...

• Swivel, tilt, and elevate- if not use an adjustable stand, books, or blocks to adjust the height.
• Be positioned so that the top line of the monitor is no higher than your eyes or no lower than 20 degrees below the horizon of your eyes/ field of vision.
• Be at the same level and beside the document holder, if you use one.
• Be between 18-24 inches from your face

KEYBOARDS SHOULD...

• Be detachable and adjustable (with legs to adjust angle)
• Allow your forearms to be parallel to the ground without lifting your elbows
• Allow your wrists to be at the same level as your forearms so they don't have to flex up or down.
• Include enough space to rest your wrists/ a padded detachable wrist rest/ separate gel wrist rest; at least 50mm
• Be placed directly in front of the monitor and at the same height as the mouse, trackball, or touch pad.

CHAIRS SHOULD...

• Support the back
• Chair height should be adjustable from sitting position
• Have removable and adjustable armrests

TABLES AND DESKS SHOULD...

• Provide sufficient leg room and preferably be height adjustable
• Have enough room to support the computer equipment and space for documents
• Have rounded corners and edges
• Be at least 900mm deep

PRECAUTIONS INCLUDE...

• Taking regular breaks from working at your computer- a few minutes at least once an hour
• Regular stretching to relax your body
• Avoid gripping mouse too tightly- hold it lightly and click gently
• Alternate work tasks

EYE STRAIN

• Mostly caused by wrongful use of computers and televisions
• Includes dry eye; red, itchy, and watery eyes; heaviness of the eyelids and forehead, and difficulty in focusing the eye.
• This happens when you looks at a monitor/ TV for a long time because the light it gives off- as well as other light reflecting off it from other sources- affects the eyes.

SOLUTIONS

• Exercise eyes by periodically focusing on objects at varying distances.
• Blink regularly
• Adjust brightness control on screen for comfort
• Position monitors to avoid glare (e.g not in front off windows).
• Servicing, replacing, repairing monitors that flicker or have inadequate clarity.

RADIATION

• Phones and other electronic devices emit a lot of radiation
• This radiation causes changes in our nervous system (i.e the brain and the nerves)

SOLUTIONS

• Never keep your device on any part of your clothing
• Don't place your device anywhere near you when sleeping

WEAKENING OF EARFDRUMS

• Your eardrums can be overworked if you keep a phone next to your ear
• Listening to radios, speakers, phones, and other ICT tools at high volumes will weaken your eardrums.
• Your ears will become incapable of hearing low sounds.

SAFETY RISKS AND SOLUTIONS

ELECTROCUTION

• Since ICT tools need to be connected to power source, we run the risk of being electrocuted.
• This is caused by: faulty equipment (bare wires, etc.), spilling drinks over electrical equipment, opening up an electrical device when you don't know what you're doing.

SOLUTIONS

• Make sure wires are insulated
• Keep drinks away from equipment
• Report any malfunctioning equipment to a technician
• Never open up an electrical device

TRIPPING OVER WIRES AND CABLES

• Most devices have wires and cables
• When these are on the floor, it is likely that people will trip over them

SOLUTIONS

• Hide wires in cable ducts
• Tuck wires under desks or carpets
• Use wireless devices

FALLING HEAVY OBJEcTS

• Some ICT tools are very heavy (e.g monitors and printers)
• They'd cause severe injury if they were to fall on you

SOLUTIONS

• Make sure equipment is placed away from edge of tables, desks, etc.
• Place equipment on strong desks/tables which can support the weight with ease.

FIRES

• ICT tools are are connected to power sources. If too many plugs are connected to one socket , the circuit overloads and overheats, causing an electrical fire.
• Covering air vents of devices such as laptops can also cause fires.

SOLUTIONS

• Make sure that your room has many outlets
• Don't plug too many devices into the same outlet.
• Leave air vents on devices uncovered.

THANK YOU