Office Ergonomics Risk Assessments & Recommendations

This course provides a comprehensive, evidence-informed framework for conducting office ergonomic risk assessments and developing targeted recommendations based on identified exposure drivers. Emphasis is placed on moving beyond simple workstation checklists to a systematic assessment process that integrates job demands, worker experience, workstation configuration, posture, anthropometric fit, cumulative exposure, and structured ergonomic assessment tools.

Participants will examine the nature of cumulative ergonomic risk in office environments and why apparently low-demand work can still produce meaningful musculoskeletal exposure. The course addresses the interaction of posture, repetition, frequency, force, duration, and recovery and reinforces the importance of movement and variability even when a workstation is configured within generally accepted ergonomic guidelines.

Content addresses the primary components of the office workstation and the principles used to evaluate their fit and configuration. Participants learn to assess seating, monitors, keyboards, pointing devices, work surfaces, and other workstation components while considering neutral posture, adjustability, task demands, duration of use, and individual anthropometric characteristics.

The course develops a structured approach to office ergonomic assessment that integrates worker interview, job-demand analysis, direct observation, workstation evaluation, symptom information, and exposure characterization. Participants learn to identify the primary drivers of cumulative exposure and prioritize findings based on the convergence of information rather than relying on a single observation, symptom, or assessment score.

Participants are introduced to multiple evidence-based tools and standards used in office ergonomic assessment. ROSA is used to evaluate workstation configuration and duration of exposure, while RULA evaluates posture, muscle use, and force during representative tasks. LUBA provides an additional method for isolating postural loading, and ANSI/HFES 100 provides evidence-based reference ranges and design principles for workstation configuration. Anthropometric analysis is used to determine whether the workstation can appropriately accommodate the individual worker.

Content also addresses the worker's reported experience as an important component of the assessment. Participants learn to integrate reported symptoms with workstation findings, observed posture, job demands, and structured assessment results. Emphasis is placed on convergence across multiple sources of evidence and on using clinical reasoning to determine which findings are most meaningful and should receive priority.

The course concludes with development of targeted, feasible recommendations linked directly to identified exposure drivers. Participants examine workstation adjustments, equipment modifications, work-practice strategies, and task or workflow changes and learn to select interventions based on what the assessment demonstrates rather than applying generic ergonomic solutions. The hierarchy of controls is incorporated as a framework for considering intervention options while recognizing the continuing importance of movement, variability, and recovery in office work.

Special consideration is given to remote, hybrid, and laptop-dominant work environments, where equipment limitations, variable work locations, and organizational policies may influence both exposure and available interventions. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on developing an assessment process that is systematic, evidence-informed, practical, and defensible.

Target Audience:

Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Athletic Trainers, Occupational Health Nurses, Ergonomics Professionals, Safety Professionals, Human Resources Professionals, and other licensed rehabilitation professionals involved in work rehabilitation, functional restoration, and return-to-work decision-making.

Instructional Level:

Intermediate

Prerequisites:

Foundational knowledge of workplace injury mechanisms, musculoskeletal exposure factors, and psychosocial contributors to work injury and recovery is recommended. This course builds directly on foundational coursework in these areas.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the nature of cumulative ergonomic risk in office environments and explain why it is frequently underestimated.
• Identify the primary components of an office workstation and explain how they interact as a system.
• Apply neutral posture principles and workstation adjustment fundamentals across common office configurations.
• Evaluate workstation setup using ROSA and interpret scores within the context of job demands.
• Apply RULA to assess postural loading when workstation setup alone does not explain reported symptoms.
• Apply LUBA to evaluate postural loading independent of duration and force, complementing RULA findings.
• Use ANSI/HFES 100 as a reference standard for evaluating workstation configuration.
• Apply anthropometric principles to assess the fit between a worker and their workstation.
• Conduct a structured office ergonomic assessment using a systematic clinical reasoning process.
• Identify primary drivers of cumulative exposure and prioritize findings using a structured rubric.
• Develop targeted, feasible ergonomic recommendations linked directly to identified exposure drivers.
• Evaluate ergonomic risk in remote, hybrid, and laptop-dominant work environments.

Educational Methods:

Didactic instruction, demonstration of office ergonomic assessment techniques, workstation and job-demand analysis, structured assessment-tool application, case-based analysis, guided clinical reasoning exercises, ergonomic recommendation development, and applied office workstation assessment activities.

Continuing Education Units / Contact Hours:

4 hours. Full Attendance Required.

Sponsors:

This program is not sponsored by any commercial entity. No commercial support has influenced course content.

Disclosure Statement:

All faculty and planners have disclosed relevant financial and non-financial relationships. Any potential conflicts of interest have been reviewed and mitigated in accordance with continuing education standards.

Cancellation & Refund Policy:

Refunds are available in accordance with Matheson's cancellation and refund policy. Please refer to our Cancellation Policy for full details.

• Cumulative ergonomic exposure in office environments and why risk may be underestimated
• Interaction of posture, repetition, frequency, force, duration, and recovery
• Relationship between workstation configuration, work demands, movement, and variability
• Development of musculoskeletal symptoms during prolonged computer and office work
• Applying the exposure-capacity framework to office ergonomic assessment
• Learning emphasis: Understanding how relatively low physical demands can accumulate over time to create meaningful musculoskeletal exposure.

• Interaction of seating, monitors, keyboards, pointing devices, work surfaces, and other workstation components
• Neutral posture principles and their application to workstation configuration
• Workstation adjustability and fit relative to the individual worker
• Anthropometric principles for evaluating reach, height, position, and equipment placement
• Relationship between workstation configuration and the actual demands of the worker's job
• Applied activity: Evaluate an office workstation as an integrated system rather than assessing individual components in isolation.

• Structured assessment sequence from referral and worker interview through observation and analysis
• Integration of job demands, worker experience, reported symptoms, and workstation configuration
• Tiered assessment approach and matching assessment depth to the referral question
• Identification and prioritization of the primary drivers of cumulative exposure
• Application of systematic clinical reasoning throughout the assessment process
• Applied activity: Work through an office ergonomic referral and determine the appropriate assessment approach and information needed to identify the primary exposure drivers.

• Using ROSA to evaluate workstation configuration and duration of exposure
• Applying RULA when posture and task demands require additional analysis
• Using LUBA to further evaluate postural loading
• Applying ANSI/HFES 100 and anthropometric principles as references for workstation configuration and fit
• Integrating assessment-tool findings with job demands, worker report, observation, and workstation findings
• Applied activity: Select, apply, and interpret appropriate assessment tools based on the workstation, worker presentation, and referral question.

• Translating assessment findings into specific recommendations linked to identified exposure drivers
• Workstation adjustments, equipment modifications, and work-practice strategies
• Applying the hierarchy of controls within the office environment
• Considering feasibility, worker needs, job requirements, movement, variability, and recovery
• Prioritizing recommendations based on the significance of findings and anticipated impact
• Applied activity: Develop targeted and feasible recommendations based on the findings of an office ergonomic assessment.

• Ergonomic challenges associated with remote, hybrid, and variable work environments
• Laptop use, limited equipment, and temporary or shared workstations
• Adapting assessment methodology when the assessor is not physically present
• Considering organizational policies and environmental constraints when developing recommendations
• Maintaining a systematic and defensible assessment process across different work settings
• Applied activity: Adapt the office ergonomic assessment and recommendation process to a remote or hybrid work scenario.

• Applied discussion is integrated throughout the course using office workstation examples and case scenarios. Participants practice identifying cumulative exposure, evaluating workstation fit and job demands, selecting appropriate assessment tools, integrating worker symptoms with objective findings, and determining which factors should receive priority when developing recommendations.

• Assessment includes knowledge checks and applied office ergonomic scenarios requiring participants to identify exposure drivers, evaluate workstation configuration and anthropometric fit, select and interpret appropriate assessment tools, integrate multiple sources of information, and develop targeted recommendations supported by the assessment findings.

• The Office Ergonomics Risk Assessment and Analysis Course Manual, course worksheets and case materials, ROSA, RULA, LUBA, and other course-provided assessment resources, course presentations and supporting instructional materials, and writing materials or an electronic device for assessment and case exercises are required. Applied activities may use a tape measure or other basic workstation measurement tools. On-demand and live-stream participants will also need reliable internet access and a device capable of accessing the course platform.

• Clinical and ergonomic reasoning is reinforced by asking participants to evaluate the worker, job demands, workstation, symptoms, and structured assessment findings together rather than relying on a checklist or individual tool score. Participants identify where evidence converges, determine the primary drivers of cumulative exposure, and develop recommendations that are practical, evidence-informed, and directly connected to the assessment findings.