ERGONOMICS OF

THE OFFICE
What is Ergonomics?
This is basically changing the environment to suit people rather than people
adapting to the environment.

It is concerned with designing and arranging the work environment- office

layouts and sizes, workstations, equipment and systems, lighting, ventilation
and temperature to create a safe and comfortable place for those who use
them, so they can be productive without their health and safety being at risk.

Ergonomics includes the design of furniture, and air conditioning, the design
of furniture, the positioning of computer monitors, the adjustments of chairs
and encouraging good posture.

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ADVANTAGES of using ergonomics
✗ The environment is made safe and comfortable.
✗ Productivity is maximized.
✗ There is better interaction with the environment.
✗ Quality of life is improved.
✗ Stress levels are reduced.
✗ People can work comfortably for a longer period.
✗ People tend to be healthier.

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DISADVANTAGES of using ergonomics
✗ The working environment has to be changed all the
time.
✗ It is costly to change the design of the environment
to suit people’s needs.
✗ The study of ergonomics takes time and money to
obtain scientific information to be used to improve
working conditions.

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Office
equipment
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 What is office equipment?
Is used so that work can be performed more easily, quickly and efficiently.

There are several types of equipment, from simple to complex and from
single-purpose to multi-purpose, for general and for specialized office work.

Equipment is available to assist with every task in the office.

However, no matter how automated the office becomes, machines cannot

completely replace humans.

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Types of office equipment
✗ Accounting - computers to do spreadsheet.
✗ Calculating - calculators.
✗ Communication - telephone, tablet computers.
✗ Filing - filing cabinets and computers.
✗ Mailing - sealing machines and franking machines.
✗ Paper handling - collators, guillotines, paper
cutters, shredders, laminators, binding machines
and labellers.
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Types of office equipment
✗ Printing – printers, receipt and barcode printers.
✗ Recording – transcription machines and telephone
answering machines.
✗ Reprographics – photocopiers and risographs.
✗ scanning – computer scanners and barcode
scanners.
✗ Multimedia – digital cameras, overhead projectors
and computers.
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Purpose of accounting equipment
✗ Prepare accounting records.
✗ Print information on forms.
.

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Purpose of Paper handling equipment
✗ Attach multi-page documents together e.g.. stapler,
binding machine.
✗ Cut sheets of continuous stationery along the
perforations and trim the pin-feed edges.
✗ Remove sprocket holes on computer generated forms.
✗ Separate sets of forms from carbons.
✗ Produce labels for products.
✗ Cut paper to the required size.

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Purpose of communication equipment
✗ Receive and transmit messages orally.
✗ Page persons in a building or somewhere on the
compound.
✗ Address several persons simultaneously.
✗ Alert travelling officers to contract the office.
✗ Transmit information between persons or
organizations.

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Purpose of filing equipment
✗ Store records and information for future reference.
✗ Secure confidential records and information.

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Purpose of mailing equipment
✗ Address envelopes, invoices and debit and credit note.
✗ Stamp the date and time on mail received.
✗ Moisten and seal envelopes.
✗ Weigh letters and parcels to determine the correct postage.
✗ Roll and wrap papers, brochures and booklets for posting.
✗ Open the envelopes of incoming mail.
✗ Print postal impressions on envelopes or labels for outgoing
mail.

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Purpose of printing equipment
✗ Print single or multiple copies of documents stored on a
computer.
✗ Produce printed records of computations of numbers.
✗ Record and show the amount of a sale.
✗ Emboss information on cheque forms.
✗ Print postal impressions on envelopes and labels.
✗ Print data on rolls of paper.
✗ Print information on printed forms (invoices, credit and credit
notes and statements).

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Purpose of recording equipment
✗ Record telephone messages.
✗ Record dictated messages on cassette or digital
recorder for a secretary or administrative assistant
to prepare documents for an executive.

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Purpose of reprographic equipment
✗ Produce identical copies on paper or transparency.
✗ Produce documents stored on a computer.

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Purpose of scanning equipment
✗ Transmit an image of a document to a computer for
storage.

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