WORK ENVIRONMENT

COMMNICATION – COMP1017

NAME: Abhijeet Rana

Arshdeep Singh
Inderpreet Kaur Grewal
Vrunda Panchani
Eyesight Problems Faced
By Computer Users At
Workplace
Introduction
Nowadays, as we all know very well that computers
are mainly used in our day to day life. People are
using it for many aspects of life – entertainment,
traveling, school, work, and health care. There are
different types of health issues like physical and
mental problems that they are facing because of
using computers excessively. The majority of these
health issues are stress injuries, depression, pain in
various parts of the bodies and vision problems.
More Introduction
Besides, there are several ways to control or prevent these issues. According

to this, “Precautions from health issues faced by computer users” will be our

message to convey as the main theme for this project. Therefore, we are going

to explain the health issues faced by computer users as well as precautions to

protect ourselves from these health-related problems.

Being said that, I am going to discuss the vision problems faced by

computer users at their workplaces and going to provide you the simple steps

to protect ourselves from this major health issue caused by using computers.
CVS- A Big Rising Threat
CVS stands for Computer Vision Syndrome and it
is becoming a huge problem among computer
users as the people who are at their workplaces
spend the majority of their time among
computer screens while working. And this is not
it, after coming back from their work to home,
they might start using their cell phones,
watching television and using any other
technology.
A survey study on computer users

As a result, CVS is a bigger threat to computer users.

According to our research on CVS, a survey of computer

users and non-users showed that visual complaints

were reported by 75% of computer users who work 6–9

hours in front of their screens compared to 50% of

nonusers (Gowrisankaran, S., & Sheedy, J. E. (2015)).

Symptoms
CVS symptoms are significantly influenced by
the visual demand and duration of the task in
front of the computer screens. Besides, the
severity of symptoms increases with longer
duration of computer use. According to our
study, it has been found that individuals who
spent longer than 4 hours working at a
computer display experienced a greater
incidence of symptoms.
Symptoms According To Survey

According to a survey, the major symptoms of

patients who visited the VDT Eye Clinic (Berkeley,
California) were analyzed. The age range of the
patients was between 22 to 71 years and the mean
duration of computer work performed per day was
about 6 hours. About 153 patients who visited the
clinic 80% of them reported eyestrain to be their
major symptom and 50% reported blurred vision and
headache (Gowrisankaran, S., & Sheedy, J. E.
(2015)).
Other Symptoms
Moreover, several other major symptoms are:
 gritty feeling
 itching in the eyes
 aches
 sensitivity
 redness
 tears in excess
 discomfort in seeing
 blurring of vision
 discoloration of objects
Precautions To Resolve This Big Issue

As mentioned above, it has been clearly stated

that the prolonged use of computer screens at
the workplace gives rise to many major vision
problems. However, there are several ways to
protect ourselves from these symptoms like
yearly complete eye examination, use proper
lighting, minimize glare, adjust the brightness of
the computer screen, take frequent breaks,
refocus your eyes, blink more often, modify the
workstation.
Suggested Precautions
Moreover, there are other simple ways also to protect
us from CVS such as a good chair must accommodate
all body sizes and must be adjustable in the following
areas, the feet should rest comfortably on the floor, at
a 90 degree angle between the upper and lower legs
and good lighting design can significantly help reduce
discomfort due to glare (Raja, A., Janti, S.,
Chendilnath'an, C., & Adnan, M. (2015)). As a result,
we can say that we can protect us from these vision-
related problems to a large extent by following these
simple ways.
More About Precautions
References
 Gowrisankaran, S., & Sheedy, J. E. (2015). Computer vision syndrome: A
review. Work, 52(2), 303–314. doi: 10.3233/wor-152162
 Raja, A., Janti, S., Chendilnath'an, C., & Adnan, M. (2015). Ocular problems
of computer vision syndrome: Review. Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Institute
of Medical Sciences, 20(2), 134. doi: 10.4103/0971-9903.164236
 Anggrainy, P., Ashar, T., & Lubis, R. R. (2018). Difference in Computer
Vision Syndrome between Laptop and Desktop Computer Users.
Indonesian Journal of Medicine, 3(2), 65–70. doi:
10.26911/theijmed.2018.03.02.01
 Toomingas, Allan, Hagberg, Mats, Heiden, Richter, … Ewa. (2012, February
23). Incidence and risk factors for symptoms from the eyes among
professional computer users. Retrieved October 29, 2019, from
http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:505427.
Musculoskeletal
Disorder In
Computer Users
What is Musculoskeletal Disorder(MSD)

Musculoskeletal Disorders or MSDs are

injuries and disorders that affect the human
body’s movement or musculoskeletal system
(i.e. muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves,
discs, blood vessels, etc.)
Some Facts about Musculoskeletal
Disorder

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

more than a third (34%) of all lost instances
in which employees call out to work are
attributed to MSDs. This is far more than the
cold, flu and other illnesses.
A survey Report On Musculoskeletal
Disorder(MSD)
 According to a survey that was conducted on Computer
users.It is reported that 67 out of 150 (44.7%) people
suffered from musculoskeletal problems . The significant
finding in study was that those who had the symptoms
of musculoskeletal problems in different anatomical sites
like neck, shoulder, wrist and headache were the ones
who used computers for more than 6 hours”( Borhany,
T., Shahid, E., Siddique, W., & Ali, H. (2018) ).
More from survey

 Khan and Siddiqui evaluated computer user

for low back pain in patients 12-65 years.
According to their results, low back pain was
reported in 44% of Visual Display Unit user
which developed after four hours and in
35% after three hours( Siddique, W., & Ali,
H. (2018)).
Reasons Behind This Issue

 Prolonged sitting may also cause prolonged

static contraction of muscles; increased
pressure on the inter vertebral discs and
tension on ligaments and muscles.
 Work related Musculoskeletal disorders are
also sometimes associated with intense
physical work, wrong posture, repetitive
movements and psychosocial stressors
Precautions

 “There is a need to educate the COMPUTER

USERS on the effects and causes of
musculoskeletal problems associated with
computer use becomes imperative. The higher
prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in
computer users has been ascribed to posture,
work tasks, furniture and positioning of the
computes relative to the users.
Precautions

 Awkward head and body posture, irregular

body posture and task difficulty, number of
working hours with the computer is significantly
associated with neck complaints among
computer users. The users must be informed
about MSD and also train them for good
working posture and how they can reduce the
risk of MSD”( DT, G. (2017, July 30)).
Precaution stated by Health and Safety
Ontario (2011)

 Performsimple stretching exercises to reduce

muscular discomfort
 Get out and go for a walk for some fresh air
 Maintaina neutral, relaxed posture, and work in a
comfortable position
 Keep frequently used tools, supplies, and equipment
within your arm’s natural reach
Precaution stated by Health and Safety
Ontario (2011)
 Do not twist your body while you are lifting
 While
lifting, Lift the load gradually and
smoothly, keeping your back and neck straight
 Take short breaks from screen after every half
hour.
 Duringlifting anything Take a balanced stance –
put your feet shoulder width apart
More on MSD Precautions
 References
• Borhany, T., Shahid, E., Siddique, W., & Ali, H. (2018). Musculoskeletal problems
infrequent computer and internet users. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary
Care, 7(2), 337. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_326_17

• Biswas, A., & Lamba, D. (2012). To Study and Compare the Effect of Laptop Computers
with Desktop Computers on Working Posture and Self-Reported Musculoskeletal
Symptoms. Retrieved October 29, 2019, from
http://www.i-scholar.in/index.php/ijpot/article/view/48423

• COMPUTER RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES. (2014). Retrieved October 29,

2019, from http://www.ijsr.in/upload/1271073675Chapter_10.pdf.

• Facts About Musculoskeletal Disorders. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2019, from
https://www.safetycompany.com/safetyblog/facts-about-musculoskeletal-disorders/.
 Depression occurs due to a modern
technology “Computers”
­Nowadays, computers are mainly used in our day to day life. We use
it for many aspects of life – entertainment, travelling, school, work
and health care. There are different types of health issues like
physical and mental health issues because of using computers.
Mainly, stress injuries, Depression, pain in various parts of the bodies
and Vision problems.
Depression Due to Light Rays:

Most of the people suffer from depression due the light rays and radiation of the
computers or tablets. And then they also have the vision problem. Their brains will not
function properly. Controls of hand movements focus of eyes; headache are causes of
depression. Sometimes, children are suffering from far /near sightedness in their early
age. Due to depression, their focus and interest in studies are broken down.

Inactive with Environment:

Teenagers are always addicted with continuous watching movies, series and playing
games. This will affect on their brain and get depressed. They usually update on the
social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp( Anderson, 2018). Most of them
are used to get inside the house and work with computers and cellphones.
Overthinking results to depression:

Many competitors of computer programming are in the world have a race to being
best in the world. So, for that they tried to work hard and think how to achieve
success in their field. But somewhere they lost their concentration due to an
overthinking on any decision and then leads to depression.

Mental Problems:

Stress, Insomnia, vision problem, back pain, neck pain, fingers and wrist pain and
depression like symptoms are shown in human bodies.
Constant work and Mental stresses lead into depression of the students and who
works in offices. Constant sitting at one place and doing their work, so it can affect to
the mental health.(Kelly, Booker 2018)
Symptoms of Depression
1.Hopeless outlook:
Major depression is a mood disorder that affects the way you feel about life in
general. Having a hopeless or helpless outlook on your life is the most common
symptom of depression.

2. Lost interest:
Depression can take the pleasure or enjoyment out of the things you love. A loss of
interest or withdrawal from activities that you once looked forward to — sports,
hobbies, or going out with friends — is yet another telltale sign of major depression.

3. Increased fatigue and sleep problems:

Part of the reason you might stop doing things you enjoy is because you feel very
tired. Depression often comes with a lack of energy and an overwhelming
feeling of fatigue, which can be among the most debilitating symptoms of
depression. This could lead to excessive sleeping.
Precautions
Social media can be addicting, and it’s a necessity to stay
connected with family, friends, and even coworkers. It’s how we
plan and invite each other to events and share big news.
However, limiting social media time can help prevent
depression.
• deleting all social apps from your phone
• using website-blocking extensions that only let you use
certain sites for a preset amount of time
• only going to social media with a purpose and avoiding
logging on several times a day just for something to do
 REFERENCES:

• Kelly Y, Zilanawala A, Booker C, Sacker A. Social media use and adolescent mental health:
Findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study. EClinicalMedicine 2018; 6:59-68. doi:
10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.12.005.

• Rosenfield M. Computer vision syndrome: a review of ocular causes and potential treatments.
Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 502–515. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011. 00834.x

• Anderson M, Jiang J. Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018. Available at:
https://www.pewinternet.org/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/. Accessed
April 4, 2019.

• World Health Organization. WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy
experience. 2016. Available at:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/250796/9789241549912-eng.pdf
STRESS CAUSED BY COMPUTER
Inderpreet Kaur Grewal(200425775)
WORK ENVIRONMENT

Professor : Peter Babiak

Friday, Aug 9,2019
According to WHO, stress
“ is the response people
may have when presented
with work demands and
presents that are not
matched to their
knowledge and abilities
and which challenge their
ability to cope” .
 CAUSES
 Low Salaries
Heavy Workloads
Job Security
Worklife Balance
Unrealistic Job Expectations
Lack of opportunity for growth
and advancement
Time Pressure
1. Workload:
Workload is the main cause of stress. As working long hours and long shifts
make body tired and cause problems such as headache lead to migraines,
restlessness, irritability, mood swings and cardiovascular events poor
performance, lack of interest and lower motivation.

2. Decision Making:
Decision making is significant in our life and it is difficult to make
right decisions. Sometimes, due to wrong decision person get indulge in
trouble that causes stress. To make correct decisions one should analyze
the consequence of their decision.
This source gives important factors that effects the job performance and
give the idea of the solutions to improve their decision-making skills.

3. Job Insecurity:
According to . R. S. Lazarus and S. Folkman that” job insecurity is the most
stressful aspect of the process leading to unemployment with a worse
impact on employees than unemployment itself” (1984). Regardless of
whether representatives' apprehensions of losing their positions are
defended, their inclination of employment instability may by and by affect
their wellbeing, for various reasons.
When……
Challenge turns into demands that can’t be met
Relaxation turns into exhaustion
Satisfaction turns into stress
  Balance between work and family or persona life
 Create support networks of friends and coworkers and talk
out openly
 Maintained relaxed and positive outlook
 Analyze the data, identify the problem and find out
remedial measures
 Best method is to practice relaxation and mediation.
METHODS TO COMBAT
OCCUPATIONAL STRESS  Measure employee perceptions of job, working conditions,
stress, satisfaction for the employees
 According to Hans Selye “Adopting a right attitude can
convert a negative stress into positive one.
  References:
Irving L. Janis and Leon Mann American Scientist
Vol. 64, No. 6 (November-December 1976), pp. 657-
667
https://www.slideshare.net/EshwariEshu2/stress-
in-work-place
https://www.slideshare.net/ARSTEPS/stress-in-the-w
orkplace-80112336