Leica Microsystems Publishes Guidelines for Ergonomic Design of Stereo Microscope Workstations
Ergonomics Handbook Helps Identify and Eliminate Health Hazards
Heerbrugg, Switzerland – Working with a microscope for several hours a day demands a high degree of concentration and strains users’ eyes and posture muscles. If workstations and the microscope itself are designed ergonomically, this strain may be reduced considerably. Leica Microsystems has published an ergonomics handbook that helps identify possible health hazards and shows how they can be greatly reduced. The handbook also presents the range of ergonomic modules available for the adaptation of microscopes to individual users’ needs. It can be downloaded from the Leica Microsystems website in English, German, French, Italian, and Spanish: http://www.leica-microsystems.com/products/stereo-microscopes-macroscopes/ergonomics/order-handbook-and-poster/
“Ergonomically designed workstations allow people to work without physical discomfort. They contribute to occupational health and safety programs, facilitate daily routines and help make a company more profitable,” said Meinrad Berchtel, Product Manager at Leica Microsystems. “No two people are alike - just take height or girth of a person.” Leica Microsystems offers various binocular tubes and ergonomic modules that allow users to individualize their microscope workstations for optimum comfort.
Readers of the handbook will receive an overview over relevant aspects like work table and chair for sitting height and posture as well as instrument ergonomics like adjustment of the viewing position and adequate lighting. They will also find suggestions for varied workflows, regular breaks and exercises for spinal column care that can be easily performed at work.
Leica Microsystems is a world leader in microscopes and scientific instruments. Founded as a family business in the nineteenth century, the company’s history was marked by unparalleled innovation on its way to becoming a global enterprise. Its historically close cooperation with the scientific community is the key to Leica Microsystems’ tradition of innovation, which draws on users’ ideas and creates solutions tailored to their requirements. At the global level, Leica Microsystems is organized in three divisions, all of which are among the leaders in their respective fields: the Life Science Division, Industry Division and Medical Division. The company is represented in over 100 countries with 6 manufacturing facilities in 5 countries, sales and service organizations in 20 countries, and an international network of dealers. The company is headquartered in Wetzlar, Germany.
