How much thought have you put into the video control room furniture for your upcoming project build or redesign? Furniture might not be at the top of your list. Top considerations usually include video walls and electronics, surveillance equipment and communications, wiring and staffing. That means furniture gets pushed down the list of priorities. We’re here to tell you that it needs to get put back on the top of the list. Furniture can have a huge impact on the effectiveness and productivity of your video control room. Take a look.
Understanding Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the study of people’s efficiency in their work environment. This includes advanced research and understanding of how the eyes, neck, head, and back function and align. It is especially important when sitting or standing in a highly focused environment for hours at a time.
When people first started studying ergonomics in the 1960s, they tended to look at people who were sitting straight upright with their ears, shoulders, and hips in a straight line. No one really sits like that. People who work at computers or video monitors prefer to sit with their heads tilted forward, not aligned with their shoulders and hips. And their workspace and monitor placement play a role that wasn’t important in the distant past.
How Furniture Affects Performance
The right furniture will provide the ergonomic environment best suited to the work space you have and the function of your control room. This doesn’t just mean chairs that are comfy. For your control room, you must consider everything that is part of a workstation. In addition, you must consider anything that affects the work your operators are doing. Relevant factors include how tall the desks or workstations are, the spacing between them, and what equipment is on them. Furthermore, the accessibility for operators, and where those workstations are in the room must also be taken into consideration.
The goal of the right furniture is to reduce fatigue. The right furniture will ensure the people working in the room don’t have to reach, stretch, or strain to have visual access to video or physical access to computers, electronics, and phones. Everything should be within easy reach while sitting or standing at the station.
Video Control Room Furniture and Ergonomics
When video is a primary component or your control room, there are other considerations to make sure your staff is comfortable. One thing to consider is desktop video placement. Most people prefer their video screens to be 30 to 35 inches away from their eyes. While chair movement can adjust this for some people, the ability to move the monitor to suit the operator is also vital. Materials are another factor that matters. The fit and finish of the electronics, screens, monitors, and video walls will affect how easily employees can view the feeds. It will also affect the strain it puts on their eyes.
In conclusion, the most significant factor in productivity and performance in a control room is the comfort and effectiveness of the operators. For all the information you need when deciding on your video control room furniture and equipment, contact our pros at Fountainhead Control Rooms by calling 404-990-3748.
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