Moderator: Welcome to tonight's special event: "Organizing Your Business - Part 3 -- Office Design and Layouts, Ergonomics" with Connie Bechtel
Alan has entered the stage
Connie has entered the stage
Alan: Welcome to tonight's special event.
Alan: Tonight's special event will start with a 30 minute interview, then we will open it up for questions from the audience for the second half hour.

Alan: We have some images to show everyone, via your web browsers. When this happens, be sure to adjust your screen so your web browser is visible to you.
Alan: Throughout the event all questions submitted to the stage, will go to an off screen moderator, to allow for grouping of questions.
Alan: Our guest tonight Connie Bechtel with Wyvern Productions
Alan: Tonight we are going to discuss:
"Organizing Your Business - Part 3 of our 4 part series on organizing." "Office design and layouts, Ergonomics"
Alan: Welcome Connie,
Connie: Thank you, Alan.
Connie: How you use your space is critical in determining how to structure the layout of your office. We are all multitasking here - there's no escaping it in retail, especially when there's only one person in a storefront. I just want to help make it easier.
Connie: Measure your office and all the furniture and equipment. You can pick up a home design program or draw the office walls onto graph paper. Mark outlets and lighting.
Connie: Add "cut outs" (either paper or virtual) in the sizes of your furniture and equipment - experiment with where everything fits - you may be surprised at the variety of options.
Connie: When setting up your office consider these issues:
Connie: Consider where spend your time. Make sure you can be comfortable. Not nap time, living room chair comfortable. Just comfortable enough to get the job done without dreading it.
Connie: Have a definite area for paper work, computer activities, hooping.
Connie: . Plan for accessible file systems and allocate space for storage of office supplies, marketing materials, etc.
Connie: Make sure you have enough outlets (phone, fax, electrical, computer internet connections, networking, etc.)
Connie: In our business, the proper lighting is critical. Consider ambient (overhead) lighting, workstation lights, and natural light. Where do you review thread colors?
Connie: I am a big fan of natural lighting. I have forty-eight windows in my home, and twelve of them are in my shop area.
Connie: Follow an order through to completion. Do you find yourself backtracking a lot?
Alan: jealous
Connie: Can you continue working on folding and packaging while on the phone? Would it be efficient to have a headset or would this be more of a distraction?
Connie: Can you fold at a table or countertop or is your kitchen table pulling double duty? Are the hooping supplies next to your hooper? Bagging supplies next to your folding area? Can they be?
Slide show URL sent -> http://stitches.com/mag/apparel_shop_shuffle/index.html
Connie: Are you in a shop situation with a show room and/or walk in traffic? I highly recommend that you check out the Stitches article that should be on your browser screen now ).
Connie: Many of you have limited space like I do. My digitizing/editing is done in my living room on a computer system stuck between my husband's and daughter's computers.
Connie: I have a computer desk, file cabinet and 5-shelf book case in a space that measures 5-feet by 6-feet.
Connie: My embroidery machine and the computer system that runs it is in another room (measuring about 10x10) about 20 feet away. A door between rooms keeps the sound level down.
Connie: I also keep my cutting/folding table, hooper, catalogs I don't use often and magazine storage in there.
Connie: I'm still building the storage for my thread, apparel storage, and other supplies as I discover what works for me. Once that's organized, I'm moving the sewing machine and serger in there as well.
Connie: So you can see that I'm working with minimal space. I'm also cheap and creative about storage - if I can't find what I want I make it myself.
Connie: Sometimes this involves a visit to the lumber company, but many times it's a trip to an outdoors store (fishing tackle boxes) or our basement for old bookshelves or shoeboxes.
Connie: Everything can be functional and look neat without spending a lot of money.
Connie: Now that you've figured out the layout that allows you to complete the most work with the least backtracking in the space provided, let's make sure you can work comfortably.
Connie: Ergonomics: The study of the design and arrangement of equipment so that people will interact with the equipment in healthy, comfortable, and efficient manner.
Connie: . As related to computer equipment, ergonomics is concerned with such factors as the physical design of the keyboard, screens, and related hardware,
Connie: and the manner in which people interact with these hardware devices. (1995-04-14) Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2003 Denis Howe.
Connie: I am not an ergonomist, and what I'm providing here are suggestions based on other experts advice. If you're concerned about ergonomic issues for employees, I recommend getting in touch with your local OSHA representative.
Slide show URL sent -> http://srvr18.ud.net/downloads/lattes/sitdesk.gif
Connie: The graphic on your browser now depicts a proper computer station setup.
Connie: What's Your Ergonomic Quotient?
By ergonomist Sally Longyear
Connie: Are you eyes really tired at the end of the day? If so, you may need to adjust your display or lighting and to practice eye fitness training.
Connie: Are your neck and shoulders often stiff and sore? If so, your chair height, display or keyboard/mouse may need adjusting. Check your reach distance and phone posture.
Connie: Do you ever feel pain or discomfort in your back while working at your computer? If so, you might need to adjust your backrest or posture.
Connie: Do you feel tingling, numbness or pain in your forearms, wrists, or hands? If so, your chair height or keyboard/mouse may need adjusting. Also, check your sitting posture and wrist position.
Connie: Are your legs often stiff and cramped, or do you have swelling and numbness in your ankles and feet? If so, your chair height might need adjusting or you may need a footrest.
Connie: Do you feel exhausted at the end of the day? If so, assess your lifestyle habits for possible contributing factors: good nutrition, exercise, rest and stress reduction. Good ergonomics at home and micro-breaks at work can improve your health and comfort.
Slide show URL sent -> http://www.office-ergo.com/a.htm
Connie: If you answered "yes" to even one of the questions, your workstations and work habits need improvement. If you answered "no" to all of the questions on the test, congratulations! You are probably comfortable while working at your desk
Connie: The problems listed above can result in permanent issues like back and neck problems, eye stress, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Slide show URL sent -> http://www.oerc.org
Connie: Avoid eye fatigue by resting and refocusing your eyes periodically - look away from the monitor and focus on something across the room or outside. Rest your eyes by covering them for 10-15 seconds.
Connie: In addition to computers, you want to keep the most used items (like your telephone and pens for order taking) to be in a location where you don't have to stretch for them.
Connie: Whether you're standing or sitting on a stool in front of your embroidery machine(s), standing at the counter taking orders or sitting at your desk, take plenty of breaks
Connie: . Any time you remain in the same position for a long time, your blood circulation is inhibited. Take 1-2 minute stretch breaks every 20-30 minutes.
Connie: . After each hour, take a break or change tasks for 5-10 minutes. Try not to eat your lunch at your desk (yes, I do, too.).
Connie: If you can't get away from that indecisive walk-in customer - put a stool behind the counter so you can vary your position.
Connie: That summarizes the office layout and ergonomics session.
Connie: There are many state and federal regulations to review for the larger businesses, but I mostly recommend using common sense.
Connie: If something you do repetitively hurts - find a different way to do it.
Connie: Questions?
Connie: Gee - where'd everybody go?
Moderator: Audience member says: " Does the window reflect in your computer screen, can you see to thread and maintenance your machine?"
Connie: On mine, no. I have strategically placed curtains.
Connie: Looks like we're the only ones left.
Moderator: Audience member says: "Connie how do you mangage both regular sewing and your emb. business, seems I don't have time for the regular sewing I would like to do"
Connie: It's a tight schedule, but I'll admit my embroidery is not a constant run at the moment.
Moderator: Audience member says: "ergonomics...what about using a computer mouse and keyboard all day?"
Connie: I like to switch hands, but that's not feasible for everyone. Wrist rests and a tilted keyboard can help.
Connie: So can taking breaks. Even if it's to get a glass of water.
Moderator: Audience member says: "changing position of hands and angle help... long term, short term problems?"
Connie: Probably just short term. If you're at a computer all day nearly every day, you're bound to have some discomfort.
Moderator: Audience member says: "What do you consider reular sewing? We emb. all day."
Connie: I make clothes, pillows, rugs.
Connie: Some with and some without embroidery.
Moderator: Audience member says: "I get calls wanting to know if we do alterations"
Connie: A lot of my larger finished products are a combo of both. I do alterations, too.
Moderator: Audience member says: "how about florescent lighting, I heard it was bad for your eyes?"
Connie: To me, florescent lighting flickers.
Connie: There's a slower rate of wave, or something. Many people get headaches due to that type of lighting
Connie: and never realize the cause.
Moderator: Audience member says: "what's the best if you don't have lots of natural lighting?"
Connie: It depends on what you're using the lighting for.
Connie: There are lamps that produce near natural light - for matching colors.
Connie: I don't like overhead lighting as a personal preference. I like floor lamps and lamps I can direct the angle.
Connie: But I do all my color matching in natural light.
Moderator: Audience member says: "is natural light really that important for colors?"
Connie: I find it to be, but it depends on where the customer will be wearing the shirt.
Connie: For example, if he's going to be in an office all the time or at a trade show with no windows - what looks best in that light is the best selection.
Moderator: Audience member says: " I sometimes change chairs during the day, is it more a fatique thing, or does it help ergonomically?"
Connie: I'd think it would help, as long as both of them were comfortable.
Connie: Moving around and changing position is always a good idea.
Connie: It keeps the blood circulating.
Moderator: Audience member says: "what causes carpel tunnel?"
Connie: As I understand it - repetative motion for long periods of time.
Moderator: Audience member says: "like keyboard typing?"
Connie: Mouse use, typing, even some screen printing processes.
Connie: A lot of people that work on assembly lines suffer from it, too.
Alan: any more questions?
Connie: I encourage anyone with questions about carpal tunnel or general ergonomics to do a web search. There are many medical sites and government sites that cover those topics.
Connie: If you think you have something like carpal tunnel, see your doctor.
Connie: If caught early, it can be treated without surgery.
Connie: And have your eyes checked regularly. Sitting in front of a computer screen all day can cause dry eyes and other fatigue issues.
Alan: If you would like to contact Connie,
her email is:
Alan: admin@wyvernproductions.com
Alan: Or through her website at:
Alan: http://www.wyvernproductions.com
Alan: Connie, thanks for being with us tonight.
Alan: That is the conclusion of tonight's event, a transcript will be posted to the Embroidery Industry Calendar within the hour.
Connie: Thanks for having me.
Alan: Hope to see everyone next week for part 4 of this series on "Organizing Your Business" - "Project Management, Self management, Intrruptions, Email, Mail".
Alan: Thank you for your support of the EmbroideryMall.
Alan: Now everyone back to Latte's

Closing Log (April 27, 2004 10:29:59PM)

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