Office Ergonomics

For office, hybrid and home-based computer users: set up any workstation to prevent strain, eye fatigue and repetitive-motion injuries.

For: Office, hybrid and home-based computer users, and the supervisors, HR and facilities staff who support them

  • 2 contact hours
  • 8 modules
  • 9 interactives
  • 4 job aids
  • Updated October 7, 2026

What you will be able to do

  • Identify the musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk factors in computer work (awkward posture, repetition, contact stress and static load) and the early warning symptoms they cause.
  • Explain how US law addresses office ergonomics, including the General Duty Clause, State Plan rules such as Cal/OSHA Title 8, Section 5110, voluntary standards, and the hierarchy of controls.
  • Adjust a chair, desk, keyboard, mouse and monitor to support a neutral posture, using OSHA Computer Workstations eTool guidance.
  • Set up laptops, tablets, phones, sit-stand desks and home or hybrid workspaces safely, and control lighting, glare and eye strain.
  • Plan micro-breaks, hourly breaks, posture changes, stretching and task variation to reduce static load and eye fatigue.
  • Report early symptoms and request an ergonomic evaluation or ADA reasonable accommodation, and describe your protection from retaliation.

Learn how computer work causes musculoskeletal disorders, how to spot the four risk factors at any desk, and how to set up a chair, keyboard, mouse and monitor using OSHA's Computer Workstations eTool guidance. You will practice on realistic workstation notes and work orders, sort risk factors, and use decision tools for laptops, tablets, phones and sit-stand desks.

Built for anyone who spends hours at a screen, whether in an office, at home or moving between both, and for supervisors, HR and facilities staff who handle equipment requests and discomfort reports.

There is no specific federal OSHA standard for office ergonomics, so this course explains what does apply: the General Duty Clause, State Plan rules such as California's Title 8, Section 5110, injury recordkeeping, protection from retaliation, and ADA reasonable accommodation. You leave with a JHA template, a hazard checklist, a discomfort report form and a training sign-off record.

What you’ll be able to do Monday morning

  1. Re-adjust your chair, keyboard and monitor in the right order, floor up, in under ten minutes.
  2. Run the five-zone workstation self-check and fix the two weakest points.
  3. Remove screen glare with the dark-screen test and a turn of the desk or blinds.
  4. Set up a laptop, tablet or hot desk so you are not hunched over it.
  5. Build an hourly break and 20-20-20 eye breaks into your day.
  6. Write a clear discomfort report or accommodation request if symptoms keep coming back.

Curriculum

8 modules · 24 lessons · about 2 contact hours

01Why can a desk job hurt your body?Free preview12 min
  1. What are musculoskeletal disorders, and why do computer users get them?
  2. What are the four risk factors you can see at a workstation?
  3. What early warning signs should you never ignore?
  • Sort activity: Which risk factor is it?

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

02What does US law actually require for office ergonomics?13 min
  1. Is there a federal OSHA ergonomics standard?
  2. How can OSHA use the General Duty Clause for ergonomic hazards?
  3. What do voluntary standards and the hierarchy of controls add?
  • Matching activity: Match the law or resource to what it does

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

03How do you set up your chair, desk, keyboard and mouse?14 min
  1. What does a neutral posture look like?
  2. In what order should you adjust the chair and desk?
  3. Where should the keyboard and mouse go?
  • Spot the issue: Spot the set-up problems

Diagram · In practice checklist · 3-question knowledge check

04Where should your screen go, and how do you prevent eye strain?13 min
  1. How far away and how high should the monitor be?
  2. How do lighting and glare cause trouble, and how do you fix them?
  3. What causes digital eye strain, and what is the 20-20-20 rule?
  • Spot the issue: Spot the screen and lighting problems

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

05How do you work safely on laptops, tablets, phones and sit-stand desks?13 min
  1. Why is a laptop a problem for long work sessions?
  2. How should you use tablets and phones?
  3. Are sit-stand desks the answer?
  • Decision tree: Which set-up do I need for this device and place?

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

06How do breaks, movement and task variety protect you?12 min
  1. Why does a good posture still need breaks?
  2. How do you vary your tasks and posture through the day?
  3. Which stretches are safe at a desk?
  • Ethics dilemma: Skip the breaks to hit the deadline?

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

07How do you build a safe workstation at home or in a shared office?13 min
  1. Where should a home workstation go?
  2. Who is responsible for a home or hybrid set-up?
  3. How do you assess your own workstation?
  • Self-assessment: How healthy is my workstation and work pattern?

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

08How do you report symptoms and ask for an evaluation or accommodation?14 min
  1. How and when should you report discomfort?
  2. What happens in an ergonomic evaluation?
  3. When does the ADA require an accommodation?
  • Branching scenario: Malia's wrist: report, wait or work around it?
  • Decision tree: Which route fits my discomfort or request?

Diagram · In practice checklist · 2-question knowledge check

Final assessment: 23 questions, 80% to pass, then your certificate

Try it now, no account needed

Malia's wrist: report, wait or work around it?

A branching scenario from this course. Your choices are not saved.

Free sample activity

Malia's wrist: report, wait or work around it?

You are Malia Fonoti, a member-services representative at a credit union contact center in Hilo, Hawaii. Your right wrist has ached for six weeks, and your fingers go numb at night. Make each decision as Malia would.

Inside the course

Practice activities

  • Sort activity1
  • Matching activity1
  • Spot the issue2
  • Decision tree2
  • Ethics dilemma1
  • Self-assessment1
  • Branching scenario1

Job aids you keep

  • Computer Work Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) TemplateTemplate
  • Computer Workstation Hazard ChecklistChecklist
  • Ergonomic Discomfort and Incident Report FormTemplate
  • Office Ergonomics Training Sign-Off RecordLog

Credit and approval status

Certificate of completion

This course earns a certificate of completion for 2 contact hours of instruction. It is office ergonomics awareness training: it is not OSHA Outreach Training Program (10- or 30-hour) training, and it is not approved or accredited by OSHA, any State Plan, licensing board or accreditor. It does not replace site-specific training, evaluations or programs your employer must provide, including a California Section 5110 program where that rule is triggered. Check with your employer, board or state agency whether this course meets your specific requirement.

We may pursue IACET accreditation for this course in the future. Until an approval is granted and shown on the course page, this course provides a certificate of completion only and no continuing education units.

Our full approvals list

Questions about this course

Does this course give me continuing education credit or an OSHA card?

No. It earns a certificate of completion for 2 contact hours of office ergonomics awareness training. It is not OSHA Outreach (10- or 30-hour) training and does not lead to any OSHA card. It is not approved by any board or accreditor yet. If you need credit, ask your employer, board or association whether they accept this certificate before you enroll.

Is there an OSHA law about office ergonomics?

Federal OSHA has no specific standard for computer workstations. Ergonomic hazards can still be addressed under the General Duty Clause, and injury recordkeeping and anti-retaliation rules apply. Some State Plan states, notably California under Title 8, Section 5110, have their own requirements. The course explains each, with citations, and shows what to check locally.

Who should take this course?

Anyone who works at a computer for much of the day: office staff, hybrid workers, remote employees and people who work from laptops, tablets and phones on the move. Supervisors, HR and facilities staff benefit too, because the course covers symptom reports, workstation evaluations, equipment requests and ADA accommodations from both sides.

How long does it take, and can I stop and come back?

The course is designed for about two hours: eight short modules of 12 to 14 minutes, each with practice activities and a quick check, followed by a final assessment. You can pause at any point and pick up where you left off. Many learners do one or two modules a day and adjust their workstation as they go.

Will it help me set up my home office?

Yes. Module 7 covers choosing a location, safe low-cost fixes for kitchen tables and dining chairs, what to ask your employer for, and how to handle shared hot desks. Module 5 covers laptops, tablets, phones and sit-stand desks. The downloadable hazard checklist works for any location.

How do I pass and get my certificate?

Complete all eight modules, then take a 23-question final assessment drawn from a larger bank. You need 80% to pass, and you can retake it with different questions. Your certificate shows the course title, 2 contact hours and your completion date. You also receive downloadable job aids to keep.

This course is general education and office ergonomics awareness training from CE Courses Hub. It is not legal, medical or professional advice and does not replace your employer's policies, your licensing board's rules, or advice from a qualified professional. Completing it earns a certificate of completion for the stated contact hours; it is not approved or accredited by any licensing board, state agency or accreditor unless an approval is shown on the course page. Check with your board, employer or state agency whether this course meets your specific requirement.