Highlights of CSA Standard Z412-17;‘Office Ergonomics – An application standard for Workplace Ergonomics’

Section 1 - Scope

• Standard applies to ‘all office users in office workspaces’.
• Workspace is defined as ‘any location where a person’s work is performed, (e.g. home offices, vehicles, and temporary locations), as well as the furniture, accessories, equipment, environmental conditions, and psychological workplace factors within these locations.

 
Section 4 – Ergonomic Process

• The organization is to provide and maintain the infrastructure to conform to the standard.
• The organization shall access persons competent to implement this Standard.
• Senior management is to ensure the Ergonomic Process is established and shall document their commitment.
• Workers are to provide input and participate in the process.
• All employees are to be trained on ergonomic risk factors.

 
Section 5 – Application of Process

• Hazard Assessment to identify, eliminate and reduce risk of hazards
  • Assess for physical (musculoskeletal and environmental) and psychosocial hazards.
• Organization shall apply ergonomics at all stages in the design of work systems and involve persons competent in ergonomics in the process.
• System to evaluate furniture/equipment to be procured before bringing it into the workplace, which includes someone competent in ergonomics.

 
Section 6 – Ergonomic Requirements

• Every employee is to be accommodated within the parameters of the specific ergonomic guidelines.
  • The furniture and equipment must meet certain criteria and shall accommodate the characteristics of the user.

 
Annex A – Detailed Requirements

• Details the specific requirements of equipment (i.e. chair, input devices, etc.).
• Outlines specific training requirements.
• Demands postural variation.