The Myth of the "Ergonomic Edge"

Do I need ergonomic nosing on my dispatch console?

A customer recently asked me about a blog post they read that focused on “ergonomics in the public safety dispatch center” and sited “ergonomic nosing” as an important feature for their dispatch consoles.

While I imagine the intention of the post was good, there was some misinformation about the impact of furniture nosing, or edging, and its relative importance to ergonomics. The post contends that a hard, rounded front edge on your office desk or console will damage your wrists and forearms. The author's proposed solution was “ergonomic nosing,” which is also known as a “waterfall edge”.

Truth be told, “ergonomic nosing” is not an ergonomic feature at all. To understand this, let’s examine the correct ergonomic posture recommended while sitting, typing and writing at your console.

Your console furniture edge isn’t part of the ergonomics equation.

Princeton University Health Services writes –

The ANSI/HFES 100-2007 guidelines further reinforce that the edge should be slightly radiused and low-profile so as not to interfere with the user: “…surface edges and corners that come into contact with the user during normal operation should have a radius of at least 2 mm (0.078 in.).”

Dispatch consoles with bulky edges do more harm than good.

The soft urethane edges pitched as “ergonomic” may, in fact, do more harm than good. They create a false sense of comfort for users and promote poor wrist and arm posture. The soft edges are also less durable over time. Anyone who has worked in the Public Safety environment has seen examples of this on items made of similar materials including the often marred arms on task chairs. These soft urethane materials don’t hold up in active 24/7 environments. When companies offer the soft edge, they are often “replaceable” which is sold as a feature. However, given the lack of durability, you’ll likely have to place it at an additional cost which offers no value at all.

Furniture that supports healthy ergonomics is important in communication centers. In this case, a soft and rounded edge on your console has no impact on promoting healthy ergonomics during shift work. And that type of edge is more likely to degrade over time.

With the right information and some attention to how you are positioned at your dispatch console, you can enjoy years of healthy living as a telecommunicator. And remember, while misinformation is out there, some critical questions can expose the truth. Outcomes from studies in the fields of ergonomics and anthropometrics will give you guidance for promoting healthful posture.