How safe are you on the computer?

[Daenerys]

Today, in keyskills ICT, we had to create a leaflet or poster on how to use computers / the internet safely. And one of the websites the teacher gave us had this information on it -

Physical Hazards

Accidents involving computers are increasing year after year as more people use computers both at work and at home. In 1998 around 1500 people in the UK went to hospital as a result of an accident in the home involving a computer. To give some examples:-

• a six-year-old boy suffered burns after a fire caused by spilling a drink on a computer
• a nine-year-old boy suffered a head injury after a computer stored on top of a wardrobe fell on him
• a nine-year-old girl was treated for bruising after falling down the stairs while attempting to move her computer
• a 15-year-old boy needed treatment for cuts after he threw his arms up in the air after winning a computer game and then brought his arm down on a glass on the desk
• an 18-year-old man suffered the effects of an electric shock whilst setting up his computer
• a 38-year-old man suffered a sprained wrist after playing computer games for five hours

Computers should not be seen as toys but as items of electrical equipment to be treated with respect.
Tips to minimise the risk of a computer-related accident:-

• site your computer near an electric socket to avoid trailing wires across the floor; if you use an extension cable make sure it doesn’t overheat and nobody can trip over it
• take care not to overload electric sockets, use trailing multi-socket units rather than plug adapters
• always follow installation and service instructions in your computer guidebook closely. If in doubt, leave it to the experts
• electricity and water do not mix - keep drinks and plants well away from computers
• regularly check all electrical equipment for damaged plugs or frayed cables
• computers are large and bulky pieces of equipment, move them only if you feel confident in doing so, and with care, especially up and down stairs. Use a trolley and a lift and ask for help. Do not allow children to move computers
• do not allow children to play on or with computer swivel chairs
• make sure the computer is sited in a position where you have plenty of room to move and to get out of the room in an emergency

Health Risk

There are a number of health risks from using computers, most of which can be minimised or eliminated by awareness of the risks and by following advice available.

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

RSI results from performing repetitive movements, e.g. using the mouse, for a long period of time. The following tips are among many that will help you to avoid RSI:-

• organise workloads to avoid using the computer for extended periods of time
• your screen, keyboard and mouse should be directly in front of you
• using document holders avoids having to lean over and bend your neck while looking at paperwork
• make sure the space underneath your desk is free from clutter and your legs have room to move
• use your mouse as close to the keyboard as possible
• adopt good posture while at the computer
• know how to adjust your chair to the most comfortable position
• minimise head and neck movements by altering the height of your monitor
• small people and children should use footrests
• wrist rests are not for use while typing, but for resting the wrists between spells of typing

Strained Eyes

Working for long periods of time on the computer can strain your eyes or can worsen existing eye conditions. Symptoms include eye discomfort, headaches, itchy eyes and difficulty in focusing. It is important to rest the eyes while working on the computer. Regularly look at more distant objects, e.g. use thinking time to look out of the window, and take frequent breaks from computer work. Visit the optician for regular eye check-ups and make sure you tell them if you are a frequent computer user.

Stress

Computer work can be stressful. Take frequent breaks and avoid work overload.




In my opinion, it's all a bunch of nanny state written rules. It's not hard to use a computer safely if you have some common sense ffs, and I found this the most absurd piece of advice -

small people and children should use footrests

I mean, really?

 

[Bambi]

Most of it's just common sense really, although, I'm fully aware I lack thatg seeing as I have destroyed several keyboards spilling wine on them, they seem to survive when it's just water....

I spilled a cup of coffee all over a keyboard at work aswel

Edit* I did get eyesrain once though, it lingered for weeeeeks and made me short sighted, I thought I was gunna need glasses, but it passed eventually. Im glad I didnt go for that eye test now because I would have failed miserably at it at the time

 

[Misty]

a 38-year-old man suffered a sprained wrist after playing computer games for five hours

Puhlease, Ive spent much longer on the internet and consoles, and Ive been fine.

Computers should not be seen as toys but as items of electrical equipment to be treated with respect.

Bollocks to that. When they give you a virus, things change. Or when it decides to close a program for you, WHEN YOURE DOING WORK ON IT.

wrist rests are not for use while typing, but for resting the wrists between spells of typing

We have a purple floppy wrist thing, quite long. You could mistake for a very long dildo.

 

[RioDragon]

xD Honestly, I don't have problems with RSI or WTF-ever. All my stuff is on a small desk... So any movements I'll have to make will be miniscule. And you DOESN'T keep ther mouse and keyboard directly in front of them...? What, do people blind-type behind their backs now? THAT's a new typing method! Let's see anyone get 90+ WPM and 90+% accuracy that way.

 

[Moogles]

Yeah, I wouldn't blame the computer for most of those accidents. Falling down the stairs while trying to move a computer? Blame gravity. Computer falls from wardrobe and hits you on the head? Damn you, gravity. Or blame the genius who put it way up there. Slammed your arm on a glass while playing a computer game? Might have to chalk that one up to stupidity. You get off the hook that time, gravity.

The RSI, strained eye, and stress risks make sense, however. My professors remind us of those often since we work on computers often at school and are working towards a career where we may have to use them frequently.

 

[Bun]

Physical Hazards

Accidents involving computers are increasing year after year as more people use computers both at work and at home. In 1998 around 1500 people in the UK went to hospital as a result of an accident in the home involving a computer. To give some examples:-

• a six-year-old boy suffered burns after a fire caused by spilling a drink on a computer
• a nine-year-old boy suffered a head injury after a computer stored on top of a wardrobe fell on him
• a nine-year-old girl was treated for bruising after falling down the stairs while attempting to move her computer
• a 15-year-old boy needed treatment for cuts after he threw his arms up in the air after winning a computer game and then brought his arm down on a glass on the desk
• an 18-year-old man suffered the effects of an electric shock whilst setting up his computer
• a 38-year-old man suffered a sprained wrist after playing computer games for five hours

All of these incidents could have been prevented had there been some common sense used. In the case of the younger group, a parent or guardian should be blamed for what happened; not storing your dangerous/heavy equipment properly is your fault. As for the older group, except for this one: "an 18-year-old man suffered the effects of an electric shock whilst setting up his computer," it's just like...whaaaaaaat? These people are idiots!

 

[Donald Trump]

I think they are lulzworthy. I mean how do you fall down stairs whilst moving a computer?
Someone must have decided to have the computer close to the stairs, which is stupid, and then they somehow fall down the stairs.

I thought this thread would be about things like telling your strangers your address and then arranging to meet them somewhere. This is much funnier.

 

[Aeon Teleos]

Actually, I thought the thread was about how safe are were on the computer when viewing some pr0n... *whistle*

Anyway...

Seriously, whoever declared these incidents as examples of "computer hazards" should be bitch-slapped with a 100-megaton LOL! I mean, I've been around computers, gaming consoles and whatnot for most of my life, and have been subjected to all the, uhh, ahh-hem... hazardous hardships like moving them up and down stairs and plugging them into sockets... as well as having to live for a couple of years with wires all over my room but guess what! I'm... pretty much... alive. @_@

Here's to you, Artemis! That was quite a lol-able read... reminds me of someone I know who wears goggles whenever she cooks so that drop of boiling oil won't shoot up to her eyes.

 

[SD93981]

Yes, you do need to take care when using a computer, or when moving a computer, or anything like that. But is it really so different to moving a heavy crate down stairs, or writing flat-out in a book for five hours? As said before, it's common sense. Have someone else help hold it, or something. I may be wrong, but those examples sound like a minority. I don't think that hundreds of people every day cut themselves by slamming their hand on top of a glass after beating a game.

 

[SaShman]

a six-year-old boy suffered burns after a fire caused by spilling a drink on a computer

Well that's a fairly reasonable mistake, the kid was only 6 and even adults still do this, but this could apply to any electrical equipment really.

a nine-year-old boy suffered a head injury after a computer stored on top of a wardrobe fell on him

Why a computer was stored on a wardrobe I don't know, but the fault is with the idiot who put it there.

a nine-year-old girl was treated for bruising after falling down the stairs while attempting to move her computer

Again this could be applied to any heavy object.

a 15-year-old boy needed treatment for cuts after he threw his arms up in the air after winning a computer game and then brought his arm down on a glass on the desk

One word.........Ritalin

an 18-year-old man suffered the effects of an electric shock whilst setting up his computer

I almost electrocuted myself a few weeks ago while setting up a guitar pedal (although I was doing something extremely dodgy), generally if you set it up electrical shit properly it is hard to go wrong if you take precautions such as switching off the power point.

a 38-year-old man suffered a sprained wrist after playing computer games for five hours

lol

In my opinion, it's all a bunch of nanny state written rules. It's not hard to use a computer safely if you have some common sense ffs, and I found this the most absurd piece of advice -

small people and children should use footrests

I mean, really?

Agreed the only thing really needed to operate a computer safely is common sense.

 

[kingofgrunts]

Wow... that article was just... wow... It'd be like saying be careful when you drink water because you could breathe it in, or if you drink it too much water can kill you by creating an electrolyte imbalance... Just use common sense and you'll avoid 99% of the problems.

 

[Crazee Dayzee]

Before I clicked on this, I thought it was about pedo internet predators.

Anyway, everything mentioned here can be determined by common sense. The dangers of computers are basically a combination of the dangers of heavy objects, electricity, and looking at something that emits light for a long period of time... which, again, is just based on common sense...