5 ms·

Wait, what? Your government actually regulates what can and cannot be used as a permanent workstation? What country do you live in? How does that even work?

hibbelig 13y ago
Germany here. It's a kind of a safety regulation. Think of it as a right that the employee has. The employee has to provide the equipment and supplies that you need to do your work, and equipment that prevents "injuries" (wrong term for the long term effect of bad ergonomics) is amongst the equipment you need. So if you work at a desk with a computer, you are entitled to a separate monitor and keyboard and mouse. If you don't want to use the keyboard, you can set it aside, of course. But it's there for you to use it if you like.
tbrownaw 13y ago
Here in the US we have OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, who make rules designed to prevent employers from setting up working conditions that promote injuries/illnesses. I don't know if they have rules specifically about laptops, but that would definitely be the kind of rule they make.
- joonix 13y ago
  OSHA is basically a big joke. My father owns a factory and has had an OSHA inspection only once in almost 30 years. Doubt they even get around to visiting offices.
  - B-Con 13y ago
    But couldn't a worker file a lawsuit? I think the big enforcer of policy is employee lawsuits, not government inspections.
mrweasel 13y ago
I'm in Denmark, and yes it does work. Companies get their work conditions checked every two or three years, an office worker is no different from a construction-, warehouse- or factory-worker. Two years ago we got a remark for being on the floor, rather than tied up under the desks, we got two weeks to change it. In the end you'll get fined if you do not comply. Most companies don't really think about it, providing adjustable desks, external monitors, dockingstations, etc. is just the norm.

hibbelig 13y ago

Germany here. It's a kind of a safety regulation. Think of it as a right that the employee has. The employee has to provide the equipment and supplies that you need to do your work, and equipment that prevents "injuries" (wrong term for the long term effect of bad ergonomics) is amongst the equipment you need. So if you work at a desk with a computer, you are entitled to a separate monitor and keyboard and mouse. If you don't want to use the keyboard, you can set it aside, of course. But it's there for you to use it if you like.

tbrownaw 13y ago

Here in the US we have OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, who make rules designed to prevent employers from setting up working conditions that promote injuries/illnesses. I don't know if they have rules specifically about laptops, but that would definitely be the kind of rule they make.

joonix 13y ago
OSHA is basically a big joke. My father owns a factory and has had an OSHA inspection only once in almost 30 years. Doubt they even get around to visiting offices.
- B-Con 13y ago
  But couldn't a worker file a lawsuit? I think the big enforcer of policy is employee lawsuits, not government inspections.

mrweasel 13y ago

I'm in Denmark, and yes it does work. Companies get their work conditions checked every two or three years, an office worker is no different from a construction-, warehouse- or factory-worker. Two years ago we got a remark for being on the floor, rather than tied up under the desks, we got two weeks to change it. In the end you'll get fined if you do not comply. Most companies don't really think about it, providing adjustable desks, external monitors, dockingstations, etc. is just the norm.