Document Holders & Reading Boards
Reading documents resting on the surface of the desk for long periods of time may cause neck and shoulder strains through the adoption of poor posture.
Document Holders
Document holders are designed to hold reference material so that they can be positioned according to the visual needs of the user. Document holders help to keep the head balanced over the shoulders and are useful for work that involves a lot of copying whilst working at the computer. Ideally, the document holder should be positioned between the keyboard and monitor. If this is not possible, position the document holder close to the computer screen at eye level.
In-line Document Holder
This style of document holder sits in front of the computer monitor and behind the keyboard. It is recommended for use if you are not a touch typist.
Side of Monitor Document Holder
If you are a touch typist, you may prefer to use a document holder that sits to one side of the monitor, at eye level. This position is favoured by those who can touch type, as minimal neck flexion (bending the neck forward) is required.
Angle (Reading) Board
An angle board enables the angle of a work surface to be adjusted — it is usually placed on top of a desk. It is used to raise the height and angle of documents so that the neck is in a more upright posture while reading and writing for prolonged periods. The angle board needs to be adjustable and large enough to support several documents.