Posted By Paul Burns Can anybody tell me if there is any guidance on the length of time someone can use a microscope for detailed work, without a break.

Posted By Alison Dando Also you need to consider the height of the work surface that your microscopes are to be placed/used. Our cytology screening benches in our Path. Lab. are lower than the standard lab. benches. This fits in with what Bryn has said with your adjustable seats because you shouldn't be using fixed height seats or workshop type seats with a fixed height work area. Also as you can get tenosynovitis from spreading petri dihes in microbiology labs., for years, consider the fine repetitive movements your screeners may be doing with their thumbs when moving the microscope stage and their body positions they take whilst screening- so look at little exercises your screeners can do, similar to those your VDU users should be doing if you employ any, as well as giving them breaks as Bryn has said.

Posted By Graham Bullough In the apparent absence of specific guidance about the frequency of breaks when using microscopes, here's a tip I got as a geology student years ago when doing prolonged microscope work. Our lecturer advised us to get in the habit every few minutes of briefly looking out of the window or towards the other end of the room so that our eyes, or rather our eye muscles, didn't spend too long in one position while peering into our microscopes. This theme was echoed when I heard a talk some months ago by a jeweller. He said he preferred working at a bench by a window with a view so as to enable him to regularly look out of the window and give his eyes a rest from fine detailed work. He also found that such work was easier with plenty of natural light when it was available. As human eyes are not really intended for prolonged close work, the tip is worth promoting for all types of close work, including the use of VDUs, writing, sewing, etc. Graham Bullough