Six free ergonomic assessment checklists for small businesses without a dedicated HR person: a full office workstation sheet, a remote and home office self-assessment, a laptop and sit-stand sheet, a manual handling and lifting assessment, an employee discomfort report, and a findings log. Fill-in-the-blank DOCX. No signup.
The first ergonomic assessment I ever ran was a disaster, and not for the reason I expected. I had printed a checklist, walked over to a designer who had been rubbing her shoulder for a month, and asked her to sit normally. She sat up perfectly straight, feet flat, screen at eye level, and every line on my sheet came back fine. Ten minutes after I left she was back on one elbow with the laptop in her lap.
The sheet was not wrong. My method was. An ergonomic assessment measures the posture someone holds on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon, not the one they produce for an audience, and a checklist only helps if it also asks what actually hurts and what they have already tried to do about it.
These are the six sheets I use now. An office workstation assessment, a home office self-assessment for remote staff, one for laptops and shared and sit-stand desks, a manual handling assessment for anyone who moves things for a living, a discomfort report for early symptoms, and a findings log that turns the whole thing into work with an owner. Each one downloads as an editable Word document, free, with no email required.
TL;DR
An ergonomic assessment checklist compares a workstation against known good positions and turns each mismatch into an action with an owner and a date. There is no federal OSHA ergonomics standard, so the duty runs through the General Duty Clause instead. Download six free checklists as DOCX: office, home office, laptop and sit-stand, lifting, discomfort report, and findings log.
What an Ergonomic Assessment Checklist Is
An ergonomic assessment checklist is a structured sheet for comparing a person's workstation or task against known good positions, then recording every mismatch as an action with an owner and a date. It covers the seat, the screen, the hands, the work surface, the environment, and the rhythm of the work itself.
NIOSH defines ergonomics as designing work tasks and job demands to fit the capabilities of the working population. That framing is the whole point of the exercise: you adjust the desk to the person, not the person to the desk. The checklist is simply what stops that idea from staying a good intention.
The other thing a checklist does, which matters more at a small company than anywhere else, is remove the need for expertise. Every line carries a target you can see. Feet on the floor. Screen at eye level. Wrists straight. An office manager with the sheet in hand catches most of what there is to catch, which is why this work does not have to wait for a specialist visit.
What Poor Ergonomics Actually Costs
Over the 2021-22 period the Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 502,380 workplace musculoskeletal disorders that resulted in at least one day away from work, an annualized rate of 25.3 per 10,000 full-time equivalent workers (BLS). These are the injuries that build slowly out of posture, force, and repetition rather than arriving in a single moment, which is exactly the category a scheduled assessment is designed to catch early.
What US Law Actually Requires
There is no federal OSHA standard that requires an ergonomic assessment, a written ergonomics program, or any particular desk setup. OSHA states plainly that it has no ergonomics standard, and that exposure to hazards from repetitive motion and awkward posture may instead be addressed under Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, the General Duty Clause.
That clause requires every employer to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. It is short, and it is the reason ergonomics is not optional just because no rule names it. The exposure is not the missing paperwork; it is the hazard you know about and leave in place.
No Standard Is Not the Same as No Duty
OSHA has no ergonomics standard, and employers are still covered by the General Duty Clause for recognized ergonomic hazards (OSHA ergonomics). Separately, state plan states can set their own requirements, some industries carry specific rules, and a musculoskeletal injury that meets the general recording criteria still goes on your injury records like any other case. Treat this page as general information, not legal advice, and confirm what applies in every state where your employees work.
One more distinction worth keeping straight. An ergonomic assessment is preventive and looks at a setup. An incident report is retrospective and looks at an event. If an assessment surfaces an injury rather than a risk, it stops being an assessment and moves into your injury reporting process.
Which Checklist Should You Use?
Match the sheet to the setup, not to the job title. A company desk gets the office workstation sheet. A remote employee gets the self-assessment. Laptops, shared desks, and sit-stand desks get their own sheet because the standard one handles them badly. Anyone lifting for a living gets the manual handling sheet.
Office Workstation
The default
The full seated desk assessment: chair, monitor, keyboard and mouse, desk, environment, work pattern, and a direct symptom question. Nine sections with a findings block and a three-way sign-off. Start here for anyone who sits at a company desk.
Remote and Home Office
Employee self-assessment
Written to be filled in by the employee, not by an inspector. It asks where they actually work, including the sofa, and ends with a request list so the conversation moves straight to what you can buy or change.
Laptop, Hot Desk, Sit-Stand
The awkward setups
For the three setups the standard sheet handles badly: a laptop where raising the screen lowers the keyboard, a shared desk that resets to the last person, and a sit-stand desk that needs checking at both heights.
Manual Handling and Lifting
Warehouse, kitchen, field
Assesses the task rather than the person: the load, the lift, the work area, the equipment, and the training, with a risk rating and a control choice at the end. For any job where people move things for a living.
Discomfort and Symptom Report
Early warning
A short form an employee submits when something starts to ache, with body map, timing, what changed, and what they think would help, plus a manager response block that routes it to an assessment or to your injury process.
Findings Log and Action Plan
What turns it into work
Three finding records with a priority guide, chosen control, owner, due date, and verification with the employee, plus a period summary that surfaces repeat findings worth fixing at the source.
Start With Whoever Has Mentioned Something
If you have never done this, do not start with a company-wide rollout. Start with the one or two people who have mentioned a sore back, a stiff neck, or a wrist that bothers them, and run the office or home sheet with each of them properly. You will fix something real in an afternoon, you will learn how the sheet behaves, and you will have a completed example to show everyone else. Then work outward: new hires as they arrive, and everyone else on an annual pass.
6 Free Ergonomic Assessment Checklists
Every document below is a blank. Download them individually or take all six at once as a ZIP. Fill in the brackets with your company and employee details, work each line, and move whatever you cannot fix on the spot into the findings log. Every sheet carries the same disclaimer: these are starting points, not a professional assessment or medical advice.
Download All 6 Ergonomic Assessment Checklists
Office workstation, remote and home office, laptop and sit-stand, manual handling, discomfort report, and a findings log. Six DOCX files in one ZIP.
The full seated desk assessment in nine sections: chair, monitor, keyboard and reach, desk, environment, work pattern, a direct symptom check, findings, and sign-off. Each line carries a target position so the assessor compares rather than guesses.
Office Workstation Ergonomic Assessment Checklist
OFFICE WORKSTATION ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
Company: [Company Name]
Employee: [Full name] Job title: [Title]
Location of workstation: [Building, floor, desk or room]
Assessed by: [Name, title] Date of assessment: [Date]
Hours per day at this workstation:
Reason for assessment: [ ] New hire [ ] New workstation [ ] Discomfort reported [ ] Scheduled review [ ] Accommodation request
HOW TO USE THIS CHECKLIST
Watch the person work for a few minutes before you start. People correct their
posture the moment a clipboard appears, and the posture you want to record is
the one they hold on an ordinary afternoon. Check YES where the item is already
met. Check NO where it is not, and write the fix and an owner in the action
column. Check N/A only where the item genuinely does not apply. Every NO becomes
one line in the findings log at the end.
1. CHAIR AND SEATED POSTURE
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Feet rest flat on the floor or on a footrest
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Thighs are roughly parallel to the floor, hips level with or slightly above the knees
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A There is a gap of two to three finger widths between the seat edge and the back of the knee
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The backrest supports the lower back curve
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Seat height, backrest and armrests adjust, and the employee knows how to adjust them
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Armrests, if used, support the forearms without pushing the shoulders up
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The chair is stable, rolls freely, and no casters or gas cylinder are failing
Notes and action: _____
2. MONITOR AND VIEWING
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The monitor sits directly in front of the employee, not off to one side
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The top of the screen is at or slightly below eye level
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The screen is at least 20 inches away, and text is readable without leaning in
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The head stays level and forward facing, in line with the torso
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A No glare or bright reflection falls across the screen
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Text size and screen brightness are set for comfortable reading
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A A second monitor, if present, is positioned so neither screen forces sustained twisting
Notes and action: _____
3. KEYBOARD, MOUSE AND REACH
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Hands, wrists and forearms are straight, in line, and roughly parallel to the floor
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Elbows stay close to the body and are bent between 90 and 120 degrees
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Shoulders are relaxed, not raised or hunched forward
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The mouse sits beside the keyboard at the same height, within easy reach
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The wrists are not resting on a hard or sharp desk edge while typing
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Frequently used items (phone, notepad, files) are inside the normal reach zone
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A A document holder is available if the employee works from paper
Notes and action: _____
4. DESK AND WORK SURFACE
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The work surface is at a height that allows the neutral arm position above
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A There is clearance for the knees and legs under the desk
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Nothing is stored under the desk that blocks leg room or forces a twisted posture
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Cables are routed so they are not a trip hazard or a pull on equipment
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The desk surface is large enough for the tasks actually performed there
Notes and action: _____
5. ENVIRONMENT
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Lighting is adequate for reading paper documents without squinting
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Overhead light or a window is not shining directly into the eyes or onto the screen
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Temperature and airflow are not causing the employee to work tensed up
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Noise does not force the employee to lean in or strain to hear calls
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A A headset is available if the employee holds a phone while typing
Notes and action: _____
6. WORK PATTERN
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The employee changes posture and moves away from the desk during the day
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Tasks are varied enough to break up long stretches of the same motion
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The employee knows who to tell if something starts to hurt
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Any previously agreed adjustment or accommodation is in place and still working
Notes and action: _____
7. EMPLOYEE SYMPTOM CHECK
Ask directly. Do not infer from posture alone.
Any current discomfort, ache, numbness or tingling? [ ] No [ ] Yes
If yes, where: [ ] Neck [ ] Shoulders [ ] Upper back [ ] Lower back
When is it worst: [ ] Morning [ ] End of day [ ] After specific task: ___
How long has it been going on: ___
Has it been reported before? [ ] No [ ] Yes, to: ___
8. FINDINGS AND ACTIONS
Total items checked: YES: NO: N/A:
Action 1: __ Owner: ___ Due: ___
Action 2: __ Owner: ___ Due: ___
Action 3: __ Owner: ___ Due: ___
Follow-up assessment date: ___
9. SIGN-OFF
Assessor: __ Date: ___
Employee: __ Date: ___
Manager or owner: __ Date: ___
The employee signature confirms the assessment took place and the findings were
discussed, not that every issue is resolved.
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample checklist for general information only and is not
legal, medical, or professional safety advice. It does not diagnose any
condition and it is not a substitute for a qualified ergonomics or medical
professional. If an employee reports pain, numbness, or a persistent symptom,
route it through your injury reporting process. Confirm your federal, state, and
local obligations before use.
2. Remote and Home Office Ergonomic Assessment Checklist
Written for the employee to complete and return, with a first section that asks where they actually work rather than where they meant to. It ends with an equipment request list, which is the part that makes the exercise worth their time.
Remote and Home Office Ergonomic Assessment Checklist
REMOTE AND HOME OFFICE ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
(EMPLOYEE SELF-ASSESSMENT)
Company: [Company Name]
Employee: [Full name] Job title: [Title]
Home work location: [Room or area used for work]
Date completed: [Date] Days per week worked from home:
Manager: [Name]
HOW TO USE THIS CHECKLIST
Complete this yourself and return it to your manager. Nobody is coming to your
home. The point is to find the two or three things that are quietly costing you
by the end of the week, and to tell us what would fix them. Answer for the place
you actually work, not the place you meant to set up. Be honest about the couch.
1. WHERE YOU ACTUALLY WORK
Primary work surface: [ ] Desk [ ] Dining or kitchen table [ ] Kitchen counter
3. Laptop, Hot Desk and Sit-Stand Workstation Checklist
For the three setups that defeat a standard sheet: a laptop, where raising the screen lowers the keyboard; a shared desk that resets to the last person every morning; and a sit-stand desk, which has to be checked at both heights rather than one.
Laptop, Hot Desk and Sit-Stand Workstation Checklist
LAPTOP, HOT DESK AND SIT-STAND WORKSTATION CHECKLIST
Company: [Company Name]
Employee or desk assessed: [Name or desk number]
Assessed by: [Name, title] Date: [Date]
Setup type: [ ] Laptop only [ ] Laptop docked [ ] Hot desk / shared desk
[ ] Sit-stand desk [ ] Sit-stand converter
WHY THIS SHEET EXISTS
A laptop is a compromise by design: the screen and the keyboard are attached, so
raising one lowers the other. A shared desk resets to the last person’s body
every morning. A sit-stand desk solves one problem and creates a second one at a
new height. Each of these needs its own pass rather than the standard office
checklist.
1. LAPTOP USE
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The laptop is used for under two hours per day, or it is docked
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A When used for long stretches, the laptop sits on a stand or riser
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A A separate keyboard and mouse are used whenever the screen is raised
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The top of the raised screen is at or slightly below eye level
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The head is not tipped down toward the screen for long periods
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The employee has a bag or case that does not load one shoulder
Notes and action: _____
2. DOCK AND EXTERNAL EQUIPMENT
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A An external monitor is available where the employee works full days
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The monitor is directly in front, at least 20 inches away
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The closed laptop is not being used as an off-center second screen
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Cables reach without pulling equipment toward the desk edge
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Docking takes under a minute, so people actually do it
Notes and action: _____
3. HOT DESK AND SHARED WORKSTATIONS
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Chair height, backrest and monitor height are adjustable at every shared desk
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A A short setup card is posted at the desk showing how to adjust it
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Employees are expected to reset the desk to themselves, not to inherit it
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Monitor arms or risers allow height changes without tools
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Footrests are available for shorter employees at fixed-height desks
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Someone owns the shared equipment and repairs it when it breaks
Notes and action: _____
4. SIT-STAND DESKS
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A In the standing position, elbows are still bent between 90 and 120 degrees
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A In the standing position, the screen top is still at or slightly below eye level
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The employee alternates rather than standing for the whole day
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A An anti-fatigue mat or supportive footwear is used on a hard floor
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The employee was shown both height positions when the desk was installed
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The desk moves smoothly and holds its set height
Notes and action: _____
5. MOBILE AND TOUCHDOWN WORK
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Employees working from cars, sites, or client offices have a documented setup
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Long documents are not routinely read or typed on a phone
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A A touchdown space exists in the office for people who are rarely at a desk
Notes and action: _____
6. FINDINGS AND ACTIONS
Highest priority fix: __
Action 1: __ Owner: ___ Due: ___
Action 2: __ Owner: ___ Due: ___
Equipment to order: __ Approved by: ___
7. SIGN-OFF
Assessor: __ Date: ___
Employee or desk owner: __ Date: ___
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample checklist for general information only and is not
legal, medical, or professional safety advice. Equipment recommendations here are
general practice, not a prescription for any individual. Confirm your federal,
state, and local obligations before use.
4. Manual Handling and Lifting Ergonomic Assessment Checklist
Assesses the task, not the person: the load, the lift, the work area, the equipment, the training, and a risk rating with a chosen control. For warehouses, kitchens, shops, vans, and any job where things get moved by hand.
Manual Handling and Lifting Ergonomic Assessment Checklist
MANUAL HANDLING AND LIFTING ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST
Company: [Company Name]
Task or job assessed: [Task name]
Area: [Warehouse, kitchen, shop floor, van, site]
Assessed by: [Name, title] Date: [Date]
Employees who perform this task:
Times performed per shift: Typical weight handled: lb
HOW TO USE THIS CHECKLIST
Assess the task, not the person. The same lift is a different hazard at 6 a.m.
with a full pallet than at 2 p.m. with a half empty one, so record the worst
realistic version of the task. Watch it performed at normal speed before you ask
any questions.
1. THE LOAD
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The weight of the load is known and marked, not estimated by the handler
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The load has handles or a secure grip point
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The load is stable, not shifting liquid or loose contents
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The load is compact enough to be carried close to the body
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Sharp edges, heat, cold, or contamination are controlled
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Heavy items are packaged in smaller units where that is possible
Notes and action: _____
2. THE LIFT ITSELF
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The lift starts between knee and shoulder height, not from the floor
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The hands stay close to the body throughout the lift
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A No twisting of the trunk is required while loaded
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A No reaching above shoulder height while loaded
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The carry distance is short, or a cart or trolley is used
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The lift is not repeated so often that recovery time disappears
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Two-person lifts are defined for specific items rather than left to judgment
Notes and action: _____
3. THE WORK AREA
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Floors are level, dry, and free of obstructions along the carry route
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A There is room to move without stooping or squeezing past equipment
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Lighting along the route and at the pick point is adequate
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Shelving puts the heaviest and most frequent items at waist height
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Steps, ramps, and vehicle beds are not part of a loaded carry where avoidable
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Temperature or ventilation does not add strain to the task
Notes and action: _____
4. EQUIPMENT AND ALTERNATIVES
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Carts, dollies, hand trucks, or lift assists are available where they are needed
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The equipment is maintained, and wheels and brakes work
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A The equipment is stored where the task happens, not across the building
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Pallet or table height can be raised so the pick is not from floor level
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Employees actually use the equipment, and if not, the reason is recorded
Notes and action: _____
5. PEOPLE AND TRAINING
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Employees performing this task were trained on it, with the date recorded
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A New and temporary staff receive the same training before the first shift
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Employees know how to report a task that is beyond what they can safely handle
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Any restriction or accommodation on file is being honored
[ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] N/A Pace and quota do not push people into shortcuts
Notes and action: _____
6. RISK RATING AND ACTIONS
Overall risk for this task: [ ] Low [ ] Medium [ ] High
Control chosen: [ ] Eliminate the lift [ ] Redesign the task [ ] Mechanical aid
[ ] Change the load [ ] Change the layout [ ] Training and supervision
Action 1: __ Owner: ___ Due: ___
Action 2: __ Owner: ___ Due: ___
Reassess on: ___
7. SIGN-OFF
Assessor: __ Date: ___
Supervisor: __ Date: ___
Owner or manager: __ Date: ___
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample checklist for general information only and is not
legal, medical, or professional safety advice. It is not a substitute for a
formal lifting analysis by a qualified professional, and no single weight limit
is safe for every task or every person. Confirm your federal, state, and local
obligations before use.
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A short form an employee submits when something starts to ache, with a body map, timing, what recently changed, what they have already tried, and what they think would help. The manager response block routes it to an assessment or into your injury process.
Employee Discomfort and Early Symptom Report
EMPLOYEE DISCOMFORT AND EARLY SYMPTOM REPORT
Company: [Company Name]
Employee: [Full name] Job title: [Title]
Manager: [Name] Date submitted: [Date]
WHY THIS FORM EXISTS
Tell us early. Most workstation problems announce themselves as a small ache
weeks before they become anything else, and the fix at that point is usually a
monitor riser or a change to how a task is done. Reporting discomfort is not a
complaint and it is not a claim. If you are in pain, or a symptom is severe or
persistent, see a medical professional and tell us so we can follow our injury
reporting process.
1. WHAT YOU ARE FEELING
Where is it? Check all that apply.
[ ] Neck [ ] Shoulders [ ] Upper back [ ] Lower back [ ] Elbows
[ ] Forearms [ ] Wrists [ ] Hands or fingers [ ] Hips [ ] Legs
How would you rate it right now, where 0 is nothing and 10 is severe?
2. WHEN IT HAPPENS
When did you first notice it? ___
Is it getting: [ ] Better [ ] Worse [ ] About the same
When is it worst? [ ] Start of shift [ ] Mid shift [ ] End of day
[ ] Overnight [ ] Days off [ ] After a specific task: ___
Does it ease when you are away from work? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Not sure
3. WHAT YOU WERE DOING
Which task or tasks seem connected to it?
[Description]
Has anything about your work changed recently (new desk, new equipment, new
software, new duties, higher volume, different shift)?
[Description]
4. WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY TRIED
[ ] Adjusted my chair
[ ] Adjusted my screen height
[ ] Changed keyboard or mouse position
[ ] Took more movement breaks
[ ] Changed how I do the task
[ ] Told my manager
[ ] Saw a medical professional
[ ] Nothing yet
Other: ___
5. WHAT YOU THINK WOULD HELP
[Description]
6. MANAGER OR HR RESPONSE
Received by: __ Date received: ___
Workstation assessment scheduled for: ___
Assessment completed on: ___ By: ___
Immediate change made: __
Equipment ordered: __ Date: ___
Referred to injury reporting process? [ ] No [ ] Yes, on: ___
Referred for medical evaluation? [ ] No [ ] Yes, on: ___
7. FOLLOW-UP
Follow-up conversation date: ___
Is the symptom better? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Partly
Further action: __ Owner: ___ Due: ___
Closed on: ___
8. SIGN-OFF
Employee: __ Date: ___
Manager or HR: __ Date: ___
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample form for general information only and is not legal
or medical advice. It does not diagnose any condition and it is not a substitute
for medical care. Keep completed forms confidential and store any medical
information separately from the personnel file. A work-related injury or illness
may carry recording and reporting duties. Confirm your federal, state, and local
obligations before use.
6. Ergonomic Findings Log and Corrective Action Plan
Three finding records with a priority guide, chosen control, owner, due date, and a verification line, plus a period summary that surfaces repeat findings. This is the document that converts completed checklists into work that actually gets done.
Ergonomic Findings Log and Corrective Action Plan
ERGONOMIC FINDINGS LOG AND CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Company: [Company Name]
Log owner: [Name, title]
Period covered: [Start date] to [End date]
Assessments completed this period: Employees covered:
HOW TO USE THIS LOG
Every NO on an assessment sheet becomes one record here. Rank by exposure rather
than by how easy the fix is, because the cheap fixes get done anyway and the
expensive ones are the ones that go missing. One owner per record. One date per
record. A record with two owners has none.
PRIORITY GUIDE
HIGH: An employee reports a symptom, or the task involves a load, posture, or
repetition that could injure someone in the near term.
MEDIUM: A clear mismatch between the person and the setup with no symptom yet.
LOW: A comfort or preference item with no realistic injury path.
FINDING RECORD
Finding number: Date raised: ___
Employee or task: __
Checklist and section: __
What was found: __
Priority: [ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low
Symptom reported alongside it? [ ] No [ ] Yes
Control chosen: [ ] Adjust existing setup [ ] Buy equipment [ ] Change the task
[ ] Change the layout [ ] Training [ ] Medical or professional referral
Corrective action: __
Owner: __ Due date: ___
Cost or approval needed: ___ Approved by: ___
Status: [ ] Open [ ] In progress [ ] Closed Closed on: ___
Verified with the employee on: ___ Symptom resolved? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] N/A
FINDING RECORD
Finding number: Date raised: ___
Employee or task: __
Checklist and section: __
What was found: __
Priority: [ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low
Symptom reported alongside it? [ ] No [ ] Yes
Control chosen: [ ] Adjust existing setup [ ] Buy equipment [ ] Change the task
[ ] Change the layout [ ] Training [ ] Medical or professional referral
Corrective action: __
Owner: __ Due date: ___
Cost or approval needed: ___ Approved by: ___
Status: [ ] Open [ ] In progress [ ] Closed Closed on: ___
Verified with the employee on: ___ Symptom resolved? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] N/A
FINDING RECORD
Finding number: Date raised: ___
Employee or task: __
Checklist and section: __
What was found: __
Priority: [ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low
Symptom reported alongside it? [ ] No [ ] Yes
Control chosen: [ ] Adjust existing setup [ ] Buy equipment [ ] Change the task
[ ] Change the layout [ ] Training [ ] Medical or professional referral
Corrective action: __
Owner: __ Due date: ___
Cost or approval needed: ___ Approved by: ___
Status: [ ] Open [ ] In progress [ ] Closed Closed on: ___
Verified with the employee on: ___ Symptom resolved? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] N/A
Print additional pages as needed.
PERIOD SUMMARY
Total findings: High: Medium: Low:
Closed this period: Carried forward:
Equipment spend this period: ___
Repeat findings (same issue seen more than once): __
Pattern worth fixing at the source: __
Date all high priority findings closed: ___
Next assessment cycle begins: ___
APPROVAL
Log owner: __ Date: ___
Business owner or manager: __ Date: ___
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample log for general information only and is not legal,
medical, or professional safety advice. A completed log is a record of what you
found and did, not proof of compliance with any standard. Where a finding
involves a reported injury, a disability accommodation, or a medical restriction,
involve a qualified professional. Confirm your federal, state, and local
obligations before use.
What the Assessment Measures
An ergonomic assessment measures four things: the seat, the screen, the hands, and the pattern of the work. Everything else on a checklist is a variation on those four, and each one has a target you can verify by looking rather than by opinion.
The seat
Feet supported, thighs level
Lower back supported
Adjustments the employee can actually use
The screen
Directly in front, not off to a side
Top at or slightly below eye level
Far enough away to read without leaning
The hands
Wrists straight and in line with forearms
Elbows close to the body
Mouse beside the keyboard, same height
The pattern
Posture changes through the day
Tasks vary enough to break repetition
A known route for reporting discomfort
Those targets are not invented. The OSHA computer workstations guidance sets out a neutral working position in specific terms, which is what makes a checklist line answerable with a yes or a no instead of a shrug.
Body part
Target position
What a no usually means
Head and neck
Level, forward facing, in line with the torso
Screen too low, or a laptop with no stand
Shoulders
Relaxed, upper arms hanging at the side
Desk or armrests too high, or reaching too far
Elbows
Close to the body, bent between 90 and 120 degrees
Work surface at the wrong height for the chair
Wrists and forearms
Straight, in line, roughly parallel to the floor
Keyboard angle, or wrists resting on a hard edge
Thighs
Roughly parallel to the floor, knees about the same height as the hips
Seat height set once and never revisited
Feet
Flat on the floor or on a footrest
Chair raised to fix the desk, with nothing under the feet
Monitor
Directly in front, top at or slightly below eye level, at least 20 inches away
Monitor pushed to one side, or text too small to read
Two of those rows do most of the work. Feet and monitor height are the fixes I make most often, they cost nothing, and they resolve a striking share of the neck and lower back complaints that prompted the assessment in the first place. The full OSHA workstation evaluation checklist is worth reading alongside the sheets here.
Manual handling is measured differently, because there the hazard is the task rather than the furniture. NIOSH lists lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying many or irregularly shaped objects, awkward postures, vibration, cold, and the intensity, frequency, and duration of the activity as the conditions that cause or worsen musculoskeletal disorders. Its lifting equation starts from a 51-pound load constant under ideal conditions and reduces from there for every factor that is less than ideal: reaching out, twisting, lifting from the floor, repeating, or gripping badly. The point for a small employer is not to run the equation. It is that the same box gets heavier as the conditions get worse, so the assessment has to look at how the lift happens, not just what it weighs.
How to Run the Assessment
Set aside twenty minutes per person, watch the work before you ask any questions, and walk the sheet with the employee rather than at them. The mechanics take almost no time. What makes an assessment useful is treating the employee as the source of information rather than the subject of it.
1
Watch first, ask second
Observe for a few minutes at an ordinary moment. Posture corrects itself the second a clipboard appears, and the corrected version tells you nothing about the rest of the week.
2
Pick the sheet that matches the setup
Office desk, home office, laptop or sit-stand, or manual handling. Using the office sheet on a laptop user produces confident answers to the wrong questions.
3
Walk every line together
Mark yes, no, or not applicable on each item. Ask the symptom question out loud, because discomfort is invisible in a posture and obvious in an answer.
4
Adjust what can be adjusted now
Chair height, screen height, mouse position, a box under the feet. Make the change with the person seated, then recheck the lines it affected.
5
Log the rest, sign, and set a date
Every remaining no goes into the findings log with one owner and one due date. Collect the sign-offs and set the date you will verify the fix held.
One habit is worth building in from the start: record the assessment even when everything passes. A sheet with no findings is still the dated evidence that you looked, and it is the baseline you compare against the next time that person mentions their shoulder.
Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR, so the cleanest place to attach a first assessment today is the onboarding checklist a new hire already works through. Add a single line to that list saying the workstation sheet gets run in week one, and the habit survives a busy quarter without anyone maintaining a separate schedule.
Assessing a Home Workstation
Send remote employees a self-assessment to complete and return, rather than trying to evaluate a home you cannot see. OSHA does not inspect home offices, does not hold employers liable for them, and does not expect employers to inspect them, which settles the question of whether you should be asking to visit.
What it does not settle is the rest of the problem. The same OSHA home-based worksites directive confirms that employers required to keep injury and illness records remain responsible for recording work-related cases regardless of where the work happens. And an employee working from a dining chair for a year is a cost that arrives eventually, in turnover or in a claim, whether or not anyone inspected anything.
Who completes it?
The employee, on their own, returning it to their manager. A self-assessment gathers the information without anyone entering a home, and it moves the conversation to what would help rather than what is wrong.
What do you actually ask?
Start with where they really work, including the sofa and the kitchen counter. An honest first answer makes the rest of the sheet useful, so make it clear that nobody is being judged for it.
What do you buy?
Monitor risers, laptop stands, separate keyboards and mice, and footrests are cheap and fix the most common findings. A chair is the expensive item, so it is worth deciding your position on it before anyone asks.
How does this connect to policy?
Put the expectation in writing once, in your remote setup or equipment section, so it is not renegotiated per employee. A short paragraph in the policy beats a long email thread every time.
What if they report a symptom?
Treat it the same way you would in the office. Run the assessment, fix what you can, and route anything persistent or severe through your injury reporting process and to a medical professional.
How often for remote staff?
On hire, after any move or equipment change, and annually. Remote setups drift faster than office ones because nobody else ever sees them. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR, so for now this sheet is part of your onboarding pack rather than your hiring flow.
The policy side of this is worth settling once rather than per person. A written remote work policy that states what equipment the company provides, and a stated position on a work from home stipend, turn a recurring negotiation into a rule people can read.
Fix, Sign, and Store
A completed checklist proves nothing on its own. What matters is the record behind it: what you found, what you changed, who owned it, and whether the person is better. These sheets work on paper, and for a first pass paper is genuinely fine.
Run the sheet with the person there
Watch the work first, then walk the checklist together. The employee knows which part of the day hurts and you do not.
Fix what a screwdriver fixes
Chair height, screen height, mouse position, and a monitor riser close most findings on the spot, before anything reaches a budget.
Log the rest with an owner
Move every remaining NO into the findings log with one owner, one due date, and the priority you assigned honestly.
Sign it, store it, revisit it
Capture the signatures, file the assessment where it can be found, and set the date you will check whether the fix held.
The strain shows up later. Assessments get run and never filed. A symptom report sits in an inbox. The annual pass slips because nobody owns the calendar. And when someone asks a year on what was done about a complaint, the answer lives in three different places or in nobody's memory. That is a records problem more than a safety problem, and it is where a written workplace safety policy and a real filing habit start to earn their place.
When that point arrives, FirstHR keeps the completed assessment against the employee profile, captures the assessor and employee sign-offs with built-in e-signature so the record is dated, and stores it with their other employment documents through document management, so a symptom report, the assessment it triggered, and the fix that closed it sit together. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a safety consultancy, an occupational health provider, or a law firm: it does not assess workstations, diagnose anything, or provide legal advice. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
An ergonomic assessment checklist compares a workstation or task against known good positions and turns every mismatch into an action with an owner and a date.
There is no federal OSHA ergonomics standard, so recognized ergonomic hazards are addressed under the General Duty Clause instead.
Feet flat, thighs level, head in line with the torso, wrists straight, elbows between 90 and 120 degrees, and the screen top at or slightly below eye level are the targets that make each line answerable.
OSHA does not inspect home offices or expect employers to, but injury recording duties follow the work regardless of where it happens, so use a self-assessment for remote staff.
Run an assessment on hire, after any change of desk, equipment, or task, and whenever someone reports discomfort, plus an annual pass to catch drift.
These are starting points, not a professional assessment or medical advice. Route persistent symptoms to a qualified professional and confirm your state obligations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ergonomic assessment checklist?
An ergonomic assessment checklist is a structured sheet used to compare a person’s workstation or task against known good positions, and to record every mismatch as an action with an owner and a date. It walks through the seat, the screen, the hands and reach, the work surface, the surrounding environment, and the pattern of the work itself, then asks the employee directly whether anything hurts. NIOSH describes ergonomics as designing work tasks to fit the capabilities of the working population, which is why the checklist adjusts the desk to the person rather than the other way around. The output that matters is not the completed sheet. It is the short list of things you changed, and the record showing when you changed them.
Does OSHA require an ergonomic assessment?
No, there is no federal OSHA standard that requires a specific ergonomic assessment or a written ergonomics program. OSHA is explicit that it has no ergonomics standard, and that employee exposure to hazards from repetitive motion and awkward posture may instead be addressed under Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, the General Duty Clause, which requires employers to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. In practice that means an ergonomic hazard you know about and leave alone is the exposure, not the missing paperwork. State plan states and some industries add their own requirements, so confirm what applies where your people work. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should an office ergonomic assessment checklist include?
A usable office checklist covers six areas: the chair and seated posture, the monitor and viewing distance, the keyboard and mouse and reach, the desk and work surface, the environment, and the work pattern. Concrete targets from the OSHA computer workstations guidance make each line checkable rather than a matter of opinion: feet flat on the floor or a footrest, thighs roughly parallel to the floor, the head level and in line with the torso, the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level, the monitor at least 20 inches away, wrists straight and in line with the forearms, and elbows close to the body bent between 90 and 120 degrees. Add a direct symptom question, a findings block, and a sign-off, or the sheet produces no work.
Who can perform an ergonomic assessment at a small company?
Any trained manager, office manager, or owner can run a workstation checklist, and at a small company that is usually who does it. The checklist exists precisely so the assessment does not depend on specialist judgment: it gives you the target position on each line, so the assessor is comparing what they see against a written standard rather than guessing. Bring in a qualified ergonomics professional, an occupational health provider, or your workers compensation carrier when an employee has a persistent or worsening symptom, when a medical restriction or a disability accommodation is involved, when the same finding keeps reappearing after you have fixed it, or when the task involves heavy or repetitive manual handling. Many workers compensation carriers offer a consultation at no extra cost, which is worth asking about before you pay for one.
How often should workstations be assessed?
Once a year for a full pass, plus an assessment triggered by a specific event rather than a calendar. The four events that should always trigger one are a new hire settling into a desk, a move or a change in equipment, a new task or a large change in workload, and an employee reporting discomfort. The discomfort trigger is the one that pays for the whole process, because a symptom caught while it is still an ache is usually fixed with a screen riser or a change in how a task is done. The annual pass is mostly there to catch drift: chairs that stopped adjusting, a monitor arm that slipped, a desk that quietly filled with storage. Attach the per-employee assessment to onboarding so it happens without anyone remembering to schedule it.
Do I have to assess a remote employee’s home office?
OSHA does not inspect home offices and does not hold employers liable for them, and its home-based worksites directive states that OSHA does not expect employers to inspect their employees’ home offices. That is not the end of your interest in the question, for two reasons. First, the same directive confirms that employers required to keep injury and illness records remain responsible for recording work-related cases regardless of where the work is performed. Second, a remote employee working from a dining chair for a year is a problem you will eventually pay for in some other form. The practical answer is a self-assessment the employee completes and returns, which gathers the information without anyone entering their home. That is exactly what the remote checklist in this set is built for.
What do I do with the findings after the assessment?
Fix on the spot everything that a screwdriver and five minutes can fix, then move every remaining item into a findings log with one owner, one due date, and an honest priority. Chair height, screen height, mouse position, and a monitor riser close a surprising share of findings before anything reaches a budget conversation. For the rest, rank by exposure rather than by how easy the fix is, because the cheap items get done anyway and the expensive ones are the ones that quietly disappear. Verify the fix with the employee afterward rather than assuming it worked, and record that verification. Then store the completed assessment where it can actually be retrieved, because a year later the value of the exercise is the dated record of what you found and what you did about it.
