Environmental Health & Safety

Ergonomics Matching Funds Procedures

 

The Be Smart About Safety (BSAS) Matching Funds Program is designed to help departments offset the cost of implementing recommended or approved office ergonomic equipment for UCR staff and faculty (see the following employee eligibility).

Program Overview

  • Equipment purchases eligible for matching funds must be approved by the ergonomist.
  • An ergonomic evaluation by the campus ergonomist (either on-site or ‘virtual’) is necessary to obtain a recommendation.
  • A Matching Funds Request Form must be submitted to secure eligibility.
  • Funding for this program is limited and requests will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Funding is limited up to $400 per person per fiscal year.
  • The program is not retroactive to prior purchases of ergonomic equipment.
  • The program is not retroactive to recommendations made in the prior fiscal year, with exception of those recommendations made in the last month (June) of the preceding fiscal year.

Program Overview Process

  1. Register and complete the Online Ergonomic Assessment 
  2. Employees will receive immediate feedback via a systemic email advising the employee of their risk level: high, medium or low.
  3. If the ergonomic risk level is estimated to be high or moderate, employees will be contacted to schedule an in-person evaluation with an ergonomist to address the risk.
  4. After an evaluation is completed, the ergonomist will email the Report of Ergonomic Evaluation with specific product recommendations (if any) directly to the employee with a copy to their supervisor.
  5. Prior to purchasing the approved/recommended ergonomic equipment, an online request form must be submitted to the ergonomics program.
  6. To complete the Request Form, a quote must be acquired listing the price of the equipment (including tax and shipping if any).
  7. The ergonomics program will review each request for approval. Departments will then be notified of the approval to purchase by email. Included in the email will be the BSAS (Be Smart About Safety) Matching Funds COA and the "Amount to Match" per the listed guidelines.
  8. The department then purchases the recommended products(s). Once the charges have been recorded in the department's Chart of Accounts (COA), the department submits a Non-Charge Transfer (NCT) to the Matching Funds COA for reimbursement.

Eligibility

  • Eligibility includes all faculty, full-time staff, and part-time workers who work 30 hours per week or more.
  • Part-time workers who work less than 30 hours per week and student or affiliate employees are not eligible.
  • Eligible purchases will receive up to 40% of the total cost of the recommended equipment.
  • In order to obtain funds from the BSAS Matching Funds Program, an employee must have completed an Computer Ergonomic Self Assessement and received the recommendation from the campus ergonomist. It is also highly recommended that the employee complete the online Self Evaluation and Training. Healthy Working - accessible via the UC Learning Center (UCLC)  is not mandatory for eligibility.

Equipment Available for Purchase

Register and complete the Online Ergonomic Assessment. After an in-person evaluation is completed, the ergonomist will email the ergonomic evaluation report with recommendation(s) directly to the employee with a copy to their supervisor.

Chairs
  • Standard upholstery material, frame and base color are covered; upgrades from the stand options are not covered.
  • Maximum dollar amount of reimbursement on chairs is limited to $250. Adjustable Height (sit-to-stand) Workstations
  • Adjustable height workstations are covered and are limited to a maximum reimbursement of $200 per workstation.
Equipment Ineligible for Matching Funds
  • Computer workstation furniture for new construction, renovation and relocation projects.
  • Computers and monitors, with the exception of any "special considerations" monitors that may be recommended to correct or affect an employee's vision-related issue(s). Adding a secondary monitor to a single monitor set-up efficiency is not covered.
  • New equipment desired for purely aesthetic reasons.
  • Installation cost of equipment.
  • The program is not retroactive to prior purchases of ergonomic equipment.
  • The program is not retroactive to recommendations made in the prior fiscal year, with exception of those recommendations made in the last month (June) of the preceding fiscal year.
Receipt Notification
  • Upon receipt of the ergonomic equipment, departments are encouraged to notify the ergonomics program via email. A follow-up visit may be scheduled at that time to ensure proper installation and utilization of the equipment by the employee.
  • If further information is needed, please contact the Ergonomics Program at ehsih@ucr.edu.
  • Note: if you are an affiliate or student employee, please contact your Department Safety Coordinator or supervisor before proceeding.