OH&S Courses and Training: Ergonomic Office Chairs

The term ergonomic is used to describe furniture that is design to support correct posture and prevent discomfort. Office chairs that support ergonomic functions are ideal for the workplace – particularly those who are in sedentary jobs all day. These chairs cater to a large majority of workers due to the differing range of chair models available.

What is an Ergonomic Chair?

Ergonomic chairs have the following characteristics:

• 5 supportive base prongs for stability;
• A weight limit which should be strictly adhered to for OHS reasons;
• Preferably without arm rests to allow the chair to fit appropriately under the desk. If the chair has arm rests then these need to be user-adjustable and changed to the users correct height by a safety representative;
Both the back height and angle should be adjusted to enable both waist support and back support whilst sitting.
• The entire chair itself should be moveable so that the user can adjust the height to have their thighs close to the top of the desk. If the chair user is short an elevated foot rest may be appropriate to ensure there is no pressure behind the knees of backs of the thighs;
• When positioning the chair at a computer desk, the user’s shoulders should be relaxed and the desk surface around elbow height. Wrists should not be bent in any way and the keyboard should be as close to the body as possible to prevent wrist and arm strain. The user’s eye focus should be meeting the middle to top of the computer screen. They should not be leaning forward or straining their neck either up or down.

Importance of Work Health and Safety

Regardless of the equipment available in your office, for adequate health and safety procedures, you should be moving around every 20 minutes. Take the chance to walk around the office and perform exercises to relieve tension and stretch the muscles. If you are doing a great amount of computer based work you should also practice eye exercises and focus on an object in the distance to prevent short-sightedness. And remember, if you are working within an office where you feel health and safety procedures are inadequate, its always the best idea to speak up about this, because even short term injury can equate to long term pain.