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Considerations for Office Chair Ergonomics

Cropped side view of business person sitting in adjustable desk chair from shoulders to feet

A quality office chair can remain in use for more than 15 years, often passed from one employee to another. Equipping an office with adjustable, ergonomic chairs can offer employees comfort and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and other injuries. An office chair should accommodate as wide of a variety of individuals as possible. When purchasing an office task chair, consider the following guidelines.

Adjustability

The level and availability of adjustments with chairs is one of the most important items to consider when selecting ergonomic office chairs. Selecting chairs with the following adjustment options increases the likelihood of the chair being capable of fitting each individual.

Seat pan depth adjustment: This control allows the portion of the chair that an individual sits upon to be moved forward or back to provide support for the upper leg. Having this adjustment allows the chair to accommodate employees of varying heights.

Adjustable lumbar support: This refers to the options for adjusting the contour of the seat back to fit the user. Some chairs offer this support by raising or lowering the entire seat back to bring the curved portions of the back in line with the natural curves of the spine, while others feature options to help reposition the lumbar support on a fixed seat back.

Chair back depth: Sometimes the seat pan is too deep for individuals regardless of the seat pan depth adjustment. In these cases, having a seat back that can be moved closer can help to move the employee forward so the front of the seat pan is not contacting the back of the legs. This feature is often available as an adjustment, but some chair styles allow the seat back to be moved by removing setscrews, manually adjusting the back and resetting the screws.

Seat back tension: A tensioner knob is often located beneath or on the side of the seat pan. Turning the knob to the right reduces the flex of the seat back, giving more support.

Arm rests: When selecting chairs, ideally armrests should have an adjustable height and width setting to accommodate larger individuals. The armrests should not be set too high to cause employees to hunch shoulders nor too low to cause an employee to lean to one side or the other. Sometimes the work being performed or individual preference may not be conducive to arm rests, and removing them may be an option.

Seat pan and back material: Chairs often feature padded seat pans and seat backs; however, mesh screens are available as well. Offering similar support, mesh can reduce overheating and potentially make chairs lighter or less top heavy. Some mesh support chairs, however, do not offer the same level of comfort as padded chairs. Consider the work location in particular when choosing materials.

Tilt: Many chairs feature a tilt adjustment to allow individuals to incline or recline the chair when working. This adjustment is often employed for jobs requiring close focus, such as drafting or tool work.

Height: Most chairs allow individuals to adjust the height. If the chair does not have a height adjustment option, consider choosing a different chair.

MCIT provides the pamphlet Your Guide: A Comfortable Workstation that illustrates best practices regarding chair adjustments and postures at the workstation. Members can order no-cost printed versions to be sent to them by contacting their loss control consultant.

Chair Users

Consider who will be using the chair before purchasing a style. Although many of the options above can be used to accommodate most individuals, chairs for the sheriff’s office, for example, also need to accommodate duty belts worn by deputies or command staff. Wider chairs with adjustable or removable armrests may be necessary.

A larger, bariatric model chair may be worthwhile for larger individuals, while a smaller chair may be appropriate for others.

Location and Workstation Type

The location and design of the workspace should also be taken into account when selecting office chairs.

Reception desks near entrances may be warmer or colder at different times of the year and may benefit from careful selection of chair materials to help regulate heat or cold. Standing workstations would likely require tall office chairs or drafting chairs to fit the space. Workstations that are positioned for standing only should be considered with caution. If an employee needs to sit, stools and tall office chairs often do not offer full support.

Other Seating

Sometimes employees want to use less traditional seating options than a typical office chair. These can range from stools, exercise balls, ball chairs, cross-legged chairs or others. When considering these options or requests for them, be aware of concerns about adjustability.

Some of the most common requests are included below along with their pros and cons.

Exercise balls: These are sometimes requested in lieu of a chair. Although effective when exercising, exercise balls pose significant ergonomic and other safety concerns:

  • They lack many forms of adjustability and support. Although potentially strengthening core muscles, when seated incorrectly, they may cause injury to other muscles. Other risks include popping and the employee falling off the ball, particularly when sitting down.
  • It is not recommended to sit for long periods on an exercise ball. A task chair meeting the criteria above should also be used.
  • As an office task chair is also recommended for use, the ball, when not in use, is often stored under desks or into already tight workstations and limits clearance for legs or other equipment. Any equipment or materials placed in walking paths may also create a tripping hazard.
  • When used for exercise, these balls can be helpful in increasing core strength; however, an office setting is not intended for exercise. If one exercises for an eight-hour work shift, soreness and strain is to be expected, which may have been the goal to prevent in the first place.

Ball chairs: These are similar to exercise balls, but instead of the ball sitting on the floor, the ball instead rests inside a chair structure with a seat back and, occasionally, arm rests. This set up addresses some of the safety concerns when using only an exercise ball, but several ergonomic concerns still must be considered.

Adjustability is the biggest issue. Proper ergonomic height is often achieved by changing the air pressure within the ball, making it difficult to adjust. The chair back or arm rests are often fixed into position and do not adjust to fit the individual or provide the ideal level of support.

Tall office chairs/drafting chairs: These are taller chairs used primarily for standing workstations or front desks or counters. When selecting or providing these styles of chairs, employers should consider the following:

  • Foot support is one of the largest challenges with this type of chair. Often they are equipped with a ring similar to a bar stool or bar rail. These, like other foot rests, need to be positioned correctly to offer foot support. However, even when positioned at the optimal location, they do not provide support to the entirety of the foot and tend to pull the individual away from the support of the chair back.
  • Falls are another concern with this type of chair. Climbing onto and off of this style of chair creates the potential for the chair to tip over or for individuals to fall off the chair. Positioning the chairs on a stable surface, and keeping a heavily weighted base can help with this, but the risk remains.

Stools: These are often used with standing workstations to provide something to either lean upon or for occasional rest. Most stools, unlike the tall office chairs, do not feature a seat back or arm rests, while some are only intended for people to lean on rather than support the entire weight with a more flexible post and seat pan. From an ergonomic perspective these offer significant challenges.

Cross-legged chairs: These chairs are designed for the user to sit cross legged in the chair throughout the day. Most do not feature arm or seat back support. As users are intended to sit cross-legged the need for foot support is lessened, but by placing all of the weight at the top of the chair and not having feet on the ground can increase the risk of tipping or falling out of the chair. As with exercise balls, it is not recommended to sit in a cross-legged chair for long periods.

Employees may be interested in bringing in their own chair or office equipment. Entities should consider working with human resources and legal counsel to develop a formal policy, similar to an appliance in the workplace policy, that clearly states the process related to approving or limiting personal office equipment.

This resource is meant to provide general guidance only and may not apply in situations where an employee has medical limitations or medical documentation to support another option. Members should consult their human resources expert or legal counsel in cases where a medical issue is present.

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