I’ve been doing a lot of ergonomic assessments lately and thought I would share some of the main issues I find with office chairs, along with the simplest solutions to address them.
1 – Worn-out chairs past their “use by” date
During assessments, I always sit in my clients’ chairs to assess their quality. Too often, I find that the cushioning is no longer comfortable or supportive, or there are faults with the mechanism, such as a leaking gas strut or damage causing the seat base to tilt to one side. The easiest way to fix this is to purchase a new, quality ergonomic chair and dispose of the old one. Don’t just set it aside for someone else to use—they will encounter the same issues.
2 – Incorrectly adjusted chairs
Staff members often don’t know where the levers or controls are or how to adjust the chairs to make them more comfortable and achieve a better neutral seated posture. This is easily remedied through an ergonomic assessment that includes proper education, not just on chair function but also on the importance of maintaining the natural spinal curves when performing seated tasks.
3 – Incorrectly sized chairs
Staff members sometimes sit in chairs that are clearly too small or too large for them. The first approach to address this is to scout around the office to see if a more suitable chair is available. If not, consider purchasing a new chair that is tailor-made to fit the individual, keeping the old chair (if still serviceable) as a spare for other staff members of average size.
Ergo Experts can help in all these situations. We can assess all chairs within the office to determine whether they remain “fit for task” or need replacing. We can supply new ergonomic equipment, including chairs and other items. Additionally, we provide individual or group education sessions on anatomy, posture, equipment adjustment, and strategies to ensure enhanced working comfort at the office or home. Please contact us via email or call us on 0409 512 434 to discuss your specific circumstances.
