| The chair is the most frequently used piece of
equipment in a computer workstation. Since the majority of office workers spend most of
their time sitting, it is critical to select a properly designed and adjustable chair to
enable the user to sit comfortably, to work efficiently, to provide proper support and to
minimize fatigue. All adjustments should be easy to make from a seated position. Specific
chair criteria are discussed below. The specific dimensions recommended in this section
are from the PEOSH VDT
guidelines which were adapted from the ANSI standard for VDT workstations
(ANSI/HFS
100-1988). EOHSS has tried to balance furniture
adjustability against price. The more adjustable features a chair has the more expensive
it becomes. In consideration of this fact at a minimum selected chairs must have five
basic adjustable features: seat height, back rest (lumbar support), back tilt, ability to
swivel and arm rests. For a description on types of chair and prices, go to "Computer Furniture with Adjustable Features."
The seat, backrest and armrests of the chair should be
upholstered with non-slip, moisture-absorbing material.
Chairs should have five legs and the ability to swivel.
A chair with height adjustable armrests should be
purchased. Armrests should only be used to rest your hand when you are not typing.
Resting your arm or forearm on the armrest, desk or wrist rests while typing forces the
small muscles and tendons to do work which is a major cause of musculoskeletal disorders.
Adjust and experiment with the chair at different positions
to find the most comfortable settings. Also choose a chair that fits your size; avoid
sitting in a chair that is either too big or small. Lastly, vary your sitting posture and
perform minor chair adjustments during the day to relieve muscle stress and stiffness.
The following pages have more information to assist you in
selecting and adjusting a chair:
Chair Height
Backrest
Seat Pan
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