Poor seating can negatively affect physical and emotional wellbeing, work performance and productivity. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has estimated that back pain costs UK employers up to £625 million per year. Continuous sitting on poor seating cannot be maintained for the whole of one’s working life. So what makes a good office chair and how should it be selected?
7 Tips for Selecting the Correct Chair
- The seat needs to be adjustable so that both feet can rest comfortably on the floor. The seat pan should stop the pelvis from tilting away and support physiologically the ‘right’ sitting. The seat should permit both active and dynamic sitting, i.e. between a forward, upright and laid-back posture.
- The backrest should be high enough to reach at least the shoulder blades. There should be a gap between the back and the seat pan for the buttocks. Some backrests have a tilting mechanism which adjusts with the worker. This can provide comfort in a wide range of working positions.
- Armrests: whilst not essential, they can provide comfort, as they can take the weight of 8-10kg, i.e. the arms, which would otherwise simply hang on the shoulder girdle, causing fatigue. Armrests should be set back from the front edge of the seat or be adjustable to allow the chair to fit under the desk.
- Chairs should be mobile, i.e. have castors, to provide flexibility where workers need to move from one location to another. Ensure the correct type of castor is selected, e.g. for hard floors or carpeted areas.
- Adjustments may include seat height, backrest height and tilt. Adjustment controls should be easy to use from a sitting position.
- Weight: no one weighing more than 16 stone should use a gas-lift chair, unless it is one which has been specially designed to accommodate larger persons.
- Upholstery: the seat, backrest and armrests should be well padded to ensure user comfort and reduce the likelihood of damage. Upholstery should meet BS 7176:2007 in respect of resistance to ignition.
Follow these tips and you will be able to demonstrate that you have taken steps to avoid posture-related problems and injuries and will be able to defend any claims that arise.
If your staff require an assessment of their workstation, please contact us.
Symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to food poisoning and flu, producing drowsiness, headaches, chest pain, breathlessness or nausea. The most sensitive areas in the body are the heart and nervous system and workers with heart, lung and respiratory problems are most susceptible, as are pregnant women and smokers.
How to Manage CO in Your Workplace
- In practical terms, you can address this silent killer by drawing up a floor plan for your workplace. Don’t forget to include any confined spaces.
- Next, identify all potential and actual sources of CO – include equipment, processes and storage – and risk assess each. Consider employees who use petrol, diesel or gas-driven tools and appliances such as floor grinders, concrete cutting tools, compressors, diesel forklift trucks or small mobile plants. Remember that cabs in vehicles which have defective exhaust systems can also be affected by CO.
- Where possible, change from petrol or diesel-powered equipment to equipment which is powered by batteries or electricity, if practicable to do so. If not, do not use petrol or diesel-powered engines or tools in poorly ventilated areas, inside your building or in partially enclosed areas.
- Determine your workers’ exposure by carrying out an indoor air quality assessment. Current workplace exposure limits should not exceed 30ppm for long-term exposure and 200ppm for short-term exposure.
- Implementing engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation will remove CO before it is released into the workplace. Ensure ventilation ducts are not blocked.
- Ensure appliances have been properly installed and are maintained by a competent person.
- Train employees on how to recognise the hazards that can lead to CO poisoning and ensure you place hazard warning labels on any equipment, tools or appliances likely to produce CO.
- Only allow authorised personnel to operate equipment, tools and appliances which are likely to produce CO. All such personnel must receive adequate training, information and instruction.
- Use CO monitors with audible alarms or personal CO monitors where a risk of exposure exists. However, these should be provided as a back-up and not as a substitute for a safe system of work.
The responsibility for a safe workplace falls squarely on your shoulders. Don’t let this silent killer catch you out.
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