Rolling Office Chairs

By Manish Chauhan


In today's industrialized world, majority of the work force carries out its duties while sitting. They sit while traveling, in classrooms, in offices and at home. The amount of physical effort required for sitting is far less compared to standing or walking. However, sitting puts a lot of stress on the lumbar region. Health problems, an offshoot of sedentary lifestyle and extended sitting hours, is thus a major cause of concern.

The selection of suitable office chairs is critical in eradicating health issues associated with it. It is imperative that office seating is comfortable, adjustable, easy to operate, and appropriate to the task being performed. It is a misconception that people performing the activity of sitting, maintain a fixed posture over a long period of time. Contrary to this notion, people adopt multiple positions depending on their work. Ergonomics plays an important part in making office chairs as supportive as they can, and provide the perfect 'fit' between people and their work.

Chairs conforming to certain benchmarking features would support the body in a way, that would reduce awkward postures and thus minimize health risks. No chair can be designed to provide a perfect position for extended periods. It is always recommended that one should change postures as frequently as possible. Also, standing and/or walking at regular intervals would prevent prolonged stress. Some common problems with office chairs are as follows:

• Lack of adequate sitting space.
• Inadequate padding and cushioning.
• Reduced support to the lower back region.

Malfunctioning adjustment mechanisms.A chair is an assembly of different parts namely casters and case, seat pan, back rest, arm rest, height adjustment mechanism, and tilt. The selection procedure should be based on the performance of the chair, which is an amalgamation of the above mentioned components. An ideal rolling office chair should have the following features:

• Ergonomically contoured seat pan.
• Supportive back rest that can be adjusted for height, angle and depth.
• Height adjustable armrest.
• Easy to use hydraulic height adjustment.
• A five star base to enhance stability.
• Use of antibacterial/antimicrobial material.
• Incorporate anti-stain finish.
• Should meet ANSI/BIFMA standards.

Usually, rolling office chairs are engineered to fit 95% of the adult population. The remaining 5% of the population requires tailor made solutions because of their height, weight, size and special requirements. The support and flexibility offered by rolling office chairs, directly impacts the productivity of office workers and should be given due importance.