Do you own a business or manage an office? If so, it is imperative that you take a moment to consider the condition of the chairs you and your employees use to conduct business. You may be surprised to find several existing issues that could be contributing to less-than-favorable working conditions or putting employees at risk for workplace injuries. The following are some suggestions you can use to ensure that you have office chairs that are ideal for your office space.
Height Considerations and Related Features
If the chairs your employees use are adjustable, ensure that you check all of the chairs to be sure that they are working according to their specifications. For example, you may have chairs that were purchased adjustable, but they may no longer fully raise or lower to their original heights. You may even discover that some employees have chairs that are stuck at one height due to malfunctioned parts.
Take time to consider each employee's height. People who are shorter or taller than most people may find standard office chairs uncomfortable even if the chairs are adjustable. This is because some chairs are created based upon average heights of consumers, and issues with comfort are something that some employee might choose not to mention. You can take a proactive approach and inquire with employees you identify that have special height circumstances about the comfortability of their chairs.
Visual Condition
A number of things can make office chairs a nuisance to employees, and some of them may well-meaningly attempt to make amendments to their office chairs in an effort to make them more comfortable or stable. For example, an employee who decides to put a pillow in their seat for added cushion is displaying a harmless behavior, but an employee with a chair leg or wheel that is propped on top of a book to keep it stable could end up with an injury due to their uncomfortable, damaged work chair.
When checking the condition of the chairs, you should also observe the upholstery. Chairs that exhibit signs of wear may need to be replaced or repaired. Keep in mind that opting for cheaper chairs may mean that you will need to replace them sooner if they are poorly constructed. This means your chair selection should not be only about getting new office chairs, but investing in quality chairs that will benefit your workplace environment for many years.
Base Suitability
You may unknowingly have the wrong type of chairs in your office. Check the base of the chairs and your flooring to make this determination. You may be thinking that wheeled office chairs are the norm and ideal for all office environments, but a chair with wheels and casters could cause an office accident if it is used on a tiled floor that has tile damage. This is because the uneven flooring could make rolling movements in the chair unstable. Contact a company, such as D & R Office Works, Inc. for more information.
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