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Office Seating Specification Guide
Introduction
The driving force behind seating specification in Europe continues to be the Display Screen Equipment (DSE), Health and Safety Regulations for desks and chairs used with computer workstations. The Health and Safety Executive states that equipment such as desks, chairs, monitor arms and laptop holders should comply with BS EN ISO 9241 Part 5.
The DSE regs have been with us a long time but the issue has changed in recent years thanks to new technologies such as flat screen monitors which have changed the shape and size of workstations and new working practices which mean people are not as desk bound and static as they once were.
There is also a different approach to ergonomics which has meant the driving force is far less the fear of litigation by employees and more about wellbeing, productivity and attracting and retaining staff.
One thing that hasn't changed is that good ergonomics starts with a good chair.
Making it comfortable the basics
Chairs should satisfy the needs of a very high percentage of users for personal preference, comfort and fit. Standards tend to be based around anthropometric data for around 95 per cent of the population.
The best chairs are those that encourage and support small posture changes throughout the day in response to the needs of different tasks. This will reduce discomfort, muscle fatigue and long term health problems
There is a basic set of adjustments that are essential to minimise discomfort in the upper body, back and legs and encourage good breathing
Additional adjustments can enhance the chair's ability to meet those needs
People need effective training to avoid discomfort and health problems. People should not only know how to adjust their chairs be encouraged to change posture frequently, they should also be aware of the need for movement and breaks
Because seating adjustments can be so sophisticated now with a great deal of variation, try to choose a chair with intuitive controls to encourage people to adjust it
Adjustments
The days when chairs would just spin around and go up and down are long gone. Now the following adjustments are all either standard or common:
Seat height
Seat tension
Seat tilt
Seat depth
Back height
Back rake
Back lock
Lumbar support
Armrest height
Armrest width
Armrest pivot
With all this variety it is perhaps unsurprising that many people don't know how to adjust their chairs properly. Research by the Center for Workplace Health Information in the US has found that under half of people always adjust their chairs for their own comfort. Ask the manufacturer about the help they can offer to help your people adjust their chairs properly. Most chairs will have an instruction label attached but good firms will also offer help with training, interactive advice on their websites and other support.
The elements of comfort
A properly adjusted chair should mean a user can achieve the following basic elements of comfort:
Both feet can be placed flat on the floor
The seat should not put pressure on the back of the legs when the user leans back
The user can sit in contact with the back at all times
The backrest can support the chosen posture with even pressure on all points of the back
The seat tension should be properly adjusted depending on the persons height and weight
If available, a lumbar support should be adjusted to the correct height for the user
Armrests should be adjusted to suit the user
The seat tilt should be set, if possible, at the most comfortable angle for the task in hand, preferably without the user sliding forward in the seat.
The back rest should also be adjusted to the correct height and angle depending on the preference of the user
Optional headrests can provide additional support for the head and neck
Nothing to do with the chair, but make sure the user moves around. A simple discipline like standing to make calls can make a big difference
Mechanisms
The standard for chairs in Europe is the synchronized movement. With a synchronised mechanism when the seat moves by one degree, the back moves by two degrees. An alternative is to have a knee-tilt mechanism with an individually adjustable back so the shape of the seat is tailored for the individual and lumbar support remains constant. In most of Europe, we tend to be driven by the German market which favours the synchronous mechanism and maintains the status quo. In individual markets such as Scandinavia where demands and market conditions are different the demand is more often for a knee tilt mechanism.
Accessories
As well as the basic chair, many manufacturers will allow you to customise their chairs with a range of accessories including:
Head rests
Different types of castors and glides
Different arm rests
Coat hangers
Ergonomic accessories
Finishes and fabrics
Although mesh chairs have become increasingly popular over the past ten years or so, most chairs are still specified with fabric covered foam upholstery. There is an agreeably wide selection of fabrics to choose from a number of suppliers. If you can always try to specify a fabric from one of the major, reputable manufacturers who not only have better quality materials but will also offer a wide, well designed range.
The long and the short and the tall
Although standards are based around the shapes and sizes of around 95 per cent of the population, this can cause problems when dealing with those outside of the agreed size distribution, still a fairly large number of people. Another issue with the anthropometric data that legislation is based on is that it is based on historical data. Some of it dates back to the days of the early 1980s and the groundbreaking work of a man called Stephen Pheasant. This may not take account of the changing shape of the population.
Anthropometrics can also vary wildly from country to country. The Netherlands now has the tallest average in the world with young men averaging over 6ft tall. In contrast, average male height in Vietnam and North Korea remains comparatively small at 5 ft 4 in and 5 ft 5 in respectively.
In the short term, populations can change shape even more quickly. Most notable is the way in which the British population is getting bigger. According to recent statistics, around 42 per cent of men and 32 per cent of women are now classed as overweight, compared to just 6 and 8 per cent respectively in 1980.
Making it green
Many chairs now make bold claims about their green credentials with some claiming to be 95 or more per cent recyclable. As usual with environmental claims you should dig a little deeper in to what this actually means. In particular be aware that because chairs are usually made up of many different materials, separating them all out for recycling can be difficult and expensive. Always ask a manufacturer how they support recycling. There should ideally be a management scheme in place for you to take advantage of. Be careful when choosing materials.
There may be other standards and schemes that will guide your decision. One example is TCO labelling, which you've probably seen on your own monitor screen but may have ignored. TCO Certification is a series of product certifications for office equipment commonly associated with computer monitors but later TCO revisions also define standards for computers, keyboards, printers, mobile phones, and office furniture since 2004. TCO covers not only ergonomic principles but also environmental issues and the use of materials.
There are also organisations who may be able to advise and help including The Green Works at
www.green-works.co.uk
Making it inclusive
Inclusivity is not just about disability, although Under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA) all furniture in areas of public access should be suitable for use by disabled persons.
There may also be other groups of people to whom you need to offer special consideration. These include people both above and below the 95 per cent distribution range used to determine standard ergonomic needs and pregnant women whose ergonomic needs clearly change quickly and dramatically and for whom discomfort can become a major issue.
Standards
As well as the range of British and International standards detailed below, it may be worthwhile looking at other examples of excellence when buying seating. One is the TCO standards mentioned above but another is FIRA's Ergonomics Excellence Award which claims to identify products that meet and exceed the requirements of the general standards. A list of award holders can be accessed through the askFIRA web site.
www.fira.co.uk
Strength and stability
According to BS 5459-2: 2000 operators' chairs must comply with test requirements for use by people weighing 150kg for up to 24 hours a day. Otherwise chairs tested to BS EN 1335-2:2000 must comply with the test requirements for use by people weighing 110kg for up to 8 hours a day.
FIRA has also recently introduced a new standard (FIRA 0055: 2005) which aims to provide seating for people weighing up to 200kg (approximately 31.5 stone)
All items other than operators' chairs should comply with BS EN 13761: 2000 and should not overturn when tested in accordance with BS EN 1022: 2005
Finishes
Non-metal surface finishes should comply with FIRA Standard 6250:2005 Specification Materials (Interior) Table 2 Finish Performance the Horizontal surfaces Severe.
The finishes on metal items should comply with FIRA standard 4000: 2006 Specification furniture materials: interior - Surface finishes applied to metals.
Woven textile fabrics should meet the requirements of BS 2543:2004 for general contract upholstery.
Coated fabrics should meet the requirements of BS ISO 7617-1: 2001 Part 1 for PVC coated knitted fabrics and BS 5790: Part 2, 1995 = ISO 7617-2:1994 for PVC coated woven fabrics for contract applications.
Leather should meet the requirements of BS EN 13336:2004 for general contract applications.
Flammability
Any urethane foam as a filling used should be 'combustion modified'. Foams shall satisfy the test contained in Schedule 1 Part 1 of the "Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. Combinations of upholstery and filling should comply with the standard for a medium hazard as defined by BS 7176:1995.
Filling materials
Filling material of urethane foam type should meet BS 3379:2005, Class V for seats, Class S for backs.
Ergonomics and Health & Safety
Chairs should meet BS EN ISO 9241-5: 1999, Part 5 Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDT'S); Workstation layout and postural requirements.
Office chairs should also satisfy BS EN 1335-1: 2000, Part 1 Office furniture - Office chair: Dimensions and determination of dimensions. Visitors chairs should also comply with the dimension standards specified in BS EN 13761: 2002, Office furniture - Visitors chairs.
Contract, meeting and reception seating Strength and stability
When tested in accordance with BS 4875-1:2001, chairs should comply with either Test level 4 or 5. Test level 4 is where rough treatment and careless handling occur. Test level 5 applies to seating intended for severe use. When tested to BS 7945:1999 chairs should not overturn.
Auditorium and beam seating permanently fixed to the floor should comply with BS EN 12727: 2000
Finishes
As above
Ergonomics
Chairs should comply with the requirements of BS EN 13761: 2002, Office furniture - Visitors chairs.
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