In the past, the phrase, “One
size fits all” was quite common, but in a modern
office working environment this catch phrase no
longer sets precedence. Most office
equipment has been designed for the average male
height of 5 feet 10 inches tall; however, the
commonly used statement is not considerate or
inclusive of the women who are also present in
the workplace. The average height of
females is 5 feet 4 inches.
The most common problem encountered when
placing a person who is of average height or less into a
chair design intended for a taller person. Often the
seat is too deep, too high, and armrests are set too
high. These scenarios are representative of the
stresses and strains placed on the body that can lead to
discomfort and ultimately, increase the risk of injury.
From a cost analysis perspective, the
employer paid money for a chair that has potentially
increased the risk of injury to the worker; in turn,
they are now required to re-purchase a new chair that is
more appropriate to the worker’s dimensions.
The above scenario occurs all too often.
On average, approximately 75 percent of the ergonomic
assessments the Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario
Workers (OHCOW) perform result in identification of an
oversized working environment for females.
Individuals purchasing office furniture
often have little or no background on ergonomics and
will select office equipment based on aesthetics or
price; therefore, the equipment does not meet the
physical needs of the workers using it.
Another concern for employers is the cost
association related to office furniture. Although it is
sometimes favourable to select the lower price, these
chairs often due not allow for adjustable features or
allow the chair to be adapted for different sized
individuals. The more expensive chairs often
include features which can be too complex and causes the
worker to misunderstand their importance. Both
ends of the pricing spectrum have their validity;
however, the problematic issues often arise from buying
a chair that is less expensive due to lack of
adjustability.
Employers tend to worry about budgeting
costs associated with the expensive cost of furniture.
However, if thought about carefully, it is not as cost
saving as it first appears to be. Uncomfortable working
conditions bring down productivity and create what is
referred to as ‘lost time’. Should an injury occur due
to these unfavourable conditions, there is a direct cost
association. Depending on the lifespan of a chair, the
amount of lost time and cost association would be much
more than the initial cost of a suitable chair.
To address these issues, OHCOW developed
an Office Equipment Purchasing Policy to aid all
workplace parties in the selection of office equipment
specific to the needs and dimensions of their staff and
prevent injuries from occurring. The purchasing
policy was created as a tool to assist workplace parties
in creating their own purchasing program.
One such worksite OHCOW partnered with
was Laurentian University. Working with the Joint
Health and Safety Committee, management, purchasing
department and the union a Purchase Specifications
document was created for various office equipment in
addition to a Self Assessment tool to aid in equipment
selection all based on the OHCOW Purchasing Policy.
The policy was used as a tool for the University to take
and adapt to their specifications. After the
policy was adapted, the workplace parties and OHCOW met
to review their document and the standardized equipment
they had selected. Upon satisfaction of the
Ergonomist, the policy went into effect and was uploaded
to the University’s website for staff use.
The results have been extremely
favourable with respect to the ability to purchase
chairs that meet the needs of staff, standardization of
equipment such as keyboard trays and desks, as well as a
large improvement in selection and delivery time of
equipment. Staff morale has increased since new
equipment is appropriately sized for each individual
worker; therefore, improving comfort. In summary, only
one chair should be purchased for each worker, therefore
decreasing overall costs to the organization. In
addition, the potential for injuries for these
Laurentian University workers has been greatly reduced
owing to the fact the proper equipment has been selected
for them.
Injuries can be prevented through
proactive actions such as those undertaken by Laurentian
University with its implementation of an Office
Ergonomics Purchasing Policy
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