Ergonomic Equipment Ergonomic Chair: Seat

Ergonomic Equipment

Ergonomic Chair:

Seat Height that allows the user to adjust chair so feet are on the floor or work surface and keyboard is at an appropriate height. Pneumatic adjustability is easier to work than mechanical.

Seat depth change through backrest adjusting or a sliding seat pan. A shorter seat pan allows shorter people to use the chair's backrest and a deeper one is more stable for taller individuals.

Backrest angle refers to changing backrest relative to the angle of the seat. This frequently is done with an adjustment mechanism, but can also be achieved through use of flexing materials or springs in the chair shell. It allows the chair to support different degrees of recline, which transfers some upper-body weight to the chair backrest and lightens the load on the lower back's intervertebral discs. It also increases the angle between the torso and the thighs that causes the lower back to curve inward.

Chair recline changes the entire seat angle relative to the floor. There are two main tilts -- column tilt where chair pivots at the top of the base post and lifts the knees slightly while the back descends and knee tilt in which the pivot point is forward of the post, nearer the knees. In the latter, the knee lift is negligible, but the back and head descend more than in a column tilt chair.

Seat Pan Angle means changing the forward-back angle of the seat with a choice of fixed angle, rather than a free-floating recline. Frequently, this provides forward tilt, where the thighs slope downward. The purpose is to open the angle between the trunk and thighs and reduce disc pressure.

Height Adjustable Armrests reduce the work of the shoulders and upper arms. They can be used incorrectly by limiting free arm motion during activities as typing. Too-high armrests result in elevated shoulders and pressure on the undersides of the elbows and forearms; too-low, require workers to slump or lean to one side

Lumbar Region support to prevent the flattening of the lumbar spine that occurs in most people when seated. Lumbar support is usually done through gentle curves in the backrest shape. These can also be changed depending on the height of the person.

Ergonomic Lift Equipment -- Test

Test comparison. Subjects simulated high cycle and precision placement tasks typically performed with lifting devices. They were instructed to work as fast as reasonably possible while keeping their heart rate in a target region of 45 to 55% of their maximum heart rate, which is considered to be a safe working pace. Manual lifting required 78% more energy expenditure than with this G-Force ™ lift and the other lifting devices. Operators were an average of 68% more productive with the G-Force ™ while exerting approximately the same energy as with the other lifting devices.

Standing at an Assembly Line:

Ergonomic options: