Posted By Delwynne How about asking her and any collegues close by to complete a workstation assessment form. You could include seating arrangements and hope she volunteers the information herself that the chair is not suitable & sufficient! If she does, problem solved, if not you may have to bite the bullet & approach her with your own observations regards workstation suitability.

Posted By GeoffB You don't think the person might just be aware of their size? Why not just face up to it and discuss the problem - if you skirt round the issue you waste time and there is a danger the message is going to get missed through being too subtle. Why do I feel like screaming ' Just get on with it!!'

Posted By TBC Bite the bullet Rob - Carry out a quickie assessment around the area and tell her that the outcome was a new chair for her and give her a choice of more supportive ones. I'm sure others around won't bother as you have her best interests in mind. Good luck

Posted By John Webster I would expect her to be extremely embarrassed at having broken two chairs, and is dreading the existing one breaking as well. However, she may also be too embarrassed to request "special treatment" by requiring you to pay over the odds for what might be seen as a special chair. It's your responsibility to provide suitable work equipment. You already know there is a problem with the furniture supplied, so if she did break another chair and injure herself, you would be liable. If directly asked by you what her weight is, she may well underestimate it. Speak to her in private. Show her a range of chairs within your budget (without making cost an issue). Make sure the safe weight is clearly shown. Ask her to make a choice which is suitable for her weight and physical size. Get a choice of chairs on approval. Or, if you have a local supplier, brief the supplier and get her to go along for a "fitting". John (in his heavy duty chair)

Posted By GeoffB It has nothing to do with self assessment. The employer knows what the problem is so just get on with resolving it - liaise with the employee, order the chair, get on with life.

Posted By Rob T Put cushioned mats all around her chair so that when the chair collapses she won't hurt herself! This is just a subtle way of drawing her attention to the matter. No but seriously, most standard chairs are rated to 16 stone (and will probably have about a third extra built in). You can also get standard higher rated chairs up to about 23 stone. However in this instance you have already supplied two chairs which were patently inadequate and as such you would have no defence in law to say that you were unaware of the possibility of an accident. this rather speeds up the urgency of your taking action. If you are going to "bottle" it (and I have also been scared sh**less by one or two larger females) then what about sending an all person e-mail out stating that the office chairs are only rated at ?? and that those over that weight will need to be provided with new chairs. At least that way you don't single her out. Alternatively buy her two chairs and weld them together.

Posted By Chris Pope If anyone knows of a source of chairs that go beyond heavy duty please post the source. I am looking for a 35 stone person. I see that they are around US $1800 without shipping.

Posted By GeoffB Hi Chris If I take your posting literally you are looking for a 35 stone person and you are prepared to pay dollars. Well at least you are in the right country!