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Posted By Jeff Deacon
I wish to have an argument with a chair etc supplier, who is adamant that their chairs comply with the relevant EU directive.
The difficulty concerns the height adjustment of the chair back, so that the bulge which they provide for lumbar support actually fits with the curve of the operator's back. They state that the ability to adjust the height by 2 inches (from 6 inches above the seat to 8 inches above the seat) is adequate for 95% of the human race.
Do the staff working for this organisation constitute the other 5%?
Does anyone know where to look for the average measurements of the population? Has anyone taken on a chair supplier?
Thanks, Jeff
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Posted By Bernard Angus
You may find that this particular manufacturer is actually relying on the fact that a chair can be compliant without actually having to have a backrest which is adjustable independently of the seat ?
B
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Posted By Paul Leadbetter
Jeff
You could try talking to the Ergonomics Centre at Loughborough University on 01509 283300
REGARDS
Paul
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Posted By Ashley Williams
Shedule 1 of the DSE Regs 1992 states: -
Work chair: -
Shall be stable and allow the user easy freedom of movement and a COMFORTABLE POSITION. (Meaning if its not comfortable it needs changing)
The seat shall be adjustable in height.
The seat back shall be adjustable in hight and tilt. (As you said most desks and chairs are designed for a person about 5'8 and do not tend to cater for larger people or smaller perople if the posture of the worker is incorrect due to seating design this could lead to WRULD)
A foot rest shall be made available to any operator or user who wishes to use one.
Annex A of the ACOP continues on the Work chair Specificaly mentioning Seating at work (HSG57).
If the height of the worker is a problem I can offer the details of a firm I used who provided seating for taller workers. Id rather not use the forum for adverts though so give me a call if I can help.
Ashley Williams
01535 664462
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Posted By Jay Joshi
The DSER are USER regulations originating from an EC directive primarily for employers, employees and other users in the workplace. They are not supply regulations, and office chairs do not come under the purview of specific EC supply directives--unlike machinery, pressure vessels, electrical equipment etc.
However there are British, European & International Standards that deal with the design and other parameters of VDU workstations and office furniture, including chairs. Depending upon the standard the supplier claims his product to comply with, you will have to determine the deviation in order to have a case.
The relevant standards are:-
BS EN ISO 9241-5:1999
Title: Ergonomic requirements for office work with visual display terminals (VDTs). Workstation layout and postural requirements
Standard Number: BS EN 1335-1:2000
Title: Office furniture. Office work chair. Dimensions. Determination of dimensions
Standard Number: BS EN 1335-2:2000
Title: Office furniture. Office work chair. Safety requirements
Standard Number: BS EN 1335-3:2000
Title: Office furniture. Office work chair. Safety test methods
Standard Number: BS 5459-2:2000
Title: Specification for performance requirements and tests for office furniture. office pedestal seating for use by persons weighing up to 150 kg and for use up to 24 hours a day, including type-approval tests for individual components
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Posted By John Ridd
Previous posts provide excellent information, and I'm not sure that my contribution will assist that much. However, for what it's worth:
I acted for a company that wanted to sue the (design/build and fit out) architects for specifying an appalling chair for telesales operators. Unfortunately the way the Regs, Guidance and Schedule are written enables a lot of inadequate chairs to superficially comply with the requirements. Since British, Euro or International Standards are not mandatory, the best reference for non-compliance is the Schedule to the Regs as stated in an above post. The Schedule forms part of the Regs and should be complied with.
Hence, strictly, if you have a worker who (after assessment) is found to be unable to achieve comfort in his/her chair then the chair 'fails'. Whether this is the fault of the supplier or of the facilities dept. or of some other party is down to your company's arrangements/specifications for the provision/purchase of chairs.
Generally, I would say that there are very few chairs that actually provide sufficient vertical lumbar support adjustment - even some of the (expensive) continental models. A further problem is that very few users actually adjust the support correctly anyway, because they haven't been adequately shown what they are trying to achieve. Often the lumbar support is set too low and as a result the hips are pushed forward destroying any lumbar lordosis that a more suitable setting should be designed to support.
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