Seating Ergonomics in Industrial Environments

The modern industrial workplace puts great demands on equipment, but it’s just as tough, if not tougher, on people. It’s a situation that is perhaps best illustrated in terms of ergonomics. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, half of all workers’ compensation costs are the product of ergonomic-related disorders. In many cases, the cause of injury to employees is no mystery. They may have been sitting on the problem all along.

That’s why BioFit Engineered Products cannot overstress the importance of working smarter in order for its customers to work safely. From an ergonomic perspective, this requires a complete evaluation of the workstation layout and the task at hand so that chairs adjust to the movements of employees rather than the other way around.

To summarize the two basic categories of chairs in the workplace, there are passive chairs and there are active ergonomic chairs – and they’re not interchangeable. Passive chairs move as the user moves, which is fine in office environments but not in many industrial ones. Active chairs feature control levers that provide for full independent adjustment of the seat, backrest and arm rests, plus locking functions that anchor everything in place as needed. This is particularly important for jobs that require additional support for repetitive motion activities.

While every industrial workplace is unique, most share the same ergonomic injury risk factors in common. In addition to repetition, damage can occur in jobs that involve high levels of manual force, exposure to heat and cold extremes, and contact with intermittent or continual vibration. Posture can play an important part in mitigating the effects, but be aware that as there is no single correct position for continual sitting, the best thing an employee can do in alleviating problems is to change their posture on a regular basis while seated. That includes adjusting the chair itself frequently.

Ergonomic seating can also help maintain attentiveness in staff, increasing performance. That’s why it’s important to know the difference between true “ergonomic” seating and products merely labeled as such. Ergonomic seating produced by BioFit includes proven components and options such as:

a five-pedestal base
fully adjustable and cushioned armrests
a seat that allows for even weight distribution
lumbar support
easy-to-use height adjustment*

*Use the handy seat height calculator below to find out the optimal seat height** for your specific industrial workspace or task.

** Based on established ergonomics research. Optimal seat height may vary depending on physical characteristics of user or situation.

There is simply no substitute for a durable, ergonomically correct chair. BioFit makes a range of specialty seating products for the industrial market, each with components and functions for distinct uses and situations. All BioFit products meet or exceed industry quality standards, plus they’re backed by an industry-best 13-year warranty.

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