9 Office Chair Safety Tips
Office chair safety is not something often discussed. Yet, sitting-related problems are prevalent.
Sitting for long hours is bad for your health. Experts even say ‘sitting is the new smoking’.
When your work involves sitting behind a desk, this is inevitable. But there are some things you can do to save your back or avoid injuries.
Believe it or not, office chairs can also be a safety hazard.
Here are office chair safety tips you should know:
1 – Buy a Sturdy Chair
Never consider buying an office chair that’s wobbly. Preferably, look for an office chair with a 5-legged base.
If you’re on the heavy side, make sure it can handle your weight.
2 – Consider Your Floor Surface
If you have a smooth floor surface, office chairs with wheels are not a good idea as they can easily slide.
If you have tiled floors, chairs with softer casters are a good choice so they don’t damage the floor.
Office chairs with wheels or casters are good for carpeted or hard floors.
3 – Read and Follow the Manual
Reading the manual before assembling our chair can seem bothersome. We usually just prefer to get things going right away and figure things out along the way.
You might think you have everything figured out, but you discover extra screws. This means not everything is secure. An accident is bound to happen.
Avoid this by making sure you’re putting together your office chair the right way.
4 – Adjust the Chair to Suit Your Body
Look into ergonomic office chairs. They are the best when it comes to this.
You can adjust ergonomic office chairs in many ways so your body can be in its most natural position.
This is key for reducing risks of back pain and spine related injuries.
5 – Don’t Use Damaged Chairs
If the chair’s base is broken, has a missing wheel, or you can’t adjust it, don’t use it anymore. It might cause accidents.
If you’re not comfortable in your chair and you sit there for long hours, you’re likely to have back pains, and eventually back injuries.
6 – Don’t Play on Your Chair
At least once, everyone’s guilty of playing the balancing act on their chairs – tilting your chair to one side or backward. You know what might happen next.
Also, don’t lean back too much to the extent of damaging the backrest.
7 – Check Your Chair Regularly
At least every two months, check all the parts of your chair. Check to see if they’re all in place and still tightly attached.
You might need to tighten some loose parts or replace irreparable parts.
8 – Stand Up Frequently
Make it a habit to stand up every hour if possible. You don’t need to walk far. You can just stretch and walk around your office for a bit.
Your eyes will also thank you for it.
9 – Don’t Leave Electronic Gadgets on Your Chair
This may sound ridiculous but everyone does this once in a while. Sometimes we charge our mobile phone, tablet, or laptop then leave them on the chair.
Our devices might overheat and start a fire.