Support the Body

Quick Start Guide Office Poster 3

Image
mannequin sitting in a chair with a back rest, arm support, space between the back of their knee and the chair, and feet flat on the floor

Support: Reduce fatigue  by supporting your body!

  • An adjustable chair is a key piece of equipment that allows workers to move quickly and easily between different tasks and working positions.
  • Different working postures need different types of support. Reduce fatigue by supporting the back, thighs and feet with a chair, the floor, a foot support, or a stool.
  • Training on adjustable chair features, workstation and equipment allows a worker to set them up to fit their body and the work they perform.

  • Depending on the equipment available and the working postures chosen, support for the body may come from a chair, a stool, a foot support or the floor.
  • Training on all the adjustable features of the chair, allows a worker to set it up to fit their body and the work they perform.
  • The chair seat should provide comfortable thigh support and leave a space between the front of the seat and the back of the knee when the worker is sitting back in the chair.
  • A  foot-rest may be required for some workers and workstation arrangements if a worker’s feet do not rest comfortably on the floor.
  • The chair should have a lumbar support that is adjustable in height.
  • All the parts of the workstation have to work together: After adjusting the individual parts of the chair separately, fine-tune the setup so it fits your body and tasks.

Include breaks and pauses at work

  • Change it Up: Even with good furniture and equipment, doing a single task in a single position will create fatigue and discomfort.
  • Changing tasks and moving between, sitting and standing, reclined sitting and walking helps avoid the negative effects of prolonged office work.
  • Fatigue creeps up on the body and eyes. Vary work and working positions. Move early – before you feel fatigue – and move often.
  • Stretching can help.
Do you want to download this resource?
Quick Start Guide Office Poster 3: Support the body (2 page PDF)