| The most important piece of office furniture you could | | | | that there are no health issues arising from it, but if you |
| possibly invest in is proper seating. The correct seating | | | | as an employer have done all you can, it is then up to |
| that is supportive and, set up correctly, will avoid untold | | | | the individual to be responsible and take sensible |
| compensation claims through the health and safety | | | | breaks to get up and move around. |
| department. To get the right seating for our employees | | | | So, why exactly should you get the right furniture? |
| we need to understand why it is so important. | | | | Why can you not just chuck in any old desks and |
| The spine is a complicated piece of equipment. It | | | | chairs and tell them to get on with it like they did in the |
| supports our whole body and protects our whole | | | | old days? For a start, employers now have a degree |
| nervous system. As strong as it may seem to be, the | | | | of responsibility towards their staff that they should not |
| spine is susceptible to strains that everyday life puts | | | | be injured in any way while working for us. How could |
| upon it and it is essential that we look after it well. To | | | | you possibly get injured by sitting at a desk typing? |
| sit awkwardly all day in an uncomfortable office chair | | | | Well, for a start there is repetitive strain injury, |
| will soon show in the muscles and nerves running from | | | | particularly to typists. Having the wrists bent at a set |
| the neck, through the arms, down the spine and | | | | angle for long periods of time can cause carpal tunnel |
| through both legs. | | | | syndrome - a very painful affliction in the wrists |
| As the back is notoriously difficult to heal, this situation | | | | brought on by the repeated bending of the joint. |
| is best avoided. A seat that supports at all the right | | | | Bending over a desk when the seat or the desk are |
| angles is the most essential piece of office furniture | | | | at the wrong height can cause trapped nerves and |
| that you need to spend as much as you can possibly | | | | strained muscles that can see an employee off work |
| afford on. On top of this, the user needs to make all | | | | for months on sick leave, giving the employer a |
| the necessary adjustments to suit themselves as | | | | staffing problem. |
| office chairs rarely come custom made in versions | | | | Deep vein thrombosis is not something restricted to air |
| that any normal person could afford. | | | | travellers and has frequently been found in office |
| Of course, there are other aspects to the office | | | | workers who sit for long periods without a break. This |
| furniture that need to be looked at for the health of the | | | | is a life threatening condition and can be aggravated |
| staff and the purse strings of the company. Desks are | | | | by crossing or sitting on the legs. Supportive seating |
| important. Without them we would be working on the | | | | that does not cut across the back of the legs along |
| floor and that wouldn't do our backs any good at all. A | | | | with the all important regular breaks to get up and |
| desk at the correct height for the user will avoid | | | | move around are very important to avoid this major |
| unnecessary strain. Get a desk, chair and VDU set up | | | | health issue. |
| at the optimum angle for individual employees and you | | | | This all goes to show that the correct office furniture is |
| should be laughing when it comes to them having no | | | | not something to be overlooked but something that will |
| grounds for compensation claims. | | | | make your staff happier and more productive. |
| Of course, the right office furniture does not guarantee | | | | |