Ergonomic assessment and health implications of classroom furniture designs in secondary schools: a case study

Abstract

Children spend most of their school time in classrooms and in seating positions; therefore, the use of ill-fitted classroom furniture can cause discomfort and irritation, and predispose users to musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study was to survey the anthropometric measures of selected secondary school children in Akure, Nigeria, and to conduct an ergonomic evaluation of the classroom furniture available to the school children. Three hundred and seventy-five children (188 males and 187 females) aged 10 to 17 and across three schools were selected for the study. The anthropometric measures of the children were taken using a standard anthropometer while the dimensions of the classroom furniture were also taken using an inextensible tape measure. The mean values for most anthropometric measures were observed to be slightly higher in females than in males. Furthermore, 43% of the males and 42% of the females were observed to have seat height mismatches while 52% of males and 37% of females were observed to have seat depth mismatches. All the participants were observed to record a seat-desk height mismatch. The evidence presented shows that the classroom furniture available to the children does not suit a large number of the users.