Usage of Office Chair Adjustments and Controls by Workers Having Shared and Owned Work Spaces

Abstract

In this study two seats were used by workers having shared and workers having owned work spaces. 51 subjects (22 female, 29 male) participated in a six week experiment in a naturalistic setting. The chairs were different with respect to adjustability options, design of controls and external design. Most of the subjects adjusted the office chairs the first time for seat height, arm rest height and back rest inclination. Adjustment times of seat height and armrest height were shorter for chair A. Back rest pressure adjustment takes much time and it is difficult to adjust this without instruction. The workers having shared desks adjust their chair more often and are faster in the adjustment of the backrest pressure compared with workers with an owned work space. The quality of adjustments of seat height, arm rest and back rest pressure was improved by an instruction for 32% of the subjects.