ergonimic office

7/31/2019 ergonimic office

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When designing office furniture there are manythings to consider and several sources to referencefor ergonomic principles, anthropometrics, fit, andfunction of a product.

One common and widely recognized source for thiskind of information is the Business andInstitutional Furniture Manufacturers Association

(BIFMA).

Office Furniture Guidelines for

Fit and Function


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Seated Work:

Relation of work surface to seat important.

Work surface, seat and footrest are asystem and must be compatible.


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Bounding box for theminimum dimensions of a seateddesk according to BIFMAstandards

Desks and Work Surfaces


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Standing Work:

The guidelines for standing work relate to

clearance for the feet when standing next toa desk or work surface.

If designing a manual sit-to-stand work desk,the height adjustment mechanism should beplaced so that the user does not strain his orher back when adjusting the work surfaceheight.


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Depending on the type of work to be performedat a standing workstation, different heights canbe used as seen in the figure:


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Heavy work:The table can be at a height thatallows good leverage for lifting and moving objects.

Precision work: The desk height can be higherthan normal because this work will involve smallmovements and the worker will need to focusclosely on the work piece.

When Standing: Installing anti-fatigue mats canhelp distribute the weight of the body from the feetto the floor mats.


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The interaction between the height of themonitor and the users eyes is complex

because of interdependencies between seatheight, monitor height, user height, etc.

When a user is at a computer workstation,whether seated or standing, the top of themonitor should be at the users eye level.


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Filing cabinets should allow a user to openand close the doors with minimal effort. The

handles should be designed so that they areeasy to grasp and operate.

Overhead storage bins can be attached at areasonable height so the user will not have toreach too high, yet be out of the way frominterfering with desk space.


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Some common office furniture accessories are keyboard trays,mouse pad holders, and pedestals.

The keyboard tray and mouse pad holder should be adjustable forheight, depth, and tilt angle. The placement of these holders canallow the user to place computer accessories in comfortablepositions where there is minimal strain to the back, arms, andwrists.

Clearance for the thighs under the keyboard tray can be includedin the design.

When designing pedestals or other accessories that gounderneath the desktop, the designer can anticipate actions of theuser. For example, adding a handle that allows for easy pulling of amobile pedestal can be a helpful feature.


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Letter Specifications

Measurement BIFMA Guideline


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Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) may occur in both office and manufacturingsettings. CTDs are injuries due to repetitive motions, stresses, and actions.

Considerations to help reduce the likelihood of occurrence:

Eliminate tasks that require fast, highly repetitive arm movements or that

impose sustained static postures Beware of pressure points where the wrist, forearm, or other parts of the

body contact an edge or hard feature on a desk or table

Minimize shoulder flexion and abduction

Minimize holding weighted objects in hands

Reduce or eliminate forceful applications of heavy peak exertions

Require workers to take frequent breaks

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