Office furniture manufacturers such as OFM, Inc., design and manufacture furniture that assist employers across the country in making their workplaces more comfortable as well as more productive.
We have Ergonomists that study human capabilities in relationship to work demands and in this way we stay abreast of the ergonomic demands of both employees and employers alike.
There are governmental agencies such as ANSI and BIFMA assisting in workplace comfort and productivity. The mission of such agencies is outlined below:
American National Standards Institute Mission (ANSI)
To enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity.
Business and International Furniture Manufacturers' Association Mission (BIFMA)
BIFMA considers themselves the industry voice for workplace solutions and their mission is to lead, advocate, inform and develop standards for the North American office and institutional furniture industry.
From an employee’s point of view, let’s discuss for a moment a chair designed for use at a computer workstation. A good chair provides necessary support to the back, legs, buttocks and arms, while reducing exposures to awkward postures, contact stress, and forceful exertions. It should be a quality ergonomic task chair that is comfortable.
Increased adjustability ensures a better fit for the user, provides adequate support in a variety of sitting positions and allows variability of sitting positions throughout the workday. This is particularly important if the chair has multiple users.
From a manufacturers point of view the chairs should be heavy duty office chairs properly designed and meeting or exceeding all ergonomic, ANSI and BIFMS standards.
These are serious considerations at OFM, Inc. They manufacture according to these standards as they strive to eliminate ergonomic issues at the workplace and to assist employers to improve productivity.
As an example, consider the following ergonomic OFM office task chairs.
The OFM Super Chair Model 105 is a modern office chair and a perfect example of proper ergonomic design at work. It stands up to tough office use. The backrest adjusts easily up and down or in and out. It has 3-1/2" of foam on an extra-wide seat, a stain-resistant 100% polyester fabric and the seat swivels 360 degrees. The user may make personal adjustments using the gas lift seat height adjustment or back height and depth adjustments. The stain-resistant fabric is included on an extra-wide seat. It has a fully upholstered back and standard casters are included for area mobility.
In their forward thinking manner, OFM offers this Super Chair available in three other models. The first is with arms in Model 105-AA. In addition to the features noted above, it comes with a seven-position adjustable arm height. Sometimes it is best for an employee to rest arms and/or elbows while typing on a computer keyboard or to simply rest their arms from time to time.
For occupations such as Drafting, the Super Chair comes with a drafting package and is available both with and without arms. The added ergonomic attraction here is the foot rest ring. As the chair swivels and rolls about, a foot or both feet may be at comfort while working.
These are features that OFM makes available in a number of their Task Chairs, and employers and employees alike appreciate the comfort and ergonomic value of such chairs.
The Model 118-2 Posture Task Chair is a height adjustable chair and it adjusts instantly. The arm and backrest heights adjust also. It has built-in lumbar support and an instant pitch adjustable back assuring day-long comfort. The seat swivels 360 degrees and it has a gas lift seat height adjustment. It has a fully upholstered back and the back height and pitch may be adjusted. It has a built-in lumbar support as well. The fabric is stain-resistant and standard casters included. Like all of OFM’s Chairs, it meets or exceeds ANSI/BIFMA standards. The chair is available with and without arms as well as a drafting package.
OFM, Inc. offers a broad range of Task Chairs which will be discussed in future articles, but I would like to discuss one other chair in this article. That is Model 130 Modern Mesh Ergonomic Task Chair.
These chairs are available with and without arms and drafting package. They are modern ergonomic task chairs as well as a mesh office chair designed to keep you cool, and it has ergonomic adjustments to keep you comfortable. The breathable mesh back adjusts in height and pitch instantly for day-long comfort. The seat pitch adjusts and there is even built-in adjustable lumbar support! Optional arms adjust for total ergonomic comfort. The modern design is perfect for any office or home office environment. The seat swivels 360 degrees and it has a gas lift seat height adjustment, seat pitch adjustment as well as a back height and pitch adjustment.
The chair has built-in lumbar support, breathable mesh and a stain-resistant fabric. It is a modern design with a 3" thick upholstered seat and like the others, standard casters included.
These are true examples of quality ergonomic office task chairs; they meet or exceed ANSI and BIFMA standards and they are available at very competitive prices.
OFM’s Ergonomic Guide Applied To Executive Seating
From a human engineering point of view, OFM, Inc. follows an Ergonomic Adjustment Guide taking into consideration a wide range of design considerations.
The OFM Ergonomic Workstation
First, let me give you a layman’s explanation of ergonomics. To me, an ergonomic study analyzes the work performed by the male and female workforce, considers the skeletal and muscular body limitations and then designs a workstation to maximize comfort and productivity.
A Litany of Jewelry
In the words of the illustrious designer Coco Chanel, “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous”. One of the ways to become classy and fabulous is by wearing “classy and fabulous jewels”!
