Office Furniture and Equipment
Furniture and equipment questions ask you to select on fitness for task, comfort, durability, cost and safety, and to apply ergonomics to workstation design. The exam rewards functional criteria, not brand names.
Core rules
- Selection criteria: suitability for the work, comfort, durability, standardisation, flexibility, initial and running cost, maintenance, safety, appearance and availability of spares.
- Standard furniture includes desks, chairs, filing cabinets, worktables, cupboards and reception seating. Standardisation simplifies purchase and replacement but must not block adjustable seating.
- Ergonomics fits the job and workplace to the person: adjustable chair height and back support, feet flat or supported, elbows near 90 degrees, wrists neutral, monitor top near eye level, screen about an arm's length away, and clear knee space.
- Workstation design should keep frequently used items within easy reach, reduce twisting and stretching, and allow posture change.
- Equipment should be placed to avoid glare, trailing cables and excessive noise.
Worked example
A data-entry team complains of neck and wrist pain. The office selects chairs with adjustable seat height, lumbar support and five-star bases, raises monitors on stands, provides wrist rests and arranges footrests. Reasoning: the problem is fit, not worker effort; adjustable furniture addresses individual body size, while monitor height and wrist position reduce strain.
Traps
- Do not choose furniture on appearance or lowest price alone.
- Do not treat ergonomics as luxury; it affects accuracy and absenteeism.
- Do not prescribe one fixed desk height for every worker.
- Do not forget maintenance, spare parts and safety edges.