Seating and the Virtual Office

National Teleworking Week takes place this month. Although it has its obvious advantages, teleworking encourages a sedentary lifestyle.

With new figures showing that the incidence of back pain amongst office workers is just as high as amongst individuals whose work involves heavy manual handling tasks, Ansgar Kupper investigates good seating practice.

Benefits

Technology has enabled office work to be carried out in locations away from the office environment itself. This increased flexibility can be of great value to both the company and the individual. The sight of people in trains working on a laptop or conducting business negotiations via their mobile telephone is now common place and accepted practice.

Others have become 'home-workers', linked up with their office via the Internet, the telephone and fax. By avoiding commuting or at least the rush hour traffic, time can be more effectively utilised. For some companies this also means that they can expand without having to proportionally increase their office size in the process.

Challenges and hazards

But with these benefits come challenges and hazards that need careful consideration. In relation to display screen equipment (DSE) work, the Health and Safety Executive's DSE Regulations 1992 (as amended 2002) apply (in the UK) just as much to work in the virtual office as in any other location. Whereas carrying out a 'workstation assessment' on a train, a plane or a car is impractical, any one's home office should certainly comply with this legislation. Working from the sofa, or the kitchen or dining room chair is therefore inappropriate. However, it is common for a company or the self-employed to shy away from the cost and the possible upheaval involved in adequately equipping the home office.

However, compliance with legislation is just part of the broader picture. Our predominantly sedentary lifestyles and increasingly sedentary work environment is taking its toll on our health. Rather than protecting the back, frequent and sustained sitting increases the physical strain on the spine and as a consequence increases the likelihood of back complaints. Past studies have shown that the incidence of back pain amongst office workers is just as high as amongst individuals whose work involves heavy manual handling tasks.

Sitting postures

Due to the homely surroundings and an often less pressured and supervised environment, 'slouched' sitting postures are more likely to occur when working at home. This posture may appear more relaxing but it actually increases the stress on the body as it takes the spine out of its natural 'S' shape and places it into a compromising 'C' shape. The main physical consequences of this posture are:

• Increased compression of the intervertebral disks
• Stretching of the muscles and ligaments of the spine
• A straining compensatory neck posture

All these result in tissue fatigue and can lead to aches, pains and actual injury.

In addition, peoples' perception of work related risk is likely to be altered if the work is carried out at home or generally outside of the office. Whereas most DSE users are by now aware of work related upper limb disorders (WRULD, also called RSI), people might associate their risks more with an office environment than with the actual DSE activity. Although stress levels (also a contributory factor to back pain and WRULD) might be lower at home, adequate working posture and correct workstation set-up remain just as important.

Good seating

The provision of good seating will play an essential part in this. The main emphasis in seating should be placed on spinal support and sitting comfort. To achieve these, the chair should be fully adjustable. In addition, a trial period should be arranged to ensure that the chair remains comfortable even after several days. A good supplier will be able to offer this service. However, even the best chair will not fulfil its function when not used properly. For this reason every user should be instructed on correct sitting posture and on how to adjust the chair to their individual requirements.

But what about the seating conditions when 'on the move'? Only in exceptional circumstances will the furniture found in a hotel room, on a train, in a car or even on board a plane be adequate for DSE use. These raise a number of challenges and the seating, as the general environment, can rarely be termed ergonomic. The only available option is to utilise the provided infrastructure to best effect. In the most general terms the key feature concerns the position of the pelvis in the chair or seat. Only if it is placed as far back in the seat as possible will the low back receive support. If this is not respected the lumbar curvature will be lost and the strain on the spine will be increased as outlined earlier. If, in spite of a correct pelvis placement, the low back does not feel supported, only a special seating pillow or a firmly rolled up towel placed in the small of the back will be able to improve the spinal support. In order to minimise the strain on the spine generally associated with sitting, it is recommended to interrupt prolonged seated periods with short breaks away from the chair. Additional gentle stretches can be used to alleviate discomfort.

Summary

In summary, the basics of sitting and the legal requirements in relation to DSE work apply as much to the virtual office as to the classic one. The fact that an employee works from home does therefore not relieve employers from their health and safety duties. This is particularly important to stress as the home-worker might perceive his or her risks to be reduced compared to those in the office. Both the provision of adequate seating and education in good sitting practice should be made a priority. Together they will go a long way in reducing the worrying levels of musculo-skeletal symptoms currently endemic in real and virtual offices.

Ansgar Kupper updated July 2004.