One important criterion in choosing an office chair is to make sure it adheres to industry standards. These standards should be considered in your selection process to make sure the chairs are not just healthy but are also safe to be used in the workplace.
Currently, there are two organizations that independently conduct testing on office chairs to see how they perform and rate based on a set criteria and rating system. These two organizations are the ANSI or American National Standards Institute and the BIFMA or the Business and Industrial Furniture Manufacturer's Association.
Office Chair Casters
Based on the results of their tests, they have both released standards that help consumers determine which chairs are the best and the safest to use. If a chair does not pass the ANSI/BIFMA standards, it means they are not safe to work with and should be avoided.
So before you buy an office chair, make sure you are well aware and understand these standards properly. These standards test chairs based on the following factors:
Unit base - It is very important for a chair to have a stable base. This determines the stability of the chair when you sit on it and has a direct effect on the strength and durability of the entire structure.
Swivel cycling - Chairs that swivel can be safety hazards if they are not designed and constructed well. A chair should be able to swivel steadily and maintain your balance.
Tilt mechanism - It is important for tilt mechanisms in office chairs to be stable and durable. If not, it can pose a serious safety risk to those who sit on it since you tend to put all your weight on the chair when you tilt it back, leaving you defenseless in case the tilt mechanism backfires.
Seating impact - The structure of the seating should be sturdy and durable so that it can sufficiently bear weight and impact.
Front and rear stability - A chair should be stable in both the rear and front areas to give you the feeling of being stable and safe when you sit on it.
Arm strength - The armrests should be able to bear the full weight they are expected to carry.
Durability of the backrest - One of the most important things for an office chair is for the backrest to be extremely durable. In an office chair, it is the backrest that bears most of your weight when you sit down and lean back. If the backrest is not durable, you can't expect to use a chair for a long time since an office chair without a reliable backrest is not ergonomic nor safe. Also, if the backrest breaks when you are sitting on the chair, this may cause serious harm.
Durability of the casters and chair base - One of the most vulnerable parts of an office chair is the chair base and caster set. The base and casters bear most of the weight and also come into contact with the floor. They are exposed to wear and tear. Thus, ANSI/BIFMA pays special attention to checking the durability of the base and casters to make sure the chairs are safe for use and can be relied on with complete assurance.
Durability of the foot ring - Some chairs, such as drafting chairs, also have foot rings, which serve as foot rests located just above the casters. The foot rings are found in chairs that can extend higher than normal. Most people tend to put a lot of weight against the foot ring when they sit, so it should also be durable and reliable.