Setting up your office chair
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Instructions: Step by Step
Step 1 – Set Your Backrest
All backrest adjustments should be done whilst seated in the chair. If you are not able to reach the lever, ask a team mate to assist.
Backrest Height
- Loosen the lever/dial at the rear of the backrest (usually on the right hand side of the chair).
- Using two hands positioned either side of the base of the backrest, move the backrest up and down to obtain the correct position. The lumbar support of the backrest – outward curve of chair cushioning – should sit in the lumbar area of your back. The backrest should be adjusted so that its convex curve fits into the curve of the lower back, centred about waist level.
- Once the chair is adequately positioned, lock the backrest into place.
Variation:
Some office chairs at the University of Melbourne have a different mechanism for setting the backrest height:
- Pull the backrest to the very highest setting then drop it to the very lowest setting.
- From the lowest setting point, slowly pull the backrest up until a suitable position is attained.
Set the Backrest Angle
- Depress the control lever to change the angle of the backrest. This lever is usually the rear lever on the right hand side of the chair seat.
NOTE: On a two lever office chair, this lever also adjusts the angle of the chair seat.
- Using your body weight, lean back against the backrest. Once you have set the backrest in a suitable position, release the lever.
Most office chair users prefer setting their office chair backrest to approximately 90°
Step 2 – Set Your Seat Tilt
- Depress the control lever to adjust the tilt of your seat. On a three lever chair, this lever is often on the left hand side of the chair seat.
NOTE: On a two lever office chair, this lever also adjusts the angle of the chair seat (see above).
- Shift your body weight backwards and forwards until you have positioned your seat in a comfortable positon. Once you have set the seat in a suitable position, release the lever.
Most office chair users prefer setting their office chair seat so that it is flattened out rather than tilted too far backwards or forwards.
Step 3 – Set Your Seat Height
- Depress the control lever to adjust the tilt of your seat. On most office chairs, this is the front lever on the right hand side of the chair seat.
NOTE: On a two lever office chair, this lever also adjusts the angle of the chair seat.
- Raise/lower your chair seat so that your elbow height is slightly higher than the desk height.
Use a footrest if you are unable to place your feet firmly on the ground when seated in this position.
How to decide if you need a footrest
- This will depend upon whether your desk is at the required height once you have adjusted your chair to suit your needs. If the desk is too high and it cannot be lowered, then raise the height of the chair and use a footrest to raise the height of the floor by the same amount.
- Footrests should have height and angle adjustability and be large enough to permit some movement while supporting the feet.
- A footrest should not be so big that it clashes with the chair base.
- Using a footrest limits mobility so it is preferable to have full adjustability of the desk and chair to avoid the need for a footrest.
How to decide if you need armrests
Armrests are designed to allow people to support themselves when getting up or sitting down. They are suitable for people who perform a variety of tasks at a workstation, move frequently to and from their chair or sit back in their chair to talk to visitors. Armrests are less suitable for keying work. If the elbows are fixed on the armrests they can cause the shoulders to be raised into an unnatural posture. The desk surface can be used to support the forearms and reduce the effort of supporting the arms. Armrest designs should not limit forward chair movement by touching the desk.