Choosing A Cleanroom Chair: The Battle of Comfort vs. Ergonomics
Posted:
January 21, 2013
Categories:
Furnishings & Equipment
Working in a cleanroom isn’t easy. You have to always be conscious of your environment – and this becomes even more true when you think about what furniture to use in your cleanroom. While you could just use cheap pieces of plastic and leave it at that, you and your employees aren’t going to be very comfortable. If you’re not comfortable, you’re going to have a tougher time focusing. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean you can fill your cleanroom with massive leather recliners, as great as that would be. Ultimately, choosing your cleanroom chair comes down to a battle of comfort and ergonomics – you may have to sacrifice one for the other. Here are some questions to ask in order to help you make a decision.
How important is comfort?
This will be the first decision you need to make. Are the people working in the cleanroom going to be sitting for hours on end, or are they going to be moving around a lot? The less sitting, the less comfort required. Think about how often the cleanroom will be in use, and for what length of time. If possible, look back over previous work schedules and look at how long the cleanroom is in use for. When in doubt, go for comfort.
Stools or chairs?
Think outside the chair! Static control stools might be perfect for your cleanroom environment. Like chairs, certain stools can be adjusted to accommodate any height. As there is no back, there is a smaller chance of any new particles being generated and introduced into the environment. However, what stools gain in ergonomics they lose in comfort. Stools are ideal for situations where employees need to move around easily and won’t be sitting for extended periods of time.
How much adjustability do you require?
The more adjustability in the chair, the more likely it is to generate particles, as each adjustment is a risk. Now, certain things can be done to minimize this risks, but the safest option will always be a non-adjustable chair. However, non-adjustable chairs can be difficult for employees to use. The best solution is to use a chair that has its control covered. This means any particles generated are sealed within the chair itself so they won’t impact your cleanroom environment.
What do your employees wear?
Believe it or not, the fabric your employees wear actually makes a difference in chair selection. For example, let’s say you purchase chairs with a slight forward seat tilt, which benefits posture. If your employee is in a cleanroom gown, and they sit in that chair, it’s highly likely they’ll slide forward. This is why it’s important to test chairs while wearing a cleanroom gown. You’ll notice problems that you would have otherwise missed.
What’s your budget?
Obviously, your budget is always going to come into play. If you have an unlimited budget, you’ll want to go with the top of the line option – why not maximize both comfort and ergonomics? However, if you’re on a limited budget, you’ll need to consider how both quality and quantity. The more chairs you need, the less expensive you need each chair to be. However, even the more economic options will still be great in a cleanroom environment.
Call us if you need advice! 714-578-6100
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what would work best in your cleanroom. You have a lot of options, and you should browse through as many options as possible before making that decision. If you contact us, we can help guide you through the process.
Terra Universal is the leading expert in the design and fabrication of ISO rated cleanrooms, furnishing and supplies.
Get a free consultation from one of our cleanroom specialists:
Call (714) 459-0731