Indian Journal of Science and Technology

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the suitability of the male and female chairs for administrative staff in Kumasi Technical University in Ghana. Methods/Analysis: The male and female chairs were used as seats by the administrative staff in doing office work. The evaluation exercise was conducted in 47 selected offices in the administrative block at Kumasi Technical University. Effectively, each administrative staff from the gender groups was given six hours evaluation session. Questionnaires on good seat points and chair feature evaluation checklists were administered at the end of the session of which data were recorded. Findings: The majority - 75.51% males and 85.71% females - found it easy in entering and leaving the chairs upon sitting on them to do office work. None of the male and female administrative staff experienced pain at the back of their knees while using the chairs in the working environment. Also, 65.30% males and 80.00% females reported that they felt comfortable in using their respective office chairs. With respect to participants’ view about the chair feature checklists, 67.35% - 81.63% males agreed that the male chair was constructed using ergonomic principles, whilst 68.57% - 100.00% females agreed that the female chair was constructed using ergonomic principles. Application: Importantly, none of the users experienced restriction to movement and circulation of blood since their knees did not get into contact with the underside of their desks. Finally, the methodology for the evaluation of the two chairs was found to be simple and effective by providing information to the institutional head and users. 

Keywords: Evaluation, Anthropometry, Chair Measurement, Good Seat Point, Chair Feature Evaluation Checklist, Kumasi Technical University