Summertown Interiors

With aesthetically pleasing designs at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it is no wonder that the health and safety of office employees is often overlooked.

Neck pain, shoulder pain, backache and headaches are common complaints amongst office staff that spend most of their working day sitting behind a desk.

These common complaints often arise due to poor quality office furniture and inadequate workplace design, which does not take into account the working practices of the company or the individuals.

Unlike the UK, the UAE does not have regulations in place protecting the health and safety of office employees. The regulations in the UK state that it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that the working environment does not cause ill health to its employees. This is often achieved through the use of individual risk assessments of workstations i.e. identifying the potential risks of the workstation to the employee. Measures are then taken to reduce the identified risks by ensuring the workstation is conducive to the work being carried out and that the working position of the individual is not harmful to their health. The correct working position for a workstation is:

• Legs are at 90 degrees with feet flat on the floor (footrests may be used).
• The back of the chair should support the back of the individual (chairs should be adjustable – seat height and back of chair).
• Arms should be sitting horizontal to the desk (some chairs have armrests which support the arms – armrests should be adjustable).
• Eyes should be level with the top of the computer screen (monitor stands may be used).
• The keyboard and mouse should be within easy reach to avoid overstretching.

With the above in mind, Summertown Interiors are dedicated to providing their clients with office interiors that reflect their ability to understand their clients business needs whilst ensuring the health and safety of the employees by specifying good quality ergonomic furniture increasing both wellbeing and productivity.