Asking for a new office chair?

jogdish

Hello,
I am working on a 2 year contract in the public sector. I have had to visit a physio multiple times to help neck pain issues and he has told me to ask about my workplace getting me a better chair for my desk.

I am rather junior in my job and I know from experience if you ask the wrong person first you meet a brick wall. What I would like to know is there any legal back up where my employer is obliged to get me a better chair ? - current chair is decent but not comfy and is causing issues.

Lady is a tramp

You can get back-supports that'll strap onto any office chair, they're actually really good! I think they cost around €15-€20 ... I started using one when I was pregnant, and it made a huge difference. You might have more luck asking for one of those?

uck51js9zml2yt

Just ask the health and safety rep.

eeguy

Ask any H&S person for an ergonomic assessment and they should sort everything out.

Mrs OBumble

You made a mistake going to private physio first, without reporting the problem to your manager.

Your first step is to report the actual problem to your manager. They will organise a proper ergonomic assessment, which will include your chair and everything else that may be affecting you, and make recommendations for specific equipment based on that.

The physio cannot do this without seeing your actual workplace.

acc2016

If they don't get you a chair, you could get your own one? I wish I had in previous jobs.

Although you run the risk of it being stolen!

keepkeyyellow

Those chairs run into the 100s so they'd be a bit wary about it.

Report it to your direct line manager and say it's a health and safety risk for yourself and say you can provide a note from the physio if required.

Kimbot

If your public service go and see your Health and Safety rep straight away and it will be sorted out for you.

Irish_Elect_Eng

jogdish wrote: »

Hello,
I am working on a 2 year contract in the public sector. I have had to visit a physio multiple times to help neck pain issues and he has told me to ask about my workplace getting me a better chair for my desk.

I am rather junior in my job and I know from experience if you ask the wrong person first you meet a brick wall. What I would like to know is there any legal back up where my employer is obliged to get me a better chair ? - current chair is decent but not comfy and is causing issues.

Is your current chair adjustable to allow for good ergonomics.
If not that is a simple reason to request a replacement.

The cost of a chair is tiny compared to the cost to the business in the long term.

Do not wait, speak to your manager or EH&S Rep. they are not doing you a favor, they are doing their jobs.

Note, In some companies it is actually a disciplinary issue if you do not identify such issues to your manager. So do so immediately.

Miaireland

Ask for the health and safety rep to look at your workplace and explain your issue. There should be no problem, unless you tell them they will not know a problem exists and to be honest their job is to prevent staff getting injuried, hurt or suffer damage that could be prevented.

Yenwod

I work in the civil service and I know in my department, you just need a letter from your GP, physio etc stating you need a better chair and they will get one for you. In here it's the section that organises desks, looking after building etc which encompasses health & safety.

Send the request in writing though. Always good to have a paper trail in case someone does try to fob you off but they really shouldn't.

intheclouds

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

You made a mistake going to private physio first, without reporting the problem to your manager.

No. The OP is not medically trained, they cant go to their manager saying the chair is causing pain - thats for a medical professional to determine.

Now that they have seen a physio they can use a note from the physio to help the case.

Mrs OBumble

intheclouds wrote: »

No. The OP is not medically trained, they cant go to their manager saying the chair is causing pain - thats for a medical professional to determine.

Now that they have seen a physio they can use a note from the physio to help the case.

But the physio has not seen the work environment, they cannot determine if it's the chair or the angle that the OP has it at etc.

The manager is not medically trained, for sure.

But if they are told "I have pain from doing my job", they refer the employee to a person qualified to to an ergonomic assessment - who has access to the workplace and who can observe the employee's work practise, and recommend from a range of things that will help - not just say "it's your XXX" without seeing it.

intheclouds

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

But the physio has not seen the work environment, they cannot determine if it's the chair or the angle that the OP has it at etc.

Doesnt matter, theyd be well used to seeing the types of injuries that happen from chairs.

Plus the OP will have been able to describe the environment.

Its useful as a first point of reference.

Saying "I have pain from doing my job" the managers first question will be "How do you know its from doing your job?".

acc2016

Just buy your own chair, save the hassle?

Lux23

acc2016 wrote: »

Just buy your own chair, save the hassle?

And bring it home every night? It would get nicked.