The importance of choosing the right sized furniture cannot be ignored, properly sized desks and chairs are key to the comfort and well-being of students.
Understanding EN1729: The Basics
EN1729 is a European standard that outlines the requirements for functional dimensions, safety and ergonomic design for chairs and tables in educational institutions. It is divided into two parts:
BS EN1729 part 1: Functional dimensions
BS EN1729 part 2: Safety requirements and test methods
EN1729's purpose is to promote the health and well-being of students by ensuring that furniture supports proper posture and is appropriate for students from different age groups, helping to prevent musculoskeletal problems that could occur from prolonged use of improperly designed and sized furniture.
Why is correct sizing important?
Schoolchildren's bodies are still developing, and the furniture that they sit on should support this growth. Furniture that is too large or too small can lead to distraction, poor posture and discomfort.
EN1729 guidelines
Measuring your students for the correct chair:
To measure the correct seat height you should be measuring the popliteal height of your students. This is the distance from the floor to the back of the knee when seated with the knee bent at a 90-degree angle and feet flat on the floor. The measurement of this will equal the seat height, so if your student is measuring a popliteal height of 315mm they will need a size 2 chair.
We hope this helps! If you are still unsure contact a member of our team today on 0333 123 2424 or at sales@spaceforme.co.uk.
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