Detailed Evaluation of Anthropometry; A Categorical Imperative in Design of School Furniture

Abstract

The recent health challenges emanating from man machine interaction is musculoskeletal. Musculoskeletal symptoms have also been a problem among school children in Nigeria. The purpose of this study is to design furniture in schools that will create a match between the work station and the students due to an existing mismatch resulting from in appropriate children’s anthropometry employed in the existing design. Two hundred and fourteen volunteer subjects were recruited. This constituted 90% of the total number of primary 5 and 6 students in the studied school (i.e., those aged 10 and 13). The data collected included demographic information, data on perceived health and posture, and body and furniture measurements. The female’s body mass index (BMI) was lower than that of the males. The females had longer lower and wider hip breadth measurements in the standing position. This was similar in the sitting position. Almost none of the subjects had a chair with an appropriate seat height. Seat depth was found appropriate for large groups of students whether or not a large or small chair was used. Recommendations on the sizes of chairs and desks for males and females are discussed.

Cite as

Imaekhai Lawrence. (2021). Detailed Evaluation of Anthropometry; A Categorical Imperative in Design of School Furniture. Recent Trends in Automation and Automobile Engineering, 4(2),1–11. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5069353