Here's the deal (and I have to be quick):

I work as a video tech. My job is to record, edit and produce videos. I sit ALL DAY LONG. And at my office, the chairs are (at least look like they are) made in the 70s. You hit them, dust will come up. You rest on the arm rests, and you will start to get rug burn on your elbows, because they're made from a carpet material.

Slowly but surely, I'm starting to have legitimate back pains, shoulder pains and knee pains. The only change in my life, is this dang chair. Hot pain radiates through my shoulders to my neck and work is unbearable at times.

So the question is - How do I go about getting a new chair? Is it possible for my health insurance to cover this? Do I have to go to HR about bringing in a chair? I asked the HR in my office, but she said I'd need to ask corporate because she does not know. That's fine, but it's a big deal to go to them, so I come to d.net!

Any ideas? Anyone done this before?

Employers in the UK are meant to do a risk assessment on each employee's work station. That includes making sure monitors are at the right height, providing foot rests if necessary, handing out those jelly wrist rests for keyboards and mouses, and indeed making sure the chair is right. I'd be damn surprised if the same wasn't true in other countries. You are entitled to a comfortable and supportive chair so don't even think of going through insurance or using your own money until you've spoken to more people in your company. Do you have an intranet or somewhere where policies are stored electronically? Look at them, do some digging, find out who to speak to and how to get the ball rolling. Your line manager might be a start but if there's a way to access policies then you might as well look first.

This should be an Occupational Health and Safety issue, and I agree with Louise. I've never worked in an office that wasn't serious about ergonomic chairs and comfortable workstations.

Before using your insurance, check your office policies and procedures. They're probably required to offer you comfortable chairs that don't give you muscle strain as part of occupational health regulations.

Erin.
::righteous babe::

I'd politely get in touch with somebody at corporate and ask them if you can bring in a different chair...if nobody in your location knows, that sounds like your only option. Offering to bring in a chair may result in them providing a new chair or you may actually have to bring one in. Either way sounds preferable to what you have now.

I'm planning to bring in an exercise ball to sit on during the day.

Your hr person should be the one to figure this out-its her job-ask her to 'go to corporate.'
Send an email-
Dear----
This email is a follow up to our meeting yesterday. As I told you, my office chair is not well designed for sitting in all day long. I'm experiencing back pain, shoulder pain and neck pain that is significant and interferes with my work life.

I asked you if the company would provide a new chair for my office and you said you did not know.

I would appreciate if if you would look into this further. Thank you for assistance in this matter. I look forward to a response. Please let me know if you have any questions.
____

Louise/Odessa - I'm in the US, and I've never had a work place like that. I have my entire employee manual in my possession, and tonight I'll comb through it and see what it says.

Munk - That's actually what I want to do. Just use a balance ball instead.

dancemomtoo - The HR lady in my office is sketchy at best. She's really someone I just give forms to, and leave it at that. I haven't had a reason to go to HR in a while, but I would have to for this issue.

My mom bought a new ergonomic chair for her office and took it as a deduction on her taxes. That may be your best bet.

kk~

Lousie, I've never experienced that in any job in America. BDT, You could try going through HR and they might be willing to help you out, but they could also say what your asking for is out of budget. Your health insurance company is not going to pay for a new chair at work, I can almost guarantee that. I know from my mom who is a doctor said that the paperwork for those hover-round wheel chairs for old people are almost 30 pages, and most get denied anyway. They aren't going to care about your office chair, even if they have to pay for the orthopedic doctor later. I honestly think your best bet is to bring your own chair. However, ask first if there are any limits to what you can get. The company might have to comply with some fire code regarding the chairs (though this doesn't seem likely if the chairs are so old and dirty).

Just go get the ball. And at the end of the day, leave with it. Who's gonna know?

And your insurance actually might cover the cost of it. My insurance covers purchasing exercise equipment.

But your insurance company, if they would provide this at all (benefits vary) would certainly ask for a justification from an orthopedic specialist with the specifics of your case. You might also present such a justification from a doctor to your HR folks.

Jon

^ I actually just set up a chiropractor's appointment. I figured that's the first place to go because chair or no chair, I'm in pain.

I'm also gonna talk to him and my insurance company to see what they suggest.

I did learn however, that any outside equipment/materials has to be approved by HR. So even a ball would have to be approved. Again, something I'd have to go to corporate for.

Thanks for letting me bounce ideas/questions off you guys. =)

I they will pay for it, it would go through Health and Safety. I am in Canada, and we can request an ergonomic assessment through Occupational Health and Safety, then someone will come in and make sure everything is ergonomic and they have to fix things that aren't and can contribute to repetitive strain injuries. If you a Health and Safety department or commitee, I would check with them.

Yup - this is definitely an OSHA matter. If you figure out how to tell them to get you a new chair, they have to give you a new chair. Like, have to. That's going to be what any chiropractor or physical therapist is going to tell you, too: it's all about posture. Get the recommendation from them and then go poke around your employee handbooks and HR until you figure out how to go about ordering a new chair.

Heart - Thank you! I forgot about OSHA, and that link provided some ideas/info I needed. Now to get to work!

Thanks for all the ideas guys (and pointing out that the USA has a bad chair situation).

I would advise against sitting on a ball 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Your back and stomach muscles will get tired and you will end up with even worse postural habits. You just need to purchase a new chair with proper lumbar support and arm rests that goes up and down so you can reach your feet to the floor. As for setting up your work station, raise your computer monitor so the middle of the screen is eye level and put something under your feet if you cannot rest both feet comfortably on the floor.

We have crappy chairs at work, too. I prefer ones that come all the way up to my shoulders or the back of my neck. These end at mid back at best. I'm also getting a pinched nerve in my neck that I definitely didn't have before I started working here. I hadn't thought about complaining, though, because I figured I would get stonewalled.

I work for a global company HQ in the US and I am in the UK. I represent the employees in my area and issues such of these are often bought to the table. If you have a occupational health dept they will be able to perform a workstation assesment and purchase a chair that best suits you.

Someone here made a bad call and bought a lot of cheap office chairs here and we have been riddled with people with back problems those that have never had them before. They are now having to purchase chairs for people at £1000 a time that have had back issues.

There is a number of other things that can help too, document holders and platforms for your screen(s).

It is in the employers benefit to purchase one of these chairs than be paying you whilst you are laid off at home