Industrial stools and anti-fatigue stools: healthy alternatives to standing and sitting

If the body is forced to remain in one position for a long time, this has immediate and long-term consequences for health. Ergonomic industrial stools and anti-fatigue stools to strike a balance between standing and sitting are therefore becoming increasingly important for modern workplace configuration in offices or workshops.

How can industrial stools make work easier?

Stools as compact seats without a back rest are, in many respects, an ideal alternative to the classic chair. The upper body can move freely and keeps finding the perfect balance by making minute movements. As a result, the muscles become less tense, especially when concentrating on work.

In addition, you can move along a direct axis on space-saving stools without any effort at all, allowing you to switch between using a microscope and your recordings, turning your body in an ergonomically correct way, for example.

Industrial stools on castors also allow you to slide back and forth between different work stations quickly. And don’t forget that stools are much more space saving, and therefore make optimum use of the space available at the workplace. With height adjustable stools, you can adjust your seat height at any time to suit work processes and current activities.

What are the ergonomic benefits of industrial stools and anti-fatigue stools?

In workshops and industry, employees often have to stand at the production line or workbench for long periods of time, or perform high precision tasks in a concentrated manner at a laboratory table or in a clean room. And the longer the body is forced to remain in a certain position, the faster it shows signs of fatigue and wear.

Industrial stools and anti-fatigue stools solve this problem by offering – depending on the model – what could be considered a compromise between standing and normal sitting on a chair. Anti-fatigue stools take the strain off the legs and thereby keep blood circulating to the extremities. Industrial stools increase the mobility of the postural control system when seated.

As they are, in principle, designed to cater to the working position required of the employee, it is also possible, for example, to continue working despite ''sitting'' on an anti-fatigue stool, or to reach all work tables with an optimal posture when sitting on a workshop stool.

When do I use an industrial stool, when do I use an anti-fatigue stool?

The actual posture required when working at a particular place indicates whether you should use an anti-fatigue stool or an industrial stool. An illustrative example is the position at the customer reception or the trade fair counter. Here, welcoming visitors while standing up is the norm. And the (high) counter must look occupied even from a distance. That is why an anti-fatigue stool is an option in this case. Even a task on the production line is difficult to carry out from a swivel stool or workshop stool.

However, these are the right alternatives for all seated workplaces. An industrial stool is a good idea, especially for tasks requiring a high level of concentration or activities which quickly force you to adopt a rigid posture. Every office should have a stool as an alternative seating solution for employees at computers. If it’s not needed, it takes up barely any space.

What are the benefits of castors for industrial stools?

Castors are a special feature of industrial stools such as swivel or workshop stools and contribute to their mobility and popularity. They are not as popular for anti-fatigue stools – unless they are included in clever combination models such as ergonomic office stools, which combine the advantages and agility of industrial stools with the benefits of height adjustable anti-fatigue stools.

So too are they are much more mobile, encourage users to move around more, and allow users to switch between different workstations quickly.

By the way: all our industrial stools on castors feature ''load dependent braking''. This mechanism ensures that they move very smoothly when under load (i.e. when sitting), but are largely blocked when not under load. This prevents the user from inadvertently pushing the stool away when standing up – and potentially trying to sit down afterwards on a stool that isn’t there, and getting injured.

For more information on ergonomics at the workplace, please refer to the pages with best practice advice on ergonomics. We will be happy to clarify any questions about the right product with you personally.

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