New ANSI/BIFMA Standard for Testing of Educational Seating

Abstract

The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association published a new educational seating standard in 2012. (See the sidebar for BIFMA details.) Discussions during the development of this standard included the anthropometrics of children. These discussions showed that the large anthropometric databases available for children are outdated and do not represent the current student population. The standard was finalized following receipt of input from ergonomists on how children’s sizes have changed, but it does not cover the ergonomic design of seating for children. A current large-scale anthropometric data set for children would have been beneficial in developing loads in the standard as well as in recommending sizes for educational furniture.