Anthropometrics for the design of Bahraini school furniture

This paper presents the results of an anthropometric survey carried out on a sample of male and female Bahraini school children aged 6-12 years (N = 1174), to throw some light on the anthropometric parameters of Bahraini students in order to provide school furniture designers and importers with relevant data. A set of 44 body dimensions covering most body parts were measured, from which six body dimensions relevant to school furniture design were considered. Results show a gradual increase from age 6 to age 12 in all body dimensions. When compared with children from other nationalities, Bahraini children were almost all of medium height and weight. This paper also shows how the results can be used in school furniture design. Relevance to industry: The 21st century has seen a lot of interest in children, especially school children as it is well known that many postural problems, such as back pain and repetitive strain injuries, start at an early age. Therefore, ergonomics design for children is as important as designing for adults. Anthropometric data are essential for this design. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved