subject: Getting Replacement Office Chair Casters [print this page] In an unknown company, a celebration event is taking place. Management and coworkers alike are gathered watching the great race. In the final lap, of a 2 lap race, disaster strikes. Chair 4, the Paper Wad's Chair, blows a caster in the number 4 turn. Paper Wads would have won if not for blowing the caster, and going into a controlled skid, resulting in no injury. The disappointed pit crew must now discuss replacement office chair casters in preparation for next year's race and preventing another mishap.
Did this really happen, perhaps some place in an unknown office, it really did. The importance of this racing incident is simple; don't assume the wheels beneath your office chair are in perfect working order. Just like your favorite appliances, they need regular safety checks and replacement parts to keep extending their viability.
In the context of safety, office chairs like most office furniture, serve a valuable purpose. It could be quite a strain on the body bending over a desk all day, when a roll around office chair would have been ideal. Desirable as a chair may be, the wrong chair in the work area could become a hazard.
Office chairs, like most office furniture, serve a valuable purpose in the context of safety. It would be very strenuous on the body to stay bent over a desk all day, when a roll around chair makes working much easier. The wrong chair can become a hazard itself if not chosen correctly.
Do rivalries like this one really exist? Probably, but the moral of this tale is not to assume that the chairs that you use day after day are safe or not in need of repair. Inspecting these chairs on a regular basis may be the difference between being able to push yourself 100 feet to deliver a paper to a coworker and falling on your behind while trying to complete the same task.
Taking a moment to inspect the casters on your office chair may save you or another coworker injury. When inspecting casters, stand behind or beside the chair and tip it towards you. Repeat this process until all wheels have been lifted off the floor, one at a time. There is no need to lift the entire chair all at once, unless you want and can do so without physical injury to yourself. If a wheel drops to the floor, ordering new casters may be a consideration.
Taking a few minutes every day to check the wear on your office chair casters can save you and your coworkers from accidental injury. It is a simple process. Start from behind the chair and tip the back of the chair toward the floor in your direction. This places all four wheels to where they can be easily accessed. Check the connecting bolts and nuts and shake each one. If the casing rattles, it is time to replace them. If one falls off before you touch it, replace it immediately.
If such inspections had been exercised by the Paper Wad's pit crew, they may have succeeded in maintaining a three year winning streak. Instead, victory was had by the Keyboard Clones. If only the Paper Wad's had considered replacement office chair casters, the blue ribbon pizza with extra meat and cheese, would be on their table, rather than cold ham and cheese sandwiches. That was the second place prize.
