Ergonomics Today™

IMPORTANT CORRECTION and UPDATE: Safe Patient Handling Law Signed by California Governor

December 13, 2011
We previously reported that the start of enforcement for California's new Safe Patient Handling law, AB 1136, Hospital Patient and Health Care Worker Injury Protection Act, would not occur until January 2013. However, that was incorrect; the actual enforcement start date is January 1, 2012, just weeks from now. In this article, Peter Budnick revisits AB 1136, correcting the start date error, reviewing several points of confusion in the language of the law, and provides a concise, point-by-point summary of the law's key requirements.

BCPE Seeks an Executive Director

November 17, 2011
The Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics (BCPE), the premier certification body for professional ergonomics, is seeking a part-time Executive Director. The Executive Director will be responsible for the successful leadership and management of the BCPE.

Job Announcement: Cintas Corporation Seeks an Ergonomist

November 10, 2011
Job announcement -- Cintas is looking for an Ergonomist to identify musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risks throughout all Cintas business divisions -- apply now.

Student Wins Ergonomics Award for Echocardiography Improvement Project

November 10, 2011
Radin Zaid Radin Umar is the winner of the 2011 Dieter W. Jahns Student Practitioner Award. Mr. Radin Umar, a student at Ohio State University, is the second recipient of the Dieter W. Jahns Student Practitioner Award.

Safe Patient Handling Law Signed by California Governor

November 9, 2011
Ergoweb has tracked attempts to pass a safe patient handling regulation in the US State of California since 2004. After multiple vetoes over the years, a safe patient handling law, AB 1136, was singed into law by the governor on October 7, 2011. The law will take effect in January 2012, with enforcement beginning in 2013. Guest contributor Charissa Shaw gives us a brief overview of the law and its legal requirements.

Equipois Wins Wall Street Journal Innovation Award

October 20, 2011
Equipois Inc., developer of the zeroG® mechanical arm technology, has been awarded a 2011 Technology Innovation Award from the Wall Street Journal. The company won the Innovation Award in the Manufacturing Technology category.

Ergoweb Selected as Exclusive Distributor for ErgoAdvocate Office Ergonomics Program

October 12, 2011
Ergoweb Inc. is now the exclusive source for the ErgoAdvocate office ergonomics system. ErgoAdvocate is an on-line ergonomics training, evaluation and self-help system modeled after the award-winning American Express Global Ergonomics Program. The system can be delivered as a turn-key solution, a customized solution, or as an outsourced support process managed by Ergoweb experts.

Ergonomics and LEED -- Researcher Needs Your Input

September 21, 2011
Does your organization address ergonomic concerns through your health and safety or human resources program? Does your organization have a policy pertaining to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)? This study may be for you, we are examining how ergonomics is connected to the LEED certification process.

Mayo Clinic Applies Design Thinking to Health Care Delivery

September 13, 2011
Contributor Gene Kay, MS CEA writes about Mayo Clinic's use of "Design Thinking" in health care delivery. Mayo teamed up with designers, engineers, architects, physicians, and other providers to study and improve the patient experience and the delivery of services in health care. Mayo has now formed The Center for Innovation to expand and promote innovation across their network.

In Memory of Professor Gary D. Herrin, PhD, 1946-2011

September 3, 2011
Professor Don Chaffin remembers Professor Gary Dean Herrin, who died peacefully at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan on August 18, 2011 surrounded by his family. Gary was a popular professor and a true engineering statistician. Among his many significant accomplishments, was instrumental in the development of the NIOSH Lifting Equation.

Dieter W. Jahns Student Award Winner to Discuss Public Urinal Design Concept

August 10, 2011
Augusto Espinosa, winner of the Foundation for Professional Ergonomics (FPE) 2010 Dieter W. Jahns Student Practitioner Award, will be featured in a webinar hosted by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES). Augusto will talk about the research and design process of this award-winning concept that could one day have a positive impact on both users and businesses.

Job Announcement: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), IH/S Manager

August 8, 2011
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is looking for a strong ergonomics candidate for the position of Industrial Hygiene & Safety Manager 2.

Cost Benefits and ROIs from Ergonomics

August 3, 2011
If ergonomics is seen as a cost, many will reject it. If it is seen as an improvement opportunity with measurable gains, many will embrace it. This article points to cost-benefit analysis tools that can help you prove the value of ergonomics to others.

Annual PSHFES Ergonomics Symposium and Workshop

August 3, 2011
Once again, the Puget Sound Human Factors and Ergonomics Society has put together a great line-up of speakers for this year’s programs, to be held September 14th and 15th at the Museum of Flight Seattle, WA.

Ergoweb Asks: Where Will You Take Us From Here?

July 19, 2011
The seeds for Ergoweb were sown nearly 19 years ago. Peter Budnick reviews Ergoweb's rich history, sharing a rare screenshot from a 1994 web site, and reaches out to customers and community members to help the company chart its future.

Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care

July 6, 2011
The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society invites you to attend the 2012 Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, to be held March 12–14 at the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. Mark your calendars!

It All Begins With Self: A Review of the Late Hal Hendrick's Last Book

June 20, 2011
Want to hear some wisdom from Hal Hendrick? Read this book, which he wrote while battling the cancer that ultimately took his life. It's an inspiring testament to Hal's enduring optimism, and to his commitment to mentor others. He was inspired to write the book by former students, many of whom relayed success stories from their own lives derived from what they learned from Hal. In "It All Begins With Self," Hal shares evidence-based models from psychology to build a foundation for improvement for those seeking to become better managers. Not coincidentally, the premise, that it all begins with self, recognizes that being a better manager often requires and results in becoming a better you.

Job Announcement: Cintas Corporation Seeks an Ergonomist

June 8, 2011
Cintas Corporation seeks an ergonomist -- apply now.

Success and Failure: An Experience with Healthcare Ergonomics

June 7, 2011
Relying on first-hand experience, Peter Budnick shares a tale of two different hospitals: one with ergonomically designed processes, the other without. He uses the experience to review the ingredients that make an effective, sustainable organization, and the critical role that human-centered design and systems integration plays in such organizations. Ultimately, it's all about Respect for People, the core principle in ergonomics, that makes or breaks a company -- and all the people that company touches -- in the long run.

Organization Dedicated to Safe Patient Handling is Launched

May 19, 2011
A new professional membership organization dedicated to safety, The Association of Safe Patient Handling Professionals, Inc. (ASPHP) was launched at the 11th Annual Safe Patient Handling Conference in March.