Ergonomics Today™

Study Links Mobile Hand-Held Devices with Musculoskeletal Symptoms

June 18, 2013
Canadian researchers Berolo, Wells and Amick performed an epidemiological study to investigated the prevalence of upper body musculoskeletal pain in mobile device users. According to the researchers, "this is the first study to provide empirical evidence of relationships between mobile device use and musculoskeletal symptoms of the upper extremity and neck." Further, "our results show a consistent relationship between mobile device use and pain in the ..."

Experts Speak Out for Erring as a Strategy

June 5, 2013
In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report, journalist Jennifer Anderson interviews experts who make a case for error making as a strategy for learning, innovation and progress. Few people are willing to risk a trial-and-error approach to problem solving and decision making, yet some experts insist it is the soundest strategy.

Ergonomists Should Be Leaders in Lean Enterprises

May 30, 2013
"Lean" management philosophy is an evolving systematic approach to building and maintaining a viable organization with sustainable processes. Many organizations are pursuing Lean to remain competitive, but unfortunately, many misunderstand the necessary ingredients for a true Lean Journey, including the most important principle, Respect for People. In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report, Peter Budnick explains why ergonomists are uniquely qualified to lead and participate in successful Lean Journeys, noting that ergonomics IS Respect for People, and our contributions are critical to optimizing organizational performance.

Preferred Setups for Large Computer Displays and Side-by-Side Dual Display Arrangements

May 16, 2013
In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report Archives, Peter Budnick reviews a study that investigated workstation settings, including display distance, height, tilt and keyboard height for larger displays (up to 27 in.) and dual display setups. This is an important contribution to our understanding of these increasingly common display sizes and arrangements.

Professional Certification: Why It's Important, Why You Should Embrace It

May 8, 2013
In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report Archives, Ergoweb's Peter Budnick writes of the critical importance professional certification plays in a mature marketplace, and makes a strong case that certification in ergonomics will become more and more necessary for those who wish to practice in the field. He reviews the nuts-and-bolts of certification and encourages you to either pursue a certification path if you haven't already, or improve your certification path if you've already achieved some level of certification in ergonomics. He suggests you do this for yourself, the profession, but most important, for the public we jointly serve and protect.

BCPE Announces Pilot Exam as Part of Updated Certification Process

May 8, 2013
Bellingham, WA –May 8, 2013 - The Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics (BCPE) is pleased to announce the launch of a new certification exam for professional certification that will be available online and administered electronically for the first time at test centers nationwide. Participate in the pilot and receive a substantial exam fee discount.

What a Little Ergonomic Light Can Do

May 2, 2013
In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report Archives, Jeanie Croasmun suggests improved productivity, better moods and reduced error rates are just a few of the benefits of adding more ergonomic lighting to the workplace. Experts discuss how and why lighting can affect almost every aspect of the workplace, and especially the bottom line.

The University of Michigan Human Factors Engineering Short Course: 54 Years of Doing the Right Thing

April 29, 2013
Are you looking to learn more about human factors and ergonomics? Do you have the broad knowledge of the topic you need to do your job really well? How do you know what you don’t know but need to know? Are you thinking of preparing for BPCE (Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics) certification? Fifty-four (54!) years and counting, The University of Michigan Human Factors Engineering Short Course is the go-to continuing education course on this topic.

Effective Office Ergonomics

April 22, 2013
Many of us have the daily challenge of helping employees get their best fit at work so they can resolve musculoskeletal discomfort and become more productive. Recent research, and much experience, tells us that simply providing equipment with ergonomic features may not be enough. In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report, Gene Kay provides practical, actionable advice for office ergonomics practitioners.

Webinar: Enterprise Office Ergonomics Training, Assessment and Process Management

April 10, 2013
Join us for an inside look at ErgoAdvocate, an enterprise solution that creates highly effective office ergonomics processes for Fortune 1000 companies. Ergoweb’s Peter Budnick will host this webinar about how web-based training, assessment and a self-help approach improves outcomes. Learn about the ErgoAdvocate design philosophy and see how web based training improves outcomes and can be an extremely cost effective method to deliver regional or global office ergonomics training, assessment and expert services.

Multi-Tasking and Performance - Most People are NOT Supertaskers

April 9, 2013
This reprint from The Ergonomics Report reviews studies investigating multi-tasking that found that people are generally limited to performing two mental tasks at any given time; that most people exhibit performance decrements under multi-task conditions; a small percentage of people, labeled "supertaskers," are able to perform two tasks at a time without any performance degradation (sorry, but chances are, you're not one of them).

Stretching and Ergonomics

April 3, 2013
Why, when implemented in the workplace, do resolutions that encourage workers to partake in on-the-job exercise programs, install and use stretch-break reminder software at their computer workstations, or commit to a personal wellness plan, so often get confused with ergonomics?

Webinar: Cost-Benefit Analysis for Ergonomics, featuring Rick Goggins

March 26, 2013
Are your ergonomics recommendations sometimes met with questions about cost and effectiveness? Do you hesitate to recommend some solutions because they seem too expensive? Are you looking for tools to help you promote ergonomics as an investment and not just a cost? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you'll want to hear what renowned Ergonomist Rick Goggins has to say in this informative webinar on April 11, 2013, at

Listening: A Powerful Macroergonomic Tool

March 26, 2013
Workplace problems must be addressed in context, and the key to understanding context is careful and respectful listening. In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report, renowned Ergonomist Andy Imada shares workplace experiences and solutions with journalist Jennifer Anderson. Imada's insights take us well beyond a typical ergonomics risk factor focus by considering psychosocial factors that often trump workstation-based improvement efforts. For example, according to Imada, "people will not remember you for what you did, or what you said or how many millions of dollars you saved. They will remember you for how you made them feel."

ErgoAdvocate's Gene Kay to Present Office Ergonomics Success - Using the Web to Improve Outcomes at Applied Ergonomics Conference Next Week

March 13, 2013
Attend this session to learn how to recognize and overcome some of the significant shortcomings of traditional office ergonomics service delivery; see how leading companies have applied continuous improvement to their office ergonomics program by utilizing the strengths of web-based tools; and see how you can use on-line resources to improve your service delivery to employees.

Ergoweb's Peter Budnick to Deliver Keynote Presentation Next Week at Applied Ergonomics Conference

March 13, 2013
Peter Budnick, Ergoweb's President and CEO, will deliver a keynote presentation on Global Ergonomics at next week's Applied Ergonomics Conference in Dallas, TX.

We Told Them to Lift with Their Legs, But They Just Won't Listen!

March 13, 2013
Common wisdom says we should lift with our legs, not our backs. Some companies mistakenly base much of their ergonomics strategy on training employees to "lift with your legs." This research study sheds light on why many people typically don't lift with their knees, and instead use a back-lift strategy. In this article, reprinted from The Ergonomics Report, study reviewer Peter Budnick offers his thoughts on how companies can apply this new knowledge.

The Trouble with RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment)

March 6, 2013
RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) is an assessment method often discussed and applied by occupational ergonomists. In this article, reprinted from The Ergonomics Report Archives, Ergoweb's Peter Budnick reviews the popular method, recognizing its strengths, but also noting that it has limitations and can be -- and perhaps often is -- horribly misapplied, misrepresented, and misinterpreted without adequate training, experience, and professional perspective.

Ergoweb's Peter Budnick to Present at 2013 GOSH Conference in Portland, OR

March 1, 2013
Peter Budnick will present "Ergonomics Analysis for Safety Committees," a 90 minute basic level presentation, and "Advanced Ergonomics Analysis - Using Quantitative Ergonomic Assessment Tools," a full day workshop, at the Oregon Governor's Occupational Safety & Health Conference (GOSH), taking place March 4-7, 2013.

Study: Tablet Use Causes Significant Head and Neck Flexion

March 1, 2013
Touch screen tablet or slate computers are becoming ubiquitous and are being widely used for both work and recreational purposes. Because the input (touch) is integrated with the display (screen) users are experiencing different biomechanical strain than with traditional desktop computing. In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report Archives, contributor Gene Kay reviews a 2012 Harvard study that looks at head and neck postures common to tablet computer use, and concludes with some ergonomic recommendations for practitioners.