Ergonomics Today™

OSHA, Unions and Ergonomics in the Hospitality Industry; Ergonomic Guitars

June 9, 2010
This week's Ergonomics Roundup, including an OSHA focus on the hospitality industry, and Hispanic housekeepers in particular, claims that OSHA is facilitating union organizing in that industry by using ergonomics enforcement tactics, and ergonomic guitars / guitar making.

Safe Patient Handling -- Is Your “Program” Struggling to Achieve Its Goals?

June 2, 2010
Does your facility have a safe patient handling program that is meeting its goals and expectations? Do you have strong support and engagement from all levels at your facility—from your executive leadership down through direct caregivers? Has SPH culture taken hold in your facility? If you can’t answer yes to those questions, then your SPH program most likely is suffering from some of the common

Singleton Obituary, New Student Award, Macroergonomics, Beergonomics, Bargonomics

May 25, 2010
This week's Ergonomics Roundup, including the passing of an ergonomics pioneer, Professor William Thomas Singleton; a new student practitioner award, named in honor of another pioneer; Dieter Jahns, an ergonomist who rediscovers ergonomics through macroergonomics; beergonomics and bargonomics.

Ergonomics and Plane Crash Survival; Older Drivers; Panini Keypad; Neural Ergonomics

May 20, 2010
Concise summaries of ergonomics in the news, including the role of ergonomics in the survival of a 10 yr old boy in the recent Libya airplane crash, a study of the accident and injury characteristics among older drivers, the Panini Keypad for faster texting, and a screed about "neural ergonomics."

Safe Patient Handling—Designing and Implementing SPH for Long Term Success

May 19, 2010
Ergo-PATH System presents an exclusive 3-day seminar “Safe Patient Handling System: How to Design, Implement and Sustain SPH for Long Term Success”. This interactive training, which introduces strategy, processes and evidenced-based tools, will take place in Chicago, IL on June 24-26, 2010.

Ergonomics Roundup: Ergonomically Designed? New Canadian Std, Car Talk, SPH Legislation, iPad Usability, Radiology

May 12, 2010
A concise roundup of ergonomics topics in the news, including the meaning of "ergonomically designed", draft Canadian workplace ergonomics standard CSA1004, fleet vehicles, get used to talking to your car, patient handling update, ergonomics for radiologists, Jacob Nielsen pans iPad usability.

Ergonomics Roundup: Cognitive Ergonomics; Healthcare Ergonomics; Human Systems Integration

April 27, 2010
A concise roundup of ergonomics topics in the news, including cognitive ergonomics and multi-tasking, electronic medical records systems, a Safe Practices for Better Healthcare report, the 10 commandments of ultrasound ergonomics, patient handling, ergonomics and the Upper Big Branch mining disaster, a new long-term study investigating health effects of mobile phone emissions.

Don’t Miss Out On This One of a Kind Safe Patient Handling Excellence Seminar!!

April 20, 2010
Ergo-PATH System presents an exclusive 3-day seminar “Safe Patient Handling System: How to Design, Implement and Sustain SPH for Long Term Success”. This interactive training, which introduces strategy-processes-tactics, will take place in Las Vegas, NV on May 20-22, 2010.

3 Step Process to Reduce Caregiver Error in the Selection of Safe Patient Handling Equipment

April 20, 2010
One of the most common problems in safe patient handling programs is the inconsistent or incorrect selection of safe patient handling equipment by caregivers. Jill Kelby, PT, CEA discusses the key reasons for “error” in the selection of safe patient handling equipment and recommends a 3 step process to minimize the risk of harm and injury to the patient and/or caregiver.

Ergonomics Roundup: Teens and MSDs; Brewery Ergonomics; IEHF Conference and Web; Musical Instruments; iPad vs. Kindle

April 13, 2010
A summary of ergonomics in the news, including teens and MSD awareness, brewery ergonomics, Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors, musical instrument ergonomics, and iPad ergonomics, usability, and how it's being compared with the Kindle as an ebook reader.

Ergonomics Roundup: Science, Driving Pregnant, Driver Distration, Global Anthropometry

April 7, 2010
A summary of ergonomics in the news, including observational vs. randomized studies and the scientific foundation for ergonomics, driving while pregnant, new Car Talk (Click and CLack, the Tappet Brothers") and National Safety Council web sites dedicated to driver distraction, a new ISO global anthropometry report.

Ergonomics Roundup: Toyota, Apple and HP take on Ergonomics; Canine Ergonomics; Historical Input Designs; Laparoscopic Surgery

March 30, 2010
A summary of ergonomics in the news, including Toyota and unintended acceleration; Apple iPad ergonomics; HP hiring ergonomists; canine ergonomics -- the ergonomics of working dogs; the need for ergonomics in laparoscopic surgery; historical keyboard and input/mouse designs.

Attendees: The 2010 Applied Ergonomics Conference was a Success

March 30, 2010
"I'm here to see applied ergonomics -- and applied is the key word -- for both the conference and exhibition -- it's real life ergonomics," according to Martha Parker, one attendee at the Applied Ergonomics Conference last week in San Antonio, Texas, last week. See what others had to say about their experience at the conference (and feel free to add your own thoughts if you attended).

Ergonomics Roundup: Ergonomics Makes a Comeback; Brian the Wellness Guy; ErgoLab; Active Desk; Smart Doctors Office; Electronic Lip Reading

March 17, 2010
A summary of ergonomics in the news, including a report stating "Ergonomics Makes a Comeback"; Brian the Wellness Guy giving ergonomics a bad name; a new "ErgoLab" in Australia; Honeywell awards Keith Osborne for ergonomics efforts; research on an Active Desk to combat seated work syndrome; a much needed "Smart Doctors Office"; and "electronic lip reading"

Ergonomics Roundup: OSHA MSD Recordkeeping; Patient Safety; Kitchen Ergonomics; Healthy Vision at Work

March 10, 2010
A summary of ergonomics in the news, including the political debate surrounding OSHA's proposal to reinstate an MSD recordkeepong column on the OSHA 300 Log; ergonomics and human factors engineering that improves patient safety and healthcare performance, Bill Stumpf and Julia Child on kitchen ergonomics, and healthy vision in the workplace.

Ergonomics and Airplane Seating

March 3, 2010
Actor-director Kevin Smith's recent battle with Southwest Airlines over being asked to give up his seat because of his size hits squarely on the ergonomics of airplane seating. Peter Budnick shares some insight on the topic and proposes that there are design solutions that will increase passenger comfort while protecting airlines' bottom lines.

Ergonomics Roundup: Ergonomics and Discoveries and Breakthroughs Inside Science

February 25, 2010
A summary of ergonomics in the news, including bionic hands, medication errors, assistive devices for autism, an "intelligent walker", back pain, "smart alarm clock", technology for computer screen privacy that may help with HIPPA compliance, and more.

Ergonomics Roundup: Food Service Design; Eye Strain; Enabling Search Engine; Disability Accommodations; People; Humor

February 17, 2010
A summary of ergonomics in the news, including hospitality food service design, ergonomists in the news, eye strain from e-readers, a search engine for older adults, Think Beyond the Label disability accommodations, and a humorous video.

OSHA Standard Debate Heats Up Again -- Call to Action -- Comments Due Soon

February 10, 2010
A new political battle is brewing as OSHA seeks comments on it's proposed musculoskeletal disorder recordkeeping rules. This debate will have a significant impact on the practice and profession of ergonomics. This article provides insight into the coming debate, and serves as a call to action for all who are interested in the future of ergonomics.

Ergonomics Roundup: Poultry Industry Successes; Chair Controversy; iPad and Gesturing; New OSHA and NIOSH Resources; Michigan Ergo Standard; Surgeon MSDs

February 2, 2010
A summary of ergonomics in the news, including, including: Poultry Industry Successes; Chair Controversy; iPad and Gesturing; New OSHA and NIOSH Resources; Michigan Ergo Standard; Laparoscopic Surgeon MSD Concerns