Ergonomics Today™

Phones, PDAs and Email Annoy Co-workers and Increase Stress

June 7, 2004
Surveys find that certain portable electronics have a knack for annoying others and may even increase stress in the workplace.

Students Give Appliances a Voice

June 4, 2004
Engineering students at Michigan State University develop talking washing machine to work with blind users.

Ergonomics Boosts Summer's Productivity Lulls

June 2, 2004
Studies say nice weather coupled with summer vacations can result in a drop in worker productivity but using ergonomics to fit the work schedule to the worker's mindset can keep productivity at its peak.

What Makes a Job Hurt?

May 31, 2004
Study looks at underlying causes of why some jobs are more painful than other jobs.

OSHA Releases Final Grocery Guidelines

May 28, 2004
More than a year after the draft set of guidelines was released, OSHA's finalized grocery guidelines hit the shelves.

Music Students To Get Ergonomics Education

May 28, 2004
Students at Northwestern will soon start learning more about how to address the pains of playing instruments.

Productivity Drops for Tired Travelers

May 26, 2004
Hotels looking for ways to help tired business travelers with their sleep problems may end up boosting worker productivity.

Touch Technology Could Be Next Wave of Military Communications

May 24, 2004
Researchers are toying with the idea of sending messages via vibration to keep emergency communications with already-overloaded soldiers flowing smoothly.

Tough Time Handling That Morning Cup of Joe? Try UD Tableware

May 21, 2004
Potteries put Universal Design into tableware and turn out a hit that works for people of all abilities.

Ergonomics Gets a Boost From Make Believe

May 19, 2004
Recent project sought to determine how to best incorporate virtual reality and virtual environments into the real world of business.

Hip Youth Wheelchair Boasts Ergonomics and Style

May 17, 2004
New wheelchair designed with young users in mind not only fits and maneuvers more effectively than the old school model, it looks cool, too.

Will New Video Games Improve Productivity or Increase Risks?

May 14, 2004
With new gaming systems offering voice recognition, access to instant messaging and other treats, gamers could either get more accomplished or face more injury risks.

Ergonomics Makes Return-to-Work a Success

May 12, 2004
Starting a return-to-work program with ergonomics can mean success for everyone involved.

Trend of Hiring Older Workers Means Greater Call For Ergonomics

May 10, 2004
As companies clamor to hire more stability-oriented older workers, ergonomics steps into the forefront to make the workplace more accommodating for everyone.

Raising Kids Can Hurt

May 7, 2004
Motherhood can be a tough job, complete with work-related injuries including musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Could Nuclear Power and Space Exploration Improve Hospitals?

May 5, 2004
Researchers are looking at a variety of industries to determine how best to change shifts in health care.

Continent-Wide Safety Week Kicks Off Today

May 3, 2004
North American Occupational Safety and Health Week aims to improve workplace safety and health throughout Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Really, the Life of a Rock Star Can Be Painful

April 30, 2004
Recent reports of MSD and other occupational injuries for rock stars may indicate that even the dreamiest job has its downside.

Could High Worker's Comp Be the Employer's Fault?

April 28, 2004
Insurance representatives assert that part of the reason for high worker's compensation rates could be the result of not putting injured workers back on the job.

Researchers Seek To Stop Vibration Pain

April 26, 2004
While researchers are looking for future ways of halting the impact of vibration from hand tools through medical management, ergonomics is already adept at reducing the impact.