Ergoweb® Learning Center
We’ve published and shared thousands of ergonomics articles and resources since 1993. Search by keyword or browse for topics of interest.
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February 2, 2022
Article Highlights: Fatigue Failure theory is a new ergonomics theory about how workers develop MSDs Three recently developed ergonomics assessment tools — LiFFT, DUET and The […]
July 16, 2021
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company has conducted numerous studies over several decades that help identify and reduce risk of injury related to manual material tasks like lifting, […]
May 13, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many employees to stay home, and others to work reduced schedules. This extended time away from work may result in some […]
May 12, 2020
A step-by-step guide to planning an effective ergonomics process at a company site or facility. This is a brief summary article — for more detail and […]
February 6, 2020
“Designing in” workplace ergonomics is viewed as an integral part of an effective ergonomics process. Non-office workplace environments are constantly changing – and new ergonomics challenges […]
January 28, 2020
Wearable exoskeletons and ergonomics are getting a lot of attention lately. Exoskeletal devices have already shown great promise and success as rehabilitation and disability solutions, and […]
December 16, 2019
Here’s a list of ergonomics standards, guidelines, regulations and compliance resources. It was last updated on January 29, 2020. The list is comprehensive, but we’ve surely […]
November 18, 2019
Managing ergonomics at a site requires a lot of planning, coordination, and communication. An effective ergonomics improvement initiative relies on contributions of people throughout the organization […]
November 4, 2019
A well constructed site ergonomics plan is critical for ensuring that everyone involved in the ergonomics process understands what needs to occur, and who is responsible […]
April 25, 2012
Guest contributors Linda Miller and Lucy Hart provide an update on the emergence of ergonomics as a points category in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building rating system. Over a decade ago, a coalition of building industry leaders in the U.S. created building design and construction guidelines for the environmental assessment of buildings. The LEED Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based standard that evaluates the environmental performance of a building over its entire life cycle. The primary goal of LEED is to promote building practices that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy for its building occupants, and Miller and Hart explain how ergonomics is gaining a solid footing in the LEED rating system.
April 25, 2012
ErgoAdvocate's Gene Kay will present a free seminar in Cupertino, CA, that will explore Metabolic Syndrome and the twin epidemics of obesity and inactivity. Attendees will learn the basic causes and physiology of sitting disease, and then will join the instructor in exploring a number of approaches that can be used to mitigate the potential impact of this cluster of diseases. The goal is to create a more active work life for the office worker. This may include a combination of work practice, workstation, and social changes. The session will be held this Friday, April 27, 2012.
April 18, 2012
This article, reprinted from The Ergonomics Report, summarizes a research article that showed that marked shoulder pain occurred three times more frequently among hotel room cleaners when psychosocial risk factors were present according to a University of California investigation. Sometimes, risk factors alone are not the source of perceived pain or injury.
April 17, 2012
In this Ergoweb exclusive, Dr. David Cochran shares the standard that he and many of his ergonomics colleagues would have preferred over the version that was rescinded by the USA Congress in 2001. Dr. Cochran was instrumental as an ergonomics expert and advocate within OSHA as the standard was being developed. As with any political process, compromises were made that many felt weakened the standard, and perhaps even determined its fate. The documents he shares in this article contain the full standard as he and others wished it would have been, and can now be used as an excellent blueprint for the elements of a successful ergonomics program.
April 10, 2012
On March 21, 2012, Ergoweb held a webinar titled "Improving Outcomes -- Office Ergonomics Success Stories." Attendees asked many questions -- far too many to answer during the webinar -- so we've compiled and answered the questions in this article, including laptops vs. desktops, how to convince management to invest in ergonomics, budgeting, liability, costs, ROI, sit-stand, chairs and more.
April 4, 2012
The Future of Ergonomics Committee, under the direction of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA), has published a report summarizing a strategic initiative for the world-wide promotion of the ergonomics discipline and profession in order to reach global excellence in HFE (human factors and ergonomics). The report does a nice job of summarizing the field of ergonomics, and specifies numerous specific values we can and should produce. Ergoweb's Peter Budnick reviews the report and offers his opinions.