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Open Access Articles

February 2, 2022

Fatigue Failure Ergonomics Assessment Tools Advance MSD Prevention Strategies

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

New Liberty Mutual MMH Equations (2021) Added to Ergoweb Enterprise

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

Preparing Employees for a Return-to-Work

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

How to Set-Up and Launch an Ergonomics Process at Your Site

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

How to Design Ergonomics into the Workplace

“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

Exoskeletons and Ergonomics — What You Need to Know

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

Ergonomics Standards and Guidelines

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 an Ergonomics Improvement Process

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

How to Develop a Site Ergonomics Plan

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 […]
June 28, 2012

Macroergonomics is Better Economics – an Interview with the late Hal Hendrick

In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report archives, journalist Jennifer Anderson interviewed the late Hal W. Hendrick - the "Macroergo Pioneer" - who shared his insights and provided examples demonstrating why good ergonomics is good economics, a theme that continues to resonate today.
June 27, 2012

Driver Distraction: Glance Patterns and Durations, More Research Needed

The advent and prevalence of mobile phones, texting, and interactive vehicle dashboards have brought concerns over driver distraction to the forefront. Peter Budnick reviews new research that attempts to investigate the relationship between eye-glance duration, location and history to driver distraction and the likelihood of a crash. The authors rely on real-world driver data collected before the prevalence of mobile devices, but they're biggest finding is that we need better real-world driving data before we can precisely understand eye-glancing as it relates to driver distraction and resulting crashes.
June 21, 2012

Absenteeism/Presenteeism Alone Provides a Business Case for an Ergonomics Program

This research review by guest contributor Tim Villnave, reprinted from The Ergonomics Report archives, demonstrates that a company's bottom line can be optimized by appreciating the full cost of health conditions and including health enhancement interventions aimed at reducing absenteeism/presenteeism.
June 20, 2012

Update: All About Keyboard Tray

This is an updated version of guest contributor Janet Peterson's a concise, useful guide to keyboard trays as a means to add adjustability to a fixed height desk or work surface. She provides actionable advice on when a keyboard tray may be the right solution, what "must-have" features to look for, and which optional features will improve workstation ergonomics. She also offers considerations for corner and "U" shaped work stations, and provides wise words of caution regarding keyboard trays advertised as "sit/stand" or "sit-to-stand".
June 18, 2012

Sit vs. Stand: Who Benefits from Sit-to-Stand Workstations?

There are many potential benefits from sit-to-stand and user adjustable furniture, including lower total cost of ownership, fewer MSD's, higher productivity, improved satisfaction, etc. However, to get the greatest benefit for the employee and the company, you need to ensure that you deploy the right equipment to the right population, and then support roll-out by giving users encouragement and guidance in how to be comfortable and successful with the new equipment. This article provides background for the benefits of sit-to-stand workstations, and guidance on how to effectively implement them on a small or large scale basis.
June 7, 2012

All About Keyboard Trays

Guest contributor Janet Peterson, PT, DPT provides a concise, useful guide to keyboard trays as a means to add adjustability to a fixed height desk or work surface. She provides actionable advice on when a keyboard tray may be the right solution, what "must-have" features to look for, and which optional features will improve workstation ergonomics. She also offers considerations for corner and "U" shaped work stations, and provides wise words of caution regarding keyboard trays advertised as "sit/stand" or "sit-to-stand".
June 7, 2012

Checklists Improving Outcomes for ICU and Surgical Patients

In this article, originally published in 2009 in The Ergonomics Report, journalist Jennifer Anderson describes a campaign to persuade intensive care physicians and surgeons that the humble checklist offers an effective means of reducing medical errors and complications. The World Health Organization added its weight to the effort. Has your hospital implemented such basic, necessary and straightforward ergonomics as a means to improve patient care and outcomes?