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Open Access Articles

October 10, 2019

Leveraging Ergonomic Design Guidelines

Effective ergonomics processes emphasize both improvement and prevention – reducing ergonomics risks in existing operations while ensuring the ergonomics acceptability of new products and equipment.  Ergonomic […]
September 26, 2019

Why Standardize Your Workplace Ergonomics Assessment Tools?

Successful ergonomics improvement programs include at least these 4 steps: Identifying Potential Ergonomics Issues Ergonomics Assessment Tools Controlling Ergonomics Risks Cost Justifying Ergonomic Improvements If your […]
September 18, 2019

Accelerate Workplace Ergonomics by Systematically Linking to Lean and Six Sigma

Successful workplace ergonomics programs drive improvements that reduce ergonomics risk while making jobs easier, effective and less painful for workers. Since Lean and Six Sigma programs […]
September 11, 2019

5 Proven Ways to Identify Workplace Ergonomics Issues

Successful ergonomics initiatives are designed to drive workplace ergonomics improvements that reduce risk while making jobs easier and less painful for workers. A robust approach that […]
July 18, 2019

Ergonomics Analysis: Checklists vs. Assessments

What’s the difference between an ergonomics checklist and an ergonomics assessment tool, and when should one or the other be used? In general, they may seem […]
July 17, 2019

VIDEO: Quick Tips Managing Ergonomics for Non-Repetitive Jobs

Ergonomics can be challenging, particularly when trying to assess ergonomics in non-repetitive (non-cyclical) jobs. Here we offer a few tips you can start using today.  For […]
July 1, 2019

Is Ergonomics Analysis Helping or Hurting your Ergonomics Improvement Process?

Ergonomics is an improvement process that, when successful, achieves meaningful outcomes such as less muscle fatigue, increased productivity, and reduced number and severity of work-related MSDs […]
June 20, 2019

Infographic: Improving Ergonomics for Field Workers

What can you control? Improving ergonomics for field workers pays back by reducing risk exposure and improving job performance. This infographic captures the main things you […]
June 17, 2019

Why It’s So Hard to Assess Ergonomics in Non-Repetitive Jobs

Ergonomics assessment of repetitive work – where the work area, materials, and tools are consistent and cycles are short enough that you can observe the activity […]
June 23, 2017

Continuous Improvement Ergonomics: Sustainable by Design

Continuous improvement, or continual improvement, is the ongoing improvement of products, services or processes through incremental and breakthrough improvements.1  What do Lean, Six-Sigma, Total Quality Management, Performance […]
March 28, 2017

History of Ergonomics

Christensen (1987) points out that the importance of a “good fit” between humans and tools was probably realized early in the development of the species. Australopithecus […]
November 11, 2014

Moving Beyond OSHA Recordkeeping

As we come to the end of 2014, many of us will be finalizing the OSHA 300 and 300A recordkeeping forms to share with employees in […]
October 28, 2014

University Programs for Ergonomics and Human Factors

The following list of University based academic programs was compiled in 2014 by Ergoweb intern Shweta Agarwal. She compiled this information based on voluntary contributions from the Universities, so if a University did not contribute their listing information, Shweta was unable to include them in the list below.
July 29, 2014

Sit-Stand vs. Sit: Muskuloskeletal Complaints Decrease; Mood Improves; Performance Remains the Same

German researchers investigated the effects of seated work vs. a mix of seated and standing work on physical and psychological complaints and on data entry performance. They found improvements in musculoskeletal comfort and mood when subjects varied working postures between sitting and standing, as compared to sitting only, with small effects on data entry performance.
June 3, 2014

3-Pronged Approach Resolves Office Ergonomics Issues

Delivering comprehensive ergonomics services to large or distributed office populations is challenging, time consuming and very expensive. Sending qualified ergonomics professionals is often difficult to arrange, […]
January 22, 2014

Ergonomics for Business, in Business Terms

This article reviews "Corporate Ergonomics: It's Musculoskeletal Disorder Management and System Optimization," by Nancy L. J. Larson, a successful ergonomics leader in several global companies. Larson shares her experiences, successes and examples of how to promote and achieve the broad benefits of ergonomics in the real world of business. She concludes with this wise advice: "Ergonomists must communicate how ergonomics adds value to business operations in the language of business. Businesses are similar to any other end user in any ergonomics project: The same strategy is needed to ..."
January 6, 2014

The Ergonomics of Economics is the Economics of Ergonomics

Hal Hendrick wrote "The Ergonomics of Economics is the Economics of Ergonomics" over 17 years ago, and it remains very relevant today. Peter Budnick reviews the article, including a summary of many ergonomics ROI examples Hendrick collected. As Hendrick said in 1996, "... I know of no profession where so small a group of professionals has such a tremendous potential for truly making a difference ... for virtually every person on this globe."
December 20, 2013

Process Improvement

Recent decades have witnessed the introduction of an impressive array of strategies to streamline and enhance production. Lean  — Focus on adding value and eliminating waste […]