Welcome to the Ergoweb® Learning Center
Our passion is to help companies and individuals succeed by delivering sustainable ergonomics solutions that not only reduce employee risk, but also increase productivity and deliver a higher quality product. With that in mind, we created this learning center to offer our visitors solutions and resources that maximize their health and well being.
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June 20, 2019
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
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 4, 2019
Ergonomics is tough, particularly when trying to manage ergonomics for jobs that take place outside of your usual facilities. Here we discuss three simple strategies you […]
May 22, 2019
Learn how ergonomics checklists differ from ergonomics assessments, and when to use each. Want more information on how to address ergonomics in non-cyclical / non-repetitive jobs? […]
May 15, 2019
Ergonomics might be defined as the scientific study of people at work (per NIOSH), but in reality, workplace ergonomics programs are established to improve the fit […]
May 10, 2019
Are your ergonomics-related injury claims going wild? A continuous improvement ergonomics process delivers clear, significant, measurable ROI. A dig-in-your-heels approach produces huge costs and enormous waste.
June 20, 2019
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
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 4, 2019
Ergonomics is tough, particularly when trying to manage ergonomics for jobs that take place outside of your usual facilities. Here we discuss three simple strategies you […]
May 22, 2019
Learn how ergonomics checklists differ from ergonomics assessments, and when to use each. Want more information on how to address ergonomics in non-cyclical / non-repetitive jobs? […]
May 15, 2019
Ergonomics might be defined as the scientific study of people at work (per NIOSH), but in reality, workplace ergonomics programs are established to improve the fit […]
January 2, 2019
Safety experts are familiar with the Hierarchy of Controls, or the Hierarchy of Ergonomics Controls, in this case. That is, once a hazard is identified, we […]
May 10, 2019
Are your ergonomics-related injury claims going wild? A continuous improvement ergonomics process delivers clear, significant, measurable ROI. A dig-in-your-heels approach produces huge costs and enormous waste.
January 2, 2019
By Peter Budnick, PhD, CPE, December 27, 2018 We just added several new Workplace ergonomics assessment and analysis tools to our Ergoweb Enterprise™ software platform: Ohio […]
June 27, 2017
By Peter Budnick 27th June, 2017 Sustainable sounds like one of those corporate buzzwords that come and go, but the meaning behind it will always ring […]
March 28, 2017
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
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
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.
May 10, 2019
Are your ergonomics-related injury claims going wild? A continuous improvement ergonomics process delivers clear, significant, measurable ROI. A dig-in-your-heels approach produces huge costs and enormous waste.
March 3, 2015
Does your company have more than $10,000 in contracts or subcontracts with the USA Federal government, or an agency thereof? Most medium or large companies do, which makes them subject to new affirmative action regulations targeting employees with disabilities.
November 11, 2014
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 […]
December 31, 2012
Twenty years ago on 1 January 1993, the UK implemented six wide ranging health & safety regulations that included provisions for ergonomics. Dubbed the ‘Six Pack', the 1993 regulations made clearer duties in relation to some activities (e.g. computer work, manual handling) and gave more detail and guidance to help employers protect the health & safety of their staff. "As a result, both employers and employees know much more about safer working practices and what has to be done in the workplace by both parties to achieve this. More could still be done to combat stress and improve overall employee wellbeing. And there will always be some difficult situations which will require compromise solutions," says Dave O'Neill, Chief Executive of the IEHF.
May 10, 2012
Drawing on 40 years of his own experience -- and noting that last year was OSHA's 40th anniversary -- well-known ergonomist Dan MacLeod presents his vision for OSHA reform, particularly when it comes to ergonomics. "During this time, OSHA generated striking improvements in working conditions, but has to my mind been simultaneously plagued by its approach to enforcement ... My experience gives me a sense of optimism that there are better ways to regulate industry. The premise of ergonomics is that with good design we can simultaneously improve human well being and increase overall efficiency. I suspect this principle applies to Federal regulations and agencies as much as it does to powered hand tools and production lines."
May 2, 2012
This 10 year old article, republished with permission from ErgoWeb's subscription-based The Ergonomics Report, remains highly relavent today, and the title says it well: Profits, Not Compliance, Will Drive Ergonomics.
May 10, 2019
Are your ergonomics-related injury claims going wild? A continuous improvement ergonomics process delivers clear, significant, measurable ROI. A dig-in-your-heels approach produces huge costs and enormous waste.
October 11, 2017
How much should we budget for ergonomics? Who should pay for it? Do we really need it? What value can we expect from our investment? These […]
May 23, 2017
Team Ergoweb 23rd June, 2017 Applying workplace ergonomics through a continuous improvement process is essential for enterprise sustainability. A good ergonomics process plays a key role in […]
August 10, 2015
Last Fall we observed the untimely death of Thomas (“Tom”) Waters, a man who made significant contributions to our understanding of risk related manual material handling tasks, including […]
January 6, 2014
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."
October 11, 2012
Presenting ergonomics solutions as valuable contributions to an organization is critical to getting them accepted, funded and implemented. This article, reprinted from The Ergonomics Report, recognizes that financial measures and predictions are a large motivating factor for any organizations, and ergonomics solutions must therefore be considered in light of their financial impacts. This article reviews the types of outcomes ergonomics can produce; shows how to do ROI calculations that put solutions in financial terms; and promotes an increased awareness of, and focus on, ergonomics performance outcomes, not just well-being outcomes.
January 4, 2019
The industrial workplace is often littered with complaints of musculoskeletal dysfunction, limited physical function, and painful injuries. This creates increased costs associated with process disruptions, absenteeism, […]
April 16, 2014
Ergoweb's Peter Budnick details his views on the emerging debates surrounding the relationships between ergonomics, a field he believes is fairly well defined, and wellness, a concept that is not well defined, though intuitively appealing. "Ergonomics and wellness complement each other, but they are not one and the same," he concludes.
December 20, 2013
Common issues Constant bending to check orders Lifting, walking, carrying to sort orders Checking incoming materials often is done on the floor, which then usually requires […]
November 19, 2013
As winter descends upon the northern hemisphere, it reminds us of the effects of temperature on human performance. We all know temperature can impair human abilities, […]
September 25, 2013
Gene Kay MS, CEA, and Peter Budnick, PhD, CPE 25th September, 2013 This article is reprinted with permission from The Ergonomics Report™ Archives, where it originally appeared […]
September 8, 2013
Common standards* (Most items apply to sustained work) Maximum two-handed lift (with vertical travel distance) 20 lbs Maximum two-handed carry (no vertical travel distance) 30 lbs […]