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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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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
June 23, 2017
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 […]
June 23, 2017
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 […]
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 […]
March 13, 2013
Common wisdom says we should lift with our legs, not our backs. Some companies mistakenly base much of their ergonomics strategy on training employees to "lift with your legs." This research study sheds light on why many people typically don't lift with their knees, and instead use a back-lift strategy. In this article, reprinted from The Ergonomics Report, study reviewer Peter Budnick offers his thoughts on how companies can apply this new knowledge.
December 6, 2011
This article, which was originally published in The Ergonomics Report, reviews the evolution of an ergonomics process that was developed and promoted internally by Keith Osborne, a Honeywell HSE specialist. The process took some years to build, and Osborne shares how he won early successes that were used to gain management support and grow the benefits and value of ergonomics, and how he leveraged success to continuously improve and grow the process. The program now produces a significant ROI, helped gain the site OSHA VPP Star status, and has been adopted as a Honeywell best practice.
August 24, 2009
Jennifer Anderson 24th August, 2009 One prototype of a new technology for manufacturing so-called bendy displays wraps around a thumb, and bus-sized applications are not out […]
January 30, 2008
A study presents an office ergonomics self-assessment checklist that demonstrates good reliability and validity. Can this checklist replace the need for an office ergonomist?
July 29, 2014
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
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 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."
December 20, 2013
You must understand the basic principles of human-friendly design to evaluate or design workplace equipment. There are no shortcuts or simple tips that replace a firm […]
December 20, 2013
Despite all the advancements in automation and high technology, humans still constitute a decisive factor in production. Whether planning new operations or improving existing ones, it […]
December 20, 2013
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 […]
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.
December 13, 2011
We previously reported that the start of enforcement for California's new Safe Patient Handling law, AB 1136, Hospital Patient and Health Care Worker Injury Protection Act, would not occur until January 2013. However, that was incorrect; the actual enforcement start date is January 1, 2012, just weeks from now. In this article, Peter Budnick revisits AB 1136, correcting the start date error, reviewing several points of confusion in the language of the law, and provides a concise, point-by-point summary of the law's key requirements.
October 10, 2011
The 2010 Report on Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the European Union highlights the current state of Occupational Health and Safety as well as a number of trends in the risk profiles for member states. This article summarizes some of the findings collected over the past two decades and builds on previous EU-OSHA reports.
April 21, 2011
Workplace ergonomics takes a beating in the USA State of Michigan as the legislature and governor pass a new law prohibiting the promulgation of ergonomics related workplace standards. Is it time for the ergonomics community to finally put politics aside and focus on proving our value to society?
January 26, 2011
OSHA has "temporarily" withdrawn its proposal to restore a column on the work-related musculoskeletal disorders on employer injury and illness logs (300 logs). Newly elected Michigan Governor Rick Snyder vows to fight an ergonomics regulation in his own state, citing it as an example of mandatory and overreaching regulation that drives away employers.
September 9, 2010
A roundup of ergonomics topics: Is there a turf battle brewing in the field of ergonomics? Which side are you on? Plus, OSHA is taking a stand on long working hours for medical residents, and has levied a $50.6 million fine against BP -- and that's for past sins -- they haven't yet hit them for the Gulf oil spill.
March 20, 2012
A well formulated and executed ergonomics program is once again shown to be a significant contributor to the organizational bottom line. The latest evidence comes from research conducted by University of Wisconsin based researchers Garg and Kapellusch who tracked key business metrics at seven health care facilities with ergonomics programs that included patient handling equipment. While safe patient handling has become an important topic in many health care facilities, and regulators, the proven benefits of an ergonomics program are transferable to any workplace or industry.
August 3, 2011
If ergonomics is seen as a cost, many will reject it. If it is seen as an improvement opportunity with measurable gains, many will embrace it. This article points to cost-benefit analysis tools that can help you prove the value of ergonomics to others.
August 2, 2011
This article, reprinted from The Ergonomics Report, summarizes an internal corporate study of 6200 financial services call center staff found that over a three-year period employees in non-adjustable workstations had 5-times more injuries and 20 times more Worker Compensation injury costs, as compared to employees in user-adjustable workstations. Furthermore, the non-adjustable workstations had higher costs associated with routine moves and making ergonomic adjustments.
April 3, 2013
Why, when implemented in the workplace, do resolutions that encourage workers to partake in on-the-job exercise programs, install and use stretch-break reminder software at their computer workstations, or commit to a personal wellness plan, so often get confused with ergonomics?
March 13, 2013
Common wisdom says we should lift with our legs, not our backs. Some companies mistakenly base much of their ergonomics strategy on training employees to "lift with your legs." This research study sheds light on why many people typically don't lift with their knees, and instead use a back-lift strategy. In this article, reprinted from The Ergonomics Report, study reviewer Peter Budnick offers his thoughts on how companies can apply this new knowledge.
December 20, 2012
In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report, the late Hal Hendrick is interviewed by journalist Jennifer Anderson regarding a forthcoming book he had co-authored, "Human Factors Issues in Handgun Safety and Forensics." As the gun violence debate erupts in the USA following the senseless and tragic deaths of 20 innocent children and 6 adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary school, we reflect on the role that Ergonomics and Human Factors can -- and should -- play in the prevention of unnecessary gun related deaths, injuries, as well as any regulations that may follow.
November 30, 2012
In this reprint from The Ergonomics Report, Gene Kay and Peter Budnick review a research article summarizing the findings of a team of researchers from India that performed a study looking at various associations between body mass index BMI, musculoskeletal discomfort, and occupational stress among computer workers. Their results add to the growing understanding that being overweight can have a significant effect on musculoskeletal discomfort and occupational stress measures.
August 22, 2012
In this article, reprinted from The Ergonomics Report, guest contributor Jill Kelby makes a case for ergonomists need to at least educate themselves, if not become actively involved, in emerging government initiatives wrapped around the concept of "wellness." As she explains, initiatives by the USA based NIOSH and NPC (National Prevention Council) appear to be co-opting ergonomics terminology and methods under the banner of "wellness," yet her research suggests that ergonomists have not been included or consulted in the development of these initiatives. She makes a case for why it should concern you, as well, and calls ergonomists to action.
August 2, 2012
In this study, reviewed by contributor Tim Villnave and republished from The Ergonomics Report, researcher J Arendt suggests that while night work may have its advantages, his review of the literature indicates there is a price to pay relative to work productivity and personal health.