Upcoming Safety Events

EASE (Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment)

See below for some upcoming events which might be of interest to ergonomics professionals.

US Ergonomics and Safety Events

National Ergonomics Conference and Expo Caesars Palace, Las Vegas NV November 17-20, 2009 Website

National Safety Council 2010 Texas Safety Conference & Expo The Woodlands Waterway Marriott, The Woodlands, TX March 15-17, 2010 Website

Applied Ergonomics Conference 2010 JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa, San Antonio, TX March 22-25, 2010 Website For further information on ergonomic material handling equipment please contact Ergonomic Partners at sales@ergonomicpartners.com or 314-766-4578

Ergonomics and the Diversified Workplace

Most emplyers like to think they offer a diversified workplace. Well Anne Kramer shows even more reasons why this is important other than patting yourself on the back. e Benefits of Ergonomics in the Workplace by Anne Kramer, CEO & President of Ergo Works, Inc.

DiversityBusiness.com Magazine Article/- Ergonomics may seem like a subjective solution to increasing productivity in the workplace, because its benefits often appear to elude quantification. While it is certainly easier to measure the effects of ergonomics in some work environments than others, paying attention to ergonomics in any workplace can save money by reducing injuries and time lost. Furthermore it can actually make a business more profitable, through increased productivity and efficiency, in addition to making the workplace accessible to a wider variety of workers. Decreasing Injury and Time Lost Every year, hundreds of thousands of work days are lost due to work-related injuries. The cost of these days missed easily totals in the billions. These injuries were certainly not limited to those caused by heavy lifting; they also included seemingly less-serious injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Thus the company that prevents these sorts of injuries stands to gain, through decreased pay-out for workers’ compensation and fewer days lost. Though many products are available to prevent these injuries, ranging from wrist rests to adjustable office chairs, each piece of equipment should be designed for reducing injury and promoting ease of use. As a rule of thumb, optimum posture may be defined as the midpoint of any limb’s range of motion. For instance, a desktop computer workstation should allow the user to keep his or her elbows at slightly open to a 90-degree angle. Wrists should remain in a neutral position; there should be no bend from forearm to wrist. Meanwhile, the top of the monitor should be parallel to the top of the head. Thus all components of the workstation must support a proper working position. Although heavy lifting injuries are not the only ones resulting in time lost, they do comprise a large majority of those requiring missed days: on average, shoulder or back injuries comprise about a third of all injuries each year. These were caused by either overexertion or cumulative trauma. While the bulk of injuries occurred in workplaces where the jobs required heavy lifting, shoulder and back injuries also happen in the white-collar environment; these may occur due to any manner of static exertion: holding activities; carrying items; pushing or pulling; or raising the arms. Regardless of the work environment, injuries due to lifting pose a threat, but an easily avoidable one. Heavy items should simply be placed where employees can use proper posture to pick them up. It is important to minimize bending while lifting, which forces the upper body to lift its own weight in addition to the weight of the item being lifted. Additionally, bending while lifting moves the load away from the body, thereby decreasing leverage. In this case, employee education can be an indispensable method of injury prevention. Such education can play a significant role in employees’ continued health, because making ergonomically wise decisions about task design may often fall to the employee. An employee who knows the benefit of reducing head motion is more likely to utilize a stand, to keep papers at eye level and close to the monitor while completing typing or data-entry tasks. That same employee is more likely to move frequently used items, such as scissors or a stapler, within optimum reach of sixteen inches or less. Increasing Productivity and Efficiency Although the field of ergonomics is most frequently associated with gadgets and gizmos, it is really a science of fitting the job to the worker. Thus any measure that increases productivity or efficiency is really an ergonomically friendly one, even if it does not involve a specific piece of equipment. One of these may appear counter-intuitive, and even counter-productive: taking breaks. Several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of this simple intervention. Workers who take short breaks every twenty minutes significantly reduce the incidence of injury, at no detriment to productivity. To maximize productivity, employees may combine their breaks with the sit/stand work station set-up. Although the original focus of the sit-stand work station was that employees would complete the same task, such as typing, while alternately sitting and standing, this procedure was not demonstrated to increase efficiency or reduce injury. Thus it is now recommended that employees still vary their posture regularly, which can be accomplished by standing to file papers or to make copies. Employees, then, may save these tasks for their breaks from computer-centered tasks. This is not to say that proper equipment does not contribute to productivity levels. On the contrary, even something as simple as a keyboard can impact efficiency. After a learning period on an ergonomic keyboard, employees are even more productive on the ergonomic keyboard than they were on the standard keyboard: because ergonomic keyboards require less exertion than standard ones, employees can complete more computer-based tasks in the same amount of time. Measuring Ergonomics-related Gains through Data Analysis While it is certainly easier to evaluate the effects of ergonomics in work environments with production lines, where progress can be measured in higher tangible output, it is not impossible to measure the benefits of ergonomics in the white-collar environment. Any effort at redesign should begin with a job analysis and employee feedback. These items will help in the construction of evaluation criteria, along with dictating the sort of ergonomic interventions that are appropriate and necessary. Both criteria and interventions should be tailored to the position. If employees spend little time on the computer each day, but often use the telephone, then greater impact would be attained through purchasing headsets than wrist rests. Anthropometry must also be taken into account; because people vary in size, a one-size-fits-all approach will often be ineffectual. While an adjustable chair is a critical part of a computer workstation, shorter employees will often also need a foot rest to maintain proper posture. Once ergonomic equipment and procedures have been implemented, monitoring and measurement can begin. Invariably a comparison of the baseline data to the new data will reveal clear monetary gains. Ergonomics as a Method of Supporting and Encouraging Diversity Perhaps the greatest benefit of ergonomics in the work place is that the work station can be customized to the worker, thereby making the office better able to accommodate a wide variety of workers. By eschewing the one-size-fits-all approach to work station design, employers can ensure that office spaces are modified to fit people in all age groups; although two employees may be the same height and build, their age also influences how they use tools. Meanwhile, the ergonomic office space also provides greater accessibility for employees with physical limitations. These might include a variety of conditions, which could range from pregnancy to quadriplegia. The benefit of such an approach, then, is three-fold. First, the employer has satisfied the legal requirement of providing adequate and appropriate accommodations for employees. Additionally research has consistently demonstrated that the implementation of ergonomics conveys that the employer values and embraces workers of diverse needs, thereby boosting workplace morale. Finally, adaptations originally intended for physically handicapped employees, such as voice-recognition software, can actually benefit any employee, because it reduces the need for a keyboard. Thus as new technology is added, it can be integrated into the whole-office ergonomic approach, to the advantage of all employees. About DiversityBusiness.com Launched in 1999, DiversityBusiness, with over 48,000 members, is the largest organization of diversity owned businesses throughout the United States that provide goods and services to Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies, and colleges and universities. DiversityBusiness provides research and data collection services for diversity including the "Top 50 Organizations for Multicultural Business Opportunities", "Top 500 Diversity Owned Companies in America", and others. Its research has been recognized and published by Forbes Magazine, Business Week and thousands of other print and internet publications. The site has gained national recognition and has won numerous awards for its content and design. DiversityBusiness reaches more diverse suppliers and communicates more information to them on a more frequent basis then all other organizations combined. We also communicate with mainstream businesses, government agencies and educational institutions with information related to diversity. Our magazine reaches over 300,000 readers, a monthly e-newsletter that reaches 2.4 million, and website visitors of 1.2 million a month. It is a leading provider of Supplier Diversity management tools and has the most widely distributed Diversity magazine in the United States. DiversityBusiness.com is produced by Computer Consulting Association. http://www.diversitybusiness.com/news/diversity.magazine/99200836.asp If you would like help with your workplace ergonomics contact Ergonomic Partners at www.ergonomicpartners.com or sales@ergonomicpartners.com

The Gorbel G-Force Now Available in Higher Capacity

If you need optimum spotting and being able to float your load with loads upto 1320# then Gorbel can help! We can even integrarte custom tooling to pick up your hard to handle part.

New 1320 lb/600 kg G-Force® Now Available!
Gorbel Inc. is very excited to announce the release of a 1320 lb/600 kg capacity G-Force®. This new higher capacity unit delivers the motion control and precision you’ve come to expect from the G-Force®, including the popular Float Mode option which allows any weight to be effortlessly moved up or down with a slight upward or downward force providing direct control of the load for precision placement.
Available as both Q and iQ models, the 1320 lb./600 kg unit is able to lift twice the weight if our previous 660 lb capacity offering by incorporating a reeved wire rope and pulley assembly. The pulley assembly is positioned above the G-360 collector, enabling full 360-degree rotation of loads.
Contact Ergonomic Partners at sales@ergonomicpartners.com or give us a call at 314-766-4578 for more information.

Ergonomics for the Standing Worker

Wearwell is the premier supplier of anti-fatigue and ergonomic matting. Below is an article on the importance of ergomomic matting for your workers. Thanks Lisa for the nice article.

Ergonomics for the Standing WorkerBy Lisa O'Dell, Vice President of Marketing, Wearwell

The word "ergonomics" is defined as "the natural laws of work". Optimal performance, which many of us define as productivity, is the ultimate goal of ergonomic design. It' therefore reasonable to expect that the implementation of ergonomic concepts offers tremendous value to any company, and can be realized with the creation of comfortable, healthy and safe work environments. Providing anti-fatigue matting for standing workers is an excellent example of ergonomic design.
Past research has shown that long-term standing on hard surfaces negatively effects worker' productivity and health. On a simplistic level everyone knows that it's uncomfortable. On a more complex level, standing on hard surfaces is uncomfortable because leg muscles become static, continuously flexed in an attempt to keep your body in an upright position. In the short term, this reduces the natural flow of oxygen and blood back to your heart causing fatigue and blood pooling in lower extremities. In the long term, it will take a toll on your body in the form of varicose veins, low back pain, leg pain, and fallen arches, just to name a few of the most common ailments. The most functional, comfortable and effective solution for eliminating standing workers aches and pain is the use of well-designed anti-fatigue matting. These ergonomic products can play a huge part in injury prevention, the reduction of standing worker fatigue, and increased productivity.

Anti-fatigue mats work by encouraging subtle movement of leg and calf muscles. As the muscles contract and relax they pump blood back to the heart and eliminate blood pooling in the lower extremities which often occurs if a worker's muscles are totally static.
Once anti-fatigue mats are installed, it is very common to hear stories about how they dramatically help a particular employee. For example, a Rolls Royce assembly plant recently purchased anti-fatigue matting for several operations including welding stations. One of their employees, a 39 year-old welder, suffered from Plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot. This is a very painful condition often caused by prolonged standing. Rolls Royce tried several remedies including gel insoles, which were found to be a nuisance and not very effective. After standing on Wearwell® WeldSafe® Anti-fatigue matting for several weeks, the production manager said that the welder was much more comfortable and had in fact stated that his work conditions are 90% improved.
Not all companies have such dramatic results, but virtually all would tell you that anti-fatigue mats make a very positive impact on their employee' morale and performance. To insure that the overall experience with matting is good, it' important to:
Understand that you will probably not be able to please every employee because everyone enjoys a different level of comfort, and
Select products that optimize performance.
Here are some classic examples:
if you have an area where carts are pushed from workstation to workstation, it is best to find a product that will withstand cart traffic (ErgoDeck)
if you have over-spray buy a mat that has an abrasive coating on the surface to provide necessary traction (Diamond-Plate with GritWorks!)
buy wet area matting for wet areas and dry area matting for dry areas (24/Seven for wet areas and Diamond-Plate for dry areas)
if you frequently reconfigure workstations or have very large areas to cover, look at the modular products on the market (ErgoDeck)
if you use caustic chemicals in your facility, test the mat yourself to make sure it will withstand the rigors of your environment. (24/Seven CFR )
if you have employees that require an extra level of comfort, look for the greater compression deflection test results or the lower durometer (UltraSoft Diamond-Plate)

Perhaps most importantly, always purchase anti-fatigue mats that adapt the work environment to the needs of the worker. This will ensure optimal performance and that is truly ergonomics at work.

If you need ergonomic matting for your workers, please visit us at www.ergonomicpartners.com or sales@ergonomicpartners.com .

How Obama’s OSHA nominee would ‘fix’ workplace safety

What does the new administration have in store for business and their employees? Read another article that seems to show that we are closer to new ergonomic standards.

Even before he goes under the microscope in Congress, we already know some important workplace safety and health opinions held by David Michaels, President Obama’s nominee to head the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It probably comes as no surprise that he favors more regulations for businesses.
Michaels’ experience is as a researcher and scientist. His background shows in testimony he gave to Congress two years ago. His topic: Is OSHA working for working people? His answer: No.
Michaels called the number of preventable work-related injuries and illnesses occurring in the U.S. “unacceptably high.”
Why is that? Michaels said, “OSHA enforcement does not appear to be effective in further reducing injury rates.”
How would he fix that? Michaels said, “It is time for the agency to start using [the general duty clause] again.” That clause allows OSHA to issue citations and fines against companies for hazards that aren’t specifically spelled out in the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
He’d also require companies to draft their own Comprehensive Workplace Safety and Health Program Standards. Every employer would be required to develop and follow a hazard reduction plan.
When an OSHA inspector visits, the first determination would be if managers were meeting the facility’s own plan. If not, they’d be in violation, end of discussion.
When it comes to chemical exposure limits, Michaels called for Congress to require OSHA to adopt national consensus standards issued by independent organizations such as The American Conference of Industrial Hygienists. Result for businesses: more regulations approved faster.

http://www.businessbrief.com/how-obamas-osha-nominee-would-fix-workplace-safety/

by Fred Hosier

How Obama’s OSHA nominee would ‘fix’ workplace safety

Even before he goes under the microscope in Congress, we already know some important workplace safety and health opinions held by David Michaels, President Obama’s nominee to head the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It probably comes as no surprise that he favors more regulations for businesses.
Michaels’ experience is as a researcher and scientist. His background shows in testimony he gave to Congress two years ago. His topic: Is OSHA working for working people? His answer: No.
Michaels called the number of preventable work-related injuries and illnesses occurring in the U.S. “unacceptably high.”
Why is that? Michaels said, “OSHA enforcement does not appear to be effective in further reducing injury rates.”
How would he fix that? Michaels said, “It is time for the agency to start using [the general duty clause] again.” That clause allows OSHA to issue citations and fines against companies for hazards that aren’t specifically spelled out in the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
He’d also require companies to draft their own Comprehensive Workplace Safety and Health Program Standards. Every employer would be required to develop and follow a hazard reduction plan.
When an OSHA inspector visits, the first determination would be if managers were meeting the facility’s own plan. If not, they’d be in violation, end of discussion.
When it comes to chemical exposure limits, Michaels called for Congress to require OSHA to adopt national consensus standards issued by independent organizations such as The American Conference of Industrial Hygienists. Result for businesses: more regulations approved faster.

http://www.businessbrief.com/how-obamas-osha-nominee-would-fix-workplace-safety/

by Fred Hosier