How is this sector unique? We’ve done office assessments in corporate offices for years, and they tend to be fairly straightforward once some purchasing standards have been set up. However, in most home offices, workers have already purchased or repurposed furniture, and space and lighting constraints are common. Home office assessments require us to evaluate equipment and determine what we can use, and what needs to be replaced. What approaches have worked best for you? If it’s not broken, we don’t fix it! During the pandemic, workers purchased a wide variety of chairs and sit/stand desks. So ..read more

How can HR professionals ensure that ergonomics solutions accommodate the diverse needs of employees with varying abilities and preferences? We have been hearing a lot recently about DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion); how does this initiative relate to ergonomics? In ergonomics, we try to fit the work or task to the worker. Diversity is all about considering unique attributes and talents, regardless of gender, race, age or sexual orientation. Equity is ensuring all employees are treated fairly and justly and ensure equal opportunity. Inclusion refers to creating an environment where all ..read more

At this week’s Applied Ergonomics Conference, Christina Timmons will be talking about how we can use ergonomics to improve our sleep environment. In particular, she’ll talk about pillows, mattresses, and the room you sleep in. Read on for a short summary. Your pillow When selecting a pillow, you first need to understand your sleep posture. A side-sleeper needs a very different pillow from a back sleeper. Consider that the pillow’s main job is to fill the space between your head and your mattress, ideally while keeping you in a neutral position. What is neutral? When your head, neck, and spine ..read more

I’ve seen a lot of postings for Health and Safety jobs lately, some of which include “ergonomics” responsibilities such as completing physical demands analyses or manual handling assessments. Safety professionals who have an ergo background could certainly fulfil these responsibilities. However, once in the role, we’ve noticed that safety/ergo professionals tend to be consumed with the “safety” aspects of a safety program. Legislation requires noise sampling, GHS, and workplace inspection tasks to be completed and documented. Injury investigation consumes time. Ergonomics almost always falls t ..read more

Research by Callum Murphy, B.Sc.(Hon.Kin.), AE, Ergonomist With so many options available for computer screens, we thought it was time to provide an update. Where should you place your screens? How many screens can you use? Are curved screens better than flat? Wide screens A recent research paper by Kolbe et al. indicated that: More than 80% of office workstations use a widescreen aspect ratio (16:9 or 16:10) 75% of office workstations use 23” (diagonal) or larger displays 68% of workstations use 2 or more monitors Research by Burress et al. also indicates that using an ultrawide monitor (34 ..read more

Well-being is top of mind in many organizations, and productivity, while perhaps less popular to declare, has always been a priority. Most organizations have a clear idea of what good productivity means – getting the work done on time, with the resources available. I love the CDC definition of well-being, “Judging life positively and feeling good.”  How can ergonomics improve both? When you work in awkward positions, or your job involves repetitive, heavy efforts, your body might not tolerate the demands well. When your body aches, it’s hard to think about anything else. Other thoughts th ..read more

We’re packing for our March trip to Louisville, Kentucky for the Applied Ergonomics conference. We’re also seeking opportunities to present to networking groups of local potential clients, such as Safety Professionals, HR Professionals, Manufacturing Engineers, and Health and Wellness Professionals. Do any of these topics catch your interest? If so, read the bottom paragraph for more info. Gamify your ergonomics training (Alex and Carrie’s AEC presentation) Using games in training improves participant engagement, and allows us to harness our competitive nature while demonstrating ergonomics pr ..read more

Here are a five things you can do with your family, to open a discussion about ergonomics. Inspect your winter boots. Are they warm? Do they have good tread to prevent slips? Do they keep moisture out? If you’re shopping for boots, check here first, for help selecting an “ergonomic” pair. And here is an article about footwear and slips and falls.   Let the games begin! Does one family member always win at certain games? Give them an “ergonomic” disadvantage, to even the playing field. For example, can the scrabble champion still win while facing a bright window? Can the kerplunk captai ..read more

Ergonomics is involved in injury prevention (aka safety); to the extent that the ergonomist is involved in assessing injury risk and recommending corrective actions, the role is safety-oriented. Beyond safety initiatives, ergonomics is also involved in accommodating workers with limitations, in ensuring inclusive,  equitable workplaces, and in developing strategies and policies that optimize employee engagement, productivity, and quality. Let’s explore these aspects of ergonomics. In this article, we delve into the multifaceted aspects of ergonomics that can significantly enhance HR ..read more

When you walk through an office and see workers slumped over their desks, slouching in their chairs, or perched on the edge of their seats, you’ll wonder if they need some ergonomics support. However, when your contact with workers is primarily through Zoom or Teams, where the background looks like a corner office with a view, you can’t fully understand their work environment. As we’ve reported before, we’ve seen some pretty atrocious home office environments. We can debate for hours about the extent to which employers are responsible for home offices. But really, liability is only a small con ..read more