28
Nov, 22
Posture Perfect – Why working position matters
why body position matters when assessing force
21
Nov, 22
Directionally challenged: When assessing effort, direction matters
When you see a worker pushing, pulling, or lifting a load, you might wonder how much effort they are using. As an ergonomist in a workplace, we are usually compelled to measure that force. We can use a force gauge to measure the weights and push/pull forces required on the job. You might also think […]
14
Nov, 22
Working from home…in the future
What do ergonomists think of hybrid offices? From an ergonomics perspective, what are the pro’s and con’s? Let’s start by defining what we mean by “hybrid” work. Most of our clients have called people back to the office, at least for a portion of their time. Typically, people are returning to the same workstations they […]
07
Nov, 22
Ergonomics, employee engagement, and recruitment
Attracting and retaining talent has become more challenging in the past three years. It’s an employee’s market out there. During “The Great Resignation”, in the face of the pandemic’s doom and gloom, we had more time to think about what really matters to us, and many people considered career changes. Many (though not all) of […]
31
Oct, 22
Visibility
Hallowe’en seems like the perfect time for a discussion about “visibility” and “line of sight”. Masks and other costumes can obstruct a trick-or-treater’s vision; a child may not see approaching people or vehicles, and may trip and fall over obstacles that they cannot see. When you can only see forward, your peripheral vision is impaired; […]
17
Oct, 22
How to find an ergonomics consultant
I’ve been trying to make it easier for people to find us online, and in the process, considering how our customers find us, exactly. Most of our work comes from repeat clients, or word-of-mouth from satisfied clients, but the new clients typically find us with a web search. I imagine that you’re using search terms […]
11
Oct, 22
Exoskeleton Conference Summary
by Callum Murphy Last week, Alex and I participated in an Exoskeleton Conference presented by CRE-MSD. If you’re interested in more details, the slides can be found here: Manual Handling: Where Exoskeletons Fit Within Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Prevention Strategies | Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD) | University of Waterloo […]
03
Oct, 22
Ergonomics experiments you can do at home
A few months ago, I reported about how “glove fit” affects grip strength. (Better fit = greater strength). This morning, I played around with grip endurance using different types of grips, and performed a little experiment at home. Here’s what I did: I found a 2-litre bottle of liquid (about 2 kg). I opened the […]