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How Canadian researchers are getting it right with ergonomics

On June 25, 2021, I attended a webinar hosted by CRE-MSD, presented by Dr. Nick LaDelfa which he called, “Neuromuscular response to repetitive workloads relative to current upper extremity ergonomics thresholds”.  That sounds a bit intimidating, but I’ll try to make it more practical for you here. Over the past year or so, we’ve been […]
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Too hot for a mask?

Heat stress prevention is a hot topic these days (pun intended), particularly around the added challenge of Covid PPE. Masks appear to be here to stay, at least for this summer. Do masks increase heat stress? We’ve learned a lot about making masks safe and comfortable: They need to be double-layer or triple layers, snug-fitting, […]
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What happens when Canadians WFH?

Is working from home more helpful than harmful? What have Canadians found? On June 28, I attended a webinar hosted by the Canadian Institute for Safety, Wellness and Performance (CISWP, at Conestoga College in Kitchener). They opened the webinar by noting that research is inconsistent concerning the benefits and disadvantages of working from home (WFH). […]
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What we learned at the 2021 ergo conference

Whenever our team heads off to a professional conference, I am hopeful that we’ll come back invigorated with new ideas that will revolutionize the way we work. I also hope to stock up on material for another year of blogs, social media, and ergo bulletins.  This year, our team members (Josie, Dennis, Carrie, and 3 […]
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What ergonomics isn’t

Some people think that ergonomics is about teaching people to sit up straight and lift with their legs. When we do an assessment, unless we explain very carefully that we’re hoping to see people working the way they normally do, we’re sometimes entertained by a “show” of what people think we want to see. When […]
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Engineers, here’s how an ergonomist can help you

Ergonomists interact most with manufacturing engineers, so I will use the title “engineer” to refer to those who work in manufacturing. (Hopefully, my husband will forgive me for excluding civil, chemical, electrical, and other engineers who deal less frequently with the human-machine interface.) Manufacturing engineers work with computer networks, robots, machines, tools, and materials-handling equipment. […]
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