28
Nov, 22
Posture Perfect – Why working position matters
why body position matters when assessing force
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 […]
26
Sep, 22
What do Lean and Six Sigma have to do with Ergonomics?ost
Turns out, a lot. Ergonomists often talk about how companies could save money by implementing ergonomics improvements. Usually, we’re referring to how workers’ compensation claims could be avoided. We have statistics! The average sprain/strain injury claim costs about $5000 in Ontario, and strains/sprains are the leading ”nature” of injury (and have been for as long […]
19
Sep, 22
What to wear? Can a uniform be “ergonomic”?
Wearing a uniform allows a worker to use more optimum body mechanics. This makes the uniform "ergonomic".
29
Aug, 22
How can we make a job less repetitive?
Work is “repetitive” in many work environments. People package and palletize, load presses, use paint guns, and more . After an injury occurs, an employee’s health care provider may limit the employee from “repetitive” work. In a workplace where thousands of items are produced per shift, how can you find work that is not “repetitive”? What […]
08
Aug, 22
Is this job safe?
Some clients call us because a job has been associated with concerns or injuries, and they want to know if the job really warrants improvement. They might be hoping that we’ll help them find an innovative solution for a longstanding issue. Others may hope that we’ll say the strain/sprain injury risk for the job is […]
01
Aug, 22
Just one quick question: What height…?
What height should this work bench be? This is a simple enough question, but getting to the answer is remarkably complex. The best height for a task depends on: The effort required. Heavier work should be lower than elbow height, whereas lighter work should be at elbow height. The precision required. If you need to […]