Workplace Deaths Prompt Irish Government to Focus on Occupational Safety

"After the country experienced its deadliest January in a decade, a top government official in Ireland announced 'we cannot take our foot off the pedal' when it comes to occupational safety enforcement and awareness.

On the heels of a January that saw eight workplace fatalities in Ireland, the Irish Health and Safety Authority on Feb. 2 unveiled its 2005 agenda, or Programme of Work. "

Sen. Johnny Isakson Picked to Chair OSHA Oversight Committee

"The Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee formally ratified the new chairman of its Employment and Workplace Safety Subcommittee: Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). At its organizational meeting on Feb. 2, HELP Committee members also ratified three other senators to lead the panel's four newly organized subcommittees. "

Help for small keyboard devices

"MessagEase is a new keyboard technology for entering text on small electronic devices. It provides a fast, intuitive and convenient way for entering full text on Tablet PCs, PDAs, cell phones, TV remote controllers, wrist watches, car navigating system, or basically any device where text entry is required and real estate is limited

Currently MessagEase is implemented for Tablet PCs�or in fact any Windows-based system�, PDA's running Palm OS, and Pocket PCs. We have demos for java-capable Motorola cell phones. Also our plans are well underway to create MessagEase keyboard for Tablet PCs.

MessagEase's keyboard has fewer but bigger keys. For a Tablet PC it appears as a compact, resizable on screen keyboard that you can use for entering any character you can enter using a regular keyboard, even the ALT and CTRL combinations. You enter the nine most frequent letters with a single tap and the rest of them with a single drag or slide of your stylus. Since the keys are both bigger and fewer, they are easier to find and hit. The combination of tap/drag on larger and fewer keys added to MessagEase's optimal letter assignment makes it very fast."

'Constant Fear and Risk' for Meatpacking Workers

"Working conditions in the U.S. meat and poultry industry are so hazardous and the tactics that employers use to prevent workers from organizing so threatening that the industry consistently violates basic human rights. That is the conclusion of a Cornell University labor law expert in a report for Human Rights Watch.

'In sum, the United States is failing to meet its obligations under international human rights standards to protect the human rights of meat and poultry industry workers,' writes Lance Compa, who teaches courses in U.S. labor law and international labor rights at Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, in the report.

'Workers in American beef, pork and poultry slaughtering and processing plants, many of whom are immigrants, perform dangerous, physically demanding and exhausting jobs in bloody, greasy surroundings. The workers not only contend with abuses and an unprecedented volume and pace in sawing and cutting carcasses, but they also experience constant fear and risk, not only for their health and safety but for their jobs if they get hurt or attempt to organize,' writes Compa."

Cell phone users drive like old folks

"If you have been stuck in traffic behind a motorist yakking on a cellular phone, a new University of Utah study will sound familiar: When young motorists talk on cell phones, they drive like elderly people, moving and reacting more slowly and increasing their risk of accidents.
'If you put a 20-year-old driver behind the wheel with a cell phone, their reaction times are the same as a 70-year-old driver who is not using a cell phone. It's like instantly aging a large number of drivers,' says David Strayer, a University of Utah psychology professor and principal author of the study.

Frank Drews, as assistant professor of psychology and study co-author, adds: 'If you want to act old really fast, then talk on a cell phone while driving.' The new study by Strayer and Drews was published in this winter's issue of Human Factors, the quarterly journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

The study found that when 18- to 25-year-olds were placed in a driving simulator and talked on a cellular phone, they reacted to brake lights from a car in front of them as slowly as 65- to 74-year-olds who were not using a cell phone. The elderly drivers, meanwhile, became even slower to react to brake lights when they spoke on a cell phone. But the good news for elderly drivers was that their driving skills did not become as bad as had been predicted by earlier research showing that older people performing multiple tasks suffer additional impairment due to aging. In addition, "there was also a twofold increase in the number of [simulated] rear-end collisions when drivers were conversing on cell phones," the study says.

Screen Magnification And Reading Software

"With ZoomText , you'll discover a new standard in magnification and screen reading that truly empowers the vision-impaired computer user. With innovative and user-friendly features, ZoomText enlarges, enhances and reads aloud everything on the screen, with unmatched quality and performance.

Access to the Internet, email, applications and documents has never been faster, easier or more accurate. Designed with the precise mix of power and simplicity, ZoomText gives you total independence at home, school and in the workplace. With ZoomText you have the freedom to do it all.

ZoomText is available in two product versions, a stand alone Magnifier and an integrated "

OSHA Unveils Web Site on Noise and Hearing Conservation

"The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today unveiled a new web page designed to help prevent occupational hearing loss. The Noise and Hearing Conservation eTool is a joint product of OSHA's Alliance with the National Hearing Conservation Association.

'This new tool offers practical information to help eliminate hearing loss for millions of workers who are exposed to high noise levels on the job,' said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jonathan L. Snare. 'We are fortunate to have worked closely with industry experts in order to provide this information to those who need it most.'

Noise is one of the most common health problems in American workplaces. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that 30 million workers in the U.S. are exposed to hazardous noise. Exposure to high levels of noise may cause hearing loss, create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, interfere with communication, and contribute to accidents and injuries by making it difficult to hear warning signals."

RFID-Equipped Robots Used as Guide Dogs

"A professor in computer science at the Utah State University (USU) is building robots to help people with disabilities, according to the Utah Statesman in this article. The story, which is more focused on the professor than robotics, carries several anecdotes, such as an embarrassing voice recognition system. After a blind man cleared his throat, the robot misinterpreted the sound as a sign that the man wanted to go to the bathroom. Later, every time a man cleared his throat before speaking, the robot changed directions and insisted to guide him to the restrooms. Even if the article is entertaining, this project at USU is far more ambitious. In fact, they want to design RFID-enabled robots mounted on mobile carts which will welcome blind persons at the entrance of a supermarket and guide them through the store."

5% of people 'may be suffering from mobile-phone radiation'

"The Irish Doctors Environmental Association (IDEA) has claimed that 5% of Irish people could be suffering from the effects of mobile-phone radiation.

The group, which is demanding further research into the health effects of mobile phones, said it had identified 16 people who believed they had been poisoned by such radiation.

It said these people were suffering symptoms like fatigue, confusion, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and skin irritation.

The IDEA said similar complaints had also been recorded in most countries where mobile phones are widely used."

Chiropractor develops aid for arm pain

Walter Gutowski, a chiropractor and businessman, has created a product to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and the hand, arm and neck pain associated with using a computer keyboard.

Gutowski, the president and chief executive officer of Scottsdale-based Jupiter Sun Industries, spent nearly 10 years developing ErgoGlide.

"Thirty seconds on my invention and you'll notice a great difference, immediately," Gutowski said.

The device, which can be attached to any computer keyboard, is designed to support the forearms and all vital ergonomic movements. ErgoGlide fits underneath your keyboard and is fitted with two forearm rests.

Blackberry use 'can damage thumb'

Trendy handheld Blackberry devices could cause damage to users' thumbs, doctors are warning.
Sales of the £200 gadget, which can be used to email, page and phone, have boomed in recent years with celebrities such as David Beckham using them.

But US and UK doctors said repetitive use could cause arthritis or harm tendons in the thumb.

Research in Motion, which manufactures the Blackberry, said it would not comment on the claims.

Applied Ergonomics Conference

"Don't miss the nation's leading 8th Annual Applied Ergonomics Conference. This is an exclusive venue for ergonomists, engineers, and other safety and health professionals." New Orleans, March 21-24.

Easing workplace aches

"Ever experience that nagging crick in your neck or ache in your back while doing nothing but typing at your desk? Part of it could be due to poor posture, or it could be related to the way your desk is set up.

Those aches and pains could lead you to miss a day or more of work or require physical therapy -- or surgery in the worst cases -- if left uncorrected.
Workplace injuries have forced more than 1.5 million Americans to miss work in 2001, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of those, more than 399,000 were related to sprains and strains, and 26,522 dealt specifically with carpal tunnel syndrome, a disorder which occurs when tendons or ligaments in the wrist become enlarged after being aggravated. "

Roni Plants, an occupational therapy assistant, said the first thing she looks at is how an individual works -- how they answer phones and how they sit and type. She then asks them how much time they spend doing different aspects of their jobs.

An Accessibility Frontier: Cognitive disabilities and learning difficulties

"Web accessibility and the notion of universal design are laudable and for many disabled people have resulted in significant benefits. Well made sites allow people with a range of physical disabilities to access goods and services and participate in activities with an ease that was denied them in the pre-web world.

However, the needs of the largest disability group in our community, those with cognitive disabilities and learning difficulties, appear to have slipped through the cracks to a large extent when it comes to website accessibility."

The aim of this paper is to offer some ideas on how websites might more effectively meet the needs of people with cognitive disabilities and learning difficulties. The paper will look at three issues:

- How the presentation of page content can be modified to make it more accessible.
- Design of site navigation systems.
- Tailoring content to the needs of different audience groups.

Good list of references ...

Report slices up meatpacking industry as "unnecessarily hazardous"

"A new report from the Human Rights Watch alleges 'systematic human rights violations' at U.S. meat and poultry plants, according to United Press International.

The scathing 175-page report, 'Blood, Sweat, and Fear: Workers' Rights in U.S. Meat and Poultry plants,' released Tuesday, examined beef packing in Nebraska, hog slaughtering in North Carolina and chicken processing in Arkansas and reported unnecessarily hazardous work conditions and exploitation of immigrant labor.

The report by the privately funded human-rights organization accused large meat companies of using intimidation, reprisals, threats and fear of deportation to take advantage of immigrant workers. "