Human factors/ergonomics research can help workers avoid carpal tunnel syndrome

Guidelines for designing equipment to avoid CTS ...

"In work involving the hands, whether using a computer or a hammer, the wrist is a vulnerable spot. Repeated or sustained bending and flexing can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

A group of human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) researchers from the University of California at San Francisco and McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, have conducted the first study that systematically identifies how one contributor to CTS – carpal tunnel pressure – can be examined in detail to establish limits on how much a wrist can be flexed before nerve damage sets in. The researchers believe their findings could be used to create simple guidelines to help workers avoid wrist postures that are likely to cause nerve trauma. The findings from their study appear in a paper in the February issue of Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

The research team studied the pressure that is placed on the nerve in the carpal tunnel in various wrist postures in 37 healthy men and women between the ages of 22 and 50. Wrist postures that are not neutral (that is, bent or flexed) cause increased pressure on the nerve. The researchers concluded that when sustained pressure on the carpal tunnel reaches 30 mmHG, injury is likely to occur.

In order to keep pressure below 30 mmHG, it is recommended that sustained wrist extension (bending the hand back) should not exceed 32.7 degrees, wrist flexion (bending the wrist toward the palm) should not exceed 48.6 degrees, ulnar deviation (sideways toward the small finger) should not exceed 14.5 degrees, and radial deviation (sideways toward the thumb) should not exceed 21.8 degrees.

The researchers believe that a set of guidelines could be developed from their data – guidelines that could, if applied by engineers and designers during the design of work and tools, protect workers. Such guidelines could also be used to identify tasks that may put workers at risk for developing or aggravating CTS."    (Continued via Eureka Alert)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Darn Those Screens

Avoiding vision trouble with small screens ...

"Earlier this month, a bill was introduced in New York State banning the use of hand-held computers and cellphones while crossing the street, citing the deaths of several tragically preoccupied pedestrians. Fortunately, failing to observe oncoming traffic is not the sort of vision problem that plagues the average user of a personal digital assistant like the BlackBerry. Instead, most people are far more likely to suffer "computer vision syndrome," a cluster of symptoms including headaches or neck aches, dry, irritated eyes, sensitivity to light, and blurred or double vision.

The syndrome was first identified in the early '90s, but the proliferation of teeny-weeny screens has "terrific potential to make small problems worse," says Kent Daum, associate professor of optometry at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. With their tiny type and screens that fade out in bright sunlight, electronic gadgets can accelerate the onset of computer-related vision problems, says Jeffrey Anshel, an optometrist in Encinitas, Calif., who consults with companies like 3M, American Airlines, and Starbucks on visual ergonomics.

At its worst, the syndrome can cause serious-though temporary-vision problems. After extended periods of close work like reading, writing, or text messaging, a small number of people experience a sort of muscle spasm in their eyes that makes it impossible to focus on faraway objects. Until these computer users give their eyes a rest-a good night's sleep is usually enough-they can't focus at a distance. "The fact is, their eyes are so burned out at the end of the day," says Anshel, "that they have pseudo myopia or transient-induced myopia due to tired, overstressed eyes."

Fortunately, most people experience only the more benign symptoms, such as dry eyes, headaches, or a strain or ache inside the eye. But even such easy-to-ignore symptoms can eat away at your comfort and affect your job performance, says Stephen Glasser, a Washington, D.C., optometrist, resulting in "decreased efficiency, comprehension problems, and interpretation problems." PDA devotees know the symptoms. "If I use my PDA for more than 10 or 15 minutes, I need to put on my glasses or else my eyes get strained and things start getting blurry," says Bruce Miller, 55, of Seattle, a webmaster for a trade association."    (Continued via USNews)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Small Screen Vision Strain

Baseball-inspired mouse throws users a few curves

Would this mouse work for you? ...

"Microsoft's Hardware Group takes its work seriously. Most of the time.

For more than two decades, the money-making division is responsible for the seemingly countless mice, keyboards and now lifecams (webcams) that bear the Microsoft logo.

Its newest cutting-edge rodent, the Microsoft Natural Laser Mouse 6000 ($99) owes its striking shape to company resident ergonomist and user researcher Dan Odell.

Although Odell applied his engineering ergonomic know-how on the new mouse, his idea for its roundness came from an item he picked out from his cluttered desk.

"I grabbed this baseball and it kinda felt comfortable," he said, tossing aside a foam football candidate he had also tried.

"I cut the ends off that one but it didn't feel right."

The baseball-shaped mouse and seven other versions went through the usual rigorous design and testing gauntlet at the Hardware Group's labs from rough hand-sculptured forms to laser scanning, user testing and obligatory abuse.

"I had the data to support why the baseball was the right one because we had run several studies exploring it, so it wasn't like I picked that one out of the blue," said Odell whose doctoral dissertation explores the ergonomic issues of comfort and efficiency in computer input devices."    (Continued via Edmonton Journal)    [Usability Resources]

Baseball Mouse

Whatever happened to the crippling RSI epidemic?

Have RSI problems been reduced or are we calling it something different? ...

"I announce to you today the birth of a new medical condition: Strauss's Non-Mousing Elbow.

It arises because several weeks ago a sac of fluid in my elbow called a bursa swelled and started to pain me. For our purposes here the treatment was less important than the cause. It was in a general way ascribed by my doctor to either an accidental bang or a persistent pressure on the elbow, but when I looked further I chanced upon a longstanding condition known as "student's elbow."

What happens is that students rest their elbows on their tables while reading and after a while their bursas become inflamed. Only I didn't read like that. Hmm, what did I do? And suddenly I realized it was sitting at the computer and all that relentless mousing — think scrolling through some large Google search or continuously playing solitaire.

When I did things like that, I rested my non-mousing arm on the chair in a manner akin to that of the over-studious. Thus, my name for the condition — and thus again my inspiration for a column that might be entitled: Where has all the RSI gone?

The numbers don't add up

While researching my pained elbow I came across an anomaly. There have been a burgeoning number of arm and hand conditions associated with either computers or computer games. There's iPod finger, BlackBerry and PlayStation thumb. There is the newly-hatched Wii elbow, and the slightly older but still colorful Nintendonitis.

At the same time there has been an all-but-disappearance of what was supposed to have been (according to a 1995 prediction) a "silent crippler … epidemic in [the] workplace" — Repetitive Strain Injury."    (Continued via CBS News)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Human Factors Analysis Reveals Ways To Reduce Friendly Fire Incidents

Evaluating causes and solutions for friendly fire ...

"One of the most tragic consequences of war is "friendly fire": casualties that result when warfighters mistakenly fire on their own or allied troops. The causes and possible mitigators of friendly fire are being studied by a group of human factors/ergonomics researchers at the University of Central Florida and at the Air Force Research Laboratory. Their findings, to be published in the April issue of Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, include a taxonomy by which troop teamwork could be strengthened to reduce confusion and error.

... They began their investigation by examining the literature on friendly fire, then used a human-centered approach to understand errors and create the taxonomy. It contains a list of questions that draw attention to ways in which teamwork breakdown could occur. They concluded that in the absence of adequate shared cognition -- the sharing of information about the dynamic, ambiguous, and time-stressed battlefield environment -- warfighters can have problems interpreting cues, making decisions, and taking correct action. "The battlefield is one of the most difficult operational environments within which to perform cognitive tasks," the researchers state. "[T]herefore, breakdowns in shared cognition are inevitable."

Although technological solutions, such as combat identification systems (e.g., Blue Force Tracker), have been implemented to enhance shared cognition and prevent friendly fire incidents, other factors, such as sleep deprivation and visual misidentification, can still lead to human error. In addition, these technologies can fail or simply be unavailable. What's needed, the researchers say, is a better understanding of specific failures of teamwork, including information transmission, team behavior, and team attitude. "Human solutions cannot be ignored, such as better teamwork...and training to improve communication, coordination, and cooperation."    (Continued via ScienceDaily)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Walking While Working

For those of us that don't have time to exercise ...

"In a previous post I mentioned that it would be ideal if it were possible to get an aerobic workout while using the computer. Little did I know that there is a movement underway that allows us to do just that. It’s called “walking while working” and basically entails rigging a treadmill with a fully functional computer work station.

I have often tried to read while jogging on the treadmill or using the elliptical, but my head bobs around so much it makes me sea sick. When you only allow 30-45 for exercise, you have to get your body really moving, making reading or typing pretty much impossible. The “walking while working” concept is that you are not exercising, you are working. Moving the body constantly at a slow pace for a long time however, can make a big difference.

James Levine, M.D. and his colleagues in the NEAT (Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis) lab at Mayo Clinic have pioneered an “Office of the Future” — a fully functioning office that bears a marked resemblance to a gym. Complete with treadmills that serve as both desks and computer platforms and a two-lane walking track that serves as a meeting room, Dr. Levine and his entire staff have a unique, active work environment."    (Continued via Ergonoomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Walking and Working

Futuristic Workstation Moves Freely in Space

Can this work for everyday use? ...

"The Gravitonus Ergonomic Workstation may be just what you've been looking for. Forget those cumbersome chair/desk/computer combos you've been looking at. This Space Age system is designed to keep you comfortable while you're "piloting" your way into the future.

Whether you are working, blogging or gaming, the system will improve your health and productivity, it's inventors claim.

The Gravitonus workstation was created by a group of researchers involved in medical research for spinal cord injury. The system is designed to provide optimum ergonomic conditions for general computer users, as well as patients with loss of function. Good ergonomics promote good productivity by keeping users comfortable and healthy.

The Gravitonus system allows the user to move freely in space. Like any good gaming system, it constantly orients the user relative to the user's Earth Gravitational Field. (What, your gaming system doesn't?) The Gravitonus system comes with an on-board computer that constantly analyzes the position of the user's body, measuring local temperature and pressure for different body parts, and gently rotates the frame accordingly."    (Continued via Yahoo! News)    [Usability Resources]

The Gravitonus Chair

Ergonomic Nightmare of the Week: Lifeguard Towers

An ergonomic problem that I personally experienced for several years in Atlantic City. I just didn't know it was a problem in those days ...

"Sitting on the beach all day getting a tan may be your dream job…but is lifeguarding an ergonomic nightmare?

Decades ago, the image of bronzed lifeguards basking in the sun while sitting on simple red chairs was an icon of what Southern California beach life was all about.

Then emerged the dangers of skin cancer, along with the concern of shoddy ergonomics as chairs tilted because of eroding sand."    (Continued via Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Lifeguard Stand

Treatments Offer Relief for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

One persons experience with CTS treatment ...

"We use our hands and wrists for almost everything we do, but sometimes the way we use them can cause a painful problem called carpal tunnel syndrome. 13's Linda Russell explains how the problem develops and what medical experts can do to correct it.

For Donna Martin, the problem came on sudden and severe. "I got numbness in my fingers, and then what took me to the doctor was the horrible pain that kept me awake," Donna says.

The doctor told donna she had carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition where the median nerve in the wrist is compressed, causing the pain Donna felt. "A sharp, aching pain," she describes.

Occupational therapist Cynthia Munoz-Johnson says anyone from an office worker like Donna to a construction worker could develop carpal tunnel. "Typically, patients are involved in activities that require prolonged or repetitive gripping or pinching or bending of their wrist."

One treatment for carpal tunnel is called iontophoresis. It involves a patch with anti-inflammatory medication and an electrical current to send the medicine to just the right spot.

Cynthia also taught Donna some exercises she can do every day.
"The one you can use really easily is bending your fingers and making a fist and you can do it and nobody notices," Donna says. "The muscles in the forearm are overworked and fatigued, so doing the exercises can strengthen them so they can tolerate doing the activities they need to do," explains Cynthia.

And one more thing- Donna wears a splint to bed that keeps her wrist from bending as she sleeps, so the nerve isn't compressed.

"It's a lifestyle change. Once they learn the exercises and ergonomics, it's something they have to continue to engage in the activities that caused it in the first place," Cynthia says.

So Donna has changed the way she works and the way she sleeps,
but change is good when it takes away the pain.

If a patient's carpal tunnel isn't treated early, it could cause nerve damage severe enough to require surgery."    (Continued via WIBW)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Break Free of the Mouse

More choices than ever for injury prevention mice ...

"Break Free of the Mouse Alternatives to the conventional mouse pointer can relieve users' physical stress while building up a profitable new market. By Lamont Wood
Users need to control the cursor, and plopping a conventional mouse onto the users' desks has long served that purpose. The problem is that millions of nearly identical mice have been plopped onto the desks of millions of users, where they use them for hours daily, for years on end, repetitively making the same motions. Perhaps it's no coincidence that estimates of the prevalence of repetitive stress symptoms among computer users range up to 56 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

By offering your clients alternative mice you can enhance their satisfaction by helping them fight the repetitive stress plague. And let's not forget that alternative mice are not low-margin commodities, but up-scale after-market accessories -- a niche whose very existence you may have overlooked.

In this article, we'll take a look at three widely different examples: one that you control with your feet, one you control with your forearm instead of your wrist, and one you could hold in your mouth if you wanted to.

Foot-Controlled Mouse
If you've dreamed of not having to move your hand from the keyboard while using the mouse, the Nohands Mouse from Hunter Digital ($349.99), might be the one for you -- but as I'll explain, there are also reasons why it might not be.

The unit consists of two flat platforms that are each about the size and shape of the bottom of a clothes iron, as shown here:

Foot Mouse

... Joystick Mouse
Retailing at various prices between $50 and $75, the Ergonomic Mouse (from 3M, and previously marketed as the Vertical Mouse), is a mouse that looks like a joystick. Or, you can call it a mouse with a joystick handle, as seen here:"    (Continued via BYTE.com)    [Usability Resources]

Joystick Mouse

Workers Who Lift Need More Breaks to Avoid Back Injury

Taking breaks to avoid back injuries ...

"Workers who are required to perform lifting tasks need to take longer or more frequent breaks to avoid back injury, particularly if they are new on the job, according to a new study published by researchers from Ohio State University.

The study, which appeared in the journal Clinical Biomechanics and is the first to examine what happens to muscle oxygen levels over a full work day, suggests that employees who are new on the job need to take more frequent breaks than do experienced workers, said William Marras, professor of industrial welding and systems engineering at Ohio State University. In addition, the study also risk of injury is higher at the end of a work shift, he said.

Workers who participated in the study lifted boxes onto conveyor belts for 8 hours, while researchers measured the amount of oxygen that was reaching the muscles in their lower backs. The oxygen levels were used to determine how hard the muscles were working, and whether they were becoming fatigued, explained Marras.

Half-Hour Breaks Make Big Difference

Taking a half-hour lunch break helped workers' muscles recover from the morning's exertion, noted researchers, but once they started working again, their oxygen needs rose steeply and kept climbing throughout the afternoon.

"That was alarming to us, because it means that their muscles were becoming fatigued much faster during the afternoon, and we know that fatigue increases the risk of back injury," Marras said.

According to Marras, taking breaks throughout the day helps counteract the risk of back injury, especially at the end of the day when muscles are most vulnerable.

Study coauthor Gang Yang, M.D., who is earning a doctoral degree in biomechanics at Ohio State, said that the researchers' top priority was making sure the participants didn't grow fatigued enough to become injured during the study. The heaviest box they had to lift - 26 pounds - weighed less than half as much as the loads that some workers are routinely required to lift in industry, according to researchers."    (Continued via Occupational Hazards)    [Ergonomics Resources]

28 Major Companies are Finalists for Prestigious Ergo Cup in Applied Ergonomics

Award for workplace ergonomics solutions ...

"Can changing one or two things about the way someone does a job lead to savings for a company? And lead to a safer place and higher morale? Twenty-eight special companies worldwide say yes. They are all contenders in the prestigious Ergo Cup Award competition and will be demonstrating their solutions at the Applied Ergonomics Conference, March 12-15, 2007 in Dallas, Texas. Only 3 can win.

Can changing one or two things about the way someone does his or her job lead to savings for a company? And lead to a safer place and higher morale? Thirty-two special companies worldwide say yes. They are all contenders in the prestigious Ergo Cup Award competition and will be demonstrating their solutions at the Applied Ergonomics Conference, March 12-15, 2007 in Dallas, Texas. Only 3 can win.

Companies as diverse in operations and products as Boeing, Bridgestone, Dell, Delta Airlines, GE, Honda, J&J, Mary Kay, Harley Davidson, Toyota, Universal Orlando, and Sunrise Medical can prove that making process improvements from an ergonomic perspective, no matter how small, reaps big benefits.

The nationally recognized Ergo Cup, presented by IIE (www.iienet.org) and sponsored by The Ergonomics Center of North Carolina (www.theergonomicscenter.com) , provides an opportunity for companies to highlight successful ergonomic activities. 2007 marks the ninth year of this competition.

Using ergonomic tools to assess processes, they fix problem areas, document the results and develop training programs to train others in operating equipment properly. At the conference, they will excitedly tell you about their solutions to challenges in lifting heavy equipment, moving objects multiple times, and literally bending over backwards and twisting. There's even a Shrek costume re-do that will wow you."    (Continued via FinanceVisor)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Lift with the knees

Tips for preventing injury when shoveling snow ...

"When Christian Bedard drove home from work Wednesday night, he frequently winced as he looked at the people on the sidewalks and streets, thinking, "You may be my next patient."
All around, they were shoveling ice and snow in a manner that seemed almost calculated to put their shoulders and backs at risk of injury.

Bedard serves as clinical manager of the outpatient physical therapy department at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of York. Every year, he said, the hospital ends up treating people who have injured themselves shoveling snow. And the risk is still greater when the snow ends up coated with ice as it did this week, making it hard, heavy and slippery.

So what would he advise?

One of the most important things is to make sure you're quite literally on firm footing, Bedard said. Falls are dangerous in themselves, and unstable footing contributes to potentially dangerous musculo-skeletal contortions as you shovel.

So if you're digging yourself out for the morning commute, don't make do with the wingtips you're wearing. Get a pair of boots with good traction, and try to avoid standing directly on ice, Bedard advised.

His other advice: Don't be in too much of a hurry. Haste leads to many of the ergonomic errors that can turn 20 saved minutes of shoveling into weeks or years of pain.

It starts with the shovel, Bedard said. You want a long handle, so you can minimize bending over. And you don't want a scoop that holds more snow that you can safely handle.

When shoveling, Bedard said, it's not a good idea to throw snow over your shoulder, or do anything that involves twisting your spine while lifting weight.

The less movement of your spine, the better. Bedard recommends that, when you shovel, bend your knees to dig in, then straighten them to lift. Rather than twist to the side to deposit the shovel's contents, he recommends, step to the side and thrust the shovel forward, all the time keeping the weight as close to your body as possible."    (Continued via The York Daily Record)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Ergonomics of Shoveling Snow

The Aging Workforce - Ergonomic Recommendations

Tips to accomodate an aging workforce ...

"Part 1 explored the potential shortage of American workers in the near future and the benefits of being able to retain mature and experienced employees.
Part 2 defined an aging worker and explored the physical changes that can occur with aging and their impact on work performance.

Part 3 will now take a practical look at specific ergonomic accommodations that can easily and inexpensively ensure the comfort, productivity and safety of an aging workforce.

To accommodate for age-related visual changes:

• Increase area lighting.

• Use task lighting with desk lamps (consider up to a 60% increase in task lighting).

• Reduce Glare. The light source should be perpendicular to the work area/computer screen rather than directly in front of or behind it. Use indirect lighting or ergonomic equipment such as glare-reducing screens on computers.

• Adjust the monitor angle of the computer so that print can be easily read and glare is reduced.

• Increase the size of font in written communications and on the computer screen.

• Reduce visual “clutter” in correspondence and on the monitor screen.

• Have magnifiers or magnifying glasses readily available.

• Clean computer screens regularly and adjust the screen color and contrast so that the print is most legible. Use high resolution monitors. Use larger monitor screens.

• Schedule or encourage regular visits to an eye-care specialist.

• Eye drops and artificial tears can reduce the discomfort of dry eyes and irritations.

• Take frequent breaks when reading, computing and performing work that requires intense visual focus.

• Be particularly aware of neck and shoulder posture if using bifocals."    (Continued via Bella Online)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Good posture integral to our overall well-being

A summary of recent results on posture and injury prevention ...

"The world wasn't designed for tall people, or short ones for that matter. It seems that anyone outside the average range of five-foot-four to five-foot-eight is either reaching or slouching to get their tasks done. These demands on our everyday tasks can lead to permanent and habitual patterns through the body, leading to poor posture.

Posture is an integral part of overall well-being. As my chiropractor says: "Posture is a window in to your health." Postural assessments give clues to the effects of gravity on the body, whether there are bony structural misalignments or muscle imbalance, and what the person’s movement patterns are. Pair the assessment with a lifestyle intake and you begin to paint a picture of how and why the posture is what it is.

Still, some people take the idea of good posture for granted. Standing is a dynamic activity rather than, as some might assume, a static one. There are several basic postural defaults.

A relaxed faulty posture is the least severe, but the most common. You might identify with this category: belly pushed out, shoulders rounded, and essentially you stand an inch or two shorter than you really are. It is a slouch that will lead to future and more severe problems.

While the relaxed posture is the most common, battling for second place is either a hyperkyphosis or hyperlordosis. When the natural convex curve (kyphosis) of the upper back, or the concave curve (lordosis) of the neck and the low back, is excessive, you get lovely postural deformity. And the two usually exist together.

Hyperkyphosis is common in the elderly. As we age, our spinal discs lose some of their suppleness and thickness, meaning wear and tear on the bones. Also, the muscles tend to weaken, and maintaining correct posture becomes more difficult.

People who spend a lot of time in front of a computer without proper ergonomics, or even young students who spend their time between the computer and hunched over books for long hours, can start to develop hyperkyphosis as well.

Ultimately, this is a response to forward head carriage (head starts to jut forward). The body starts to lay down extra bone on the vertebrae of the upper back to help secure the balance.

Hyperlordosis is the opposite, where the curve in the low back is exaggerated and the bum sticks out farther than average. Baby got back! Swayback deformity is a more exaggerated kyphosis in the upper back. It is typically associated with a decrease in the lordosis of the lower back while the whole upper body pulls backward.

Scoliosis is a condition that is best seen from behind. A curvature of the spine, where the S shape runs side to side rather than front to back, is more often congenital, but can manifest later in life. It, like many postural concerns, can be corrected and/or managed, depending on severity."    (Continued via The ChronicleHerald)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Ergonomist studies how labor tools affect humans

A good historical overview of ergonomics research ...

"Richard W. Marklin Jr. lops branches, shovels clay, carves 30-pound cattle femurs, pulls 270-pound manhole covers and studies the workers who make their living performing these tasks.

Human labor is his laboratory.

The 50-year-old professor in Marquette University's mechanical engineering department examines the way we work and the toll that work takes on our joints, muscles and bones. Known as ergonomics, or human factors engineering, Marklin's field takes him from some of mankind's most primitive tools - the shovel and hammer - to some of its most advanced - the computer keyboard and optical scanner.

"As humans, we're very creative," he says. "We were given this very powerful brain, and we can design new products all the time and new tasks. But when new technology is introduced, it also introduces new problems."

While optical scanners greatly reduced checkout time at the grocery store, Marklin says, they required clerks to make the same wrist-lowering motion thousands of times a day at high speed, leading to a class of injuries known as cumulative trauma disorders. Wrist tendons grew sore and inflamed. They deteriorated.

More than a decade ago, Marklin and several colleagues at Ohio State University monitored the forearms and wrists of clerks and recommended the use of multiple scan beams to reduce wrist motion.

These days, Marklin works in the field and in his lab, testing the next generation of shovels, screwdrivers, branch loppers and computer keyboards.

He studies workers as they perform utility line tasks requiring so much physical strength that they can be done by only 1 percent of the population. He measures their oxygen intake to determine the energy they're spending. He measures the amount of effort needed to perform a task, for example the keystroke needed to produce each of these letters (2 to 3 ounces of static force, though most people apply two to 10 times that amount).

Marklin not only studies workers, he joins them. He has carved beef on an "animal disassembly line" and has ridden a bucket truck 70 feet in the air with utility workers.

His brain is so finely tuned to the pitch of work that he seldom passes a crew without noticing something: the way construction laborers bend to lift plywood, the way roofers heft 90-pound bags of shingles as they climb ladders.

His mission addresses the fundamental balancing act of human toil."    (Continued via The Charlotte Observer)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Hazards Work Pressures Add to Youth Injury Risk

Work hazards that effect injury young workers ...

Exposure to work hazards, a frenetic job pace and choice of employment increase the likelihood of injury among adolescent and young adult workers, according to a new systematic review appearing in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

According to the nine studies analyzed between 1997 and 2005 – which were conducted in the United States, Canada and Australia – food service and construction industry jobs topped the list of hazardous employment among 12- to-24-year-old workers.

"These studies provide sufficient evidence that the type of work setting, in particular restaurant work and manual labor jobs, was independently associated with work injury," said lead author F. Curtis Breslin, Ph.D., a scientist at the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto.

The review results showed that the frequency and number of on-the-job hazards was significantly associated with teens' risk of injury. Common on-the-job hazards included using knives, climbing ladders or scaffolding and operating fryer machines, grills and ovens.

A consistently increased risk of injury also existed among youth who reported feeling overloaded or pressured to maintain a certain pace at work.

Male and Female Workers' Risk of Injury Similar

The review analysis found that for the most part, male and female workers have similar risks for injury, despite previous research indicating that young male workers sustain injuries at about twice the rate of female workers.

"We found that when males and females are working similar jobs, they have a similar risk for work injury," Breslin said. "Even though you have males having higher injury rates, it seems to be attributable to them being in more dangerous jobs like construction" and not to factors specifically associated with gender."    (Continued via Occupational Hazards)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Luxury urinals

Ergonomic design applies to kinds of products ...

"Among the features of the new 6,000-square-foot, $3 million entertainment wing in Kevin Scherer's home in Plano, Texas, are two bars, a theater, a video game room, a shuffleboard table and a golf simulator that projects images of top courses onto a big screen.

Oh, and a urinal.

"It fit the theme of the golf simulator room, which is a men's activity," said Scherer, a 44-year-old retired Internet executive, speaking of the $1,269 Kohler Bardon urinal he installed in an adjoining bathroom and unveiled at a Christmas party, as though showing off a ceramic trophy. No guy would ever use the toilet, he added, "if he knew the urinal was there."

... Indeed, there is still a certain amount of squeamishness about home urinals, particularly among women, so marketers are focusing on designer style and claims about cleanliness in an effort to overcome negative associations. Kohler USA, for instance, says that its "human factors group" – a team that studies, among other things, how people urinate – has found the best urinal shape for keeping the bathroom clean. A result is Kohler's funnel-shaped Steward series, introduced last April.

"When you go at a flat wall there's lots of splash," said Shane Judd, product manager of Kohler's fixtures group, whose job it is to know these kinds of things. "The conical shape eliminates splash."

The environmental benefits are also an attraction for some, since several of the new models use less than a gallon of water per flush, while an older toilet can use as much as 5 gallons. Eric Cadora, a 42-year-old actor and consultant, installed a Duravit McDry model, which uses no water to flush regularly, in the 2,800-square-foot home he shares with his wife in Malibu. He estimates the urinal will save thousands of gallons of water a year. Maintenance, he added, has been minimal; every two months, he flushes the fixture with a gallon of water and then refreshes the sealant. "It never smells," Cadora said."    (Continued via oc register)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Jack-In-The-Pulpit Urinal

The Industrial Revolution and Worker Satisfaction

Ergonomics and worker satisfaction ...

"Ergonomics is not just about how comfortable our chairs are…it’s about how we feel everyday at work and how our work affects our lives. The Industrial Age (followed by the Information Age) has brought us many things that would never have been possible without highly organized labor and methods of production. But has it really brought us happiness, or is ‘progress’ dependent on (at least for some), dehumanizing work devoid of personal fulfillment?

In his study of society during the Industrial Revolution, Marx observed the trajectory of economic forces facilitating the rise of capitalism, a system evoking images from Fritz Lang’s film, Metropolis, in which organized production reduces workers to mere cogs in the wheel of the machine, estranging them from their own destinies.

Unfortunately, the complex organization, depersonalization and alienation in society of which Marx wrote is still a reality in contemporary society. Most people today accept direction from authority and hierarchical divisions of labor and power, even though it causes frustration, miscommunication and inefficiency.

On the other hand, formal rules, hierarchy and specialized labor were the main management tools that enabled the enormous amount of technological progress made from the Industrial Revolution through the first half of the 20th century. Transnational railroads and highways were made possible by central planning and standardized procedures carried out by specialized labor delegated by hierarchy of authority."    (Continued via Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Take More Breaks To Avoid Back Injury At Work, Study Says

Research shows short breaks avoid back injuries ...

"Workers who lift for a living need to take longer or more frequent breaks than they now do to avoid back injury, according to a new study at Ohio State University.

The study also suggests that people who are new on the job need to take breaks even more often than experienced workers, and that the risk of injury is higher at the end of a work shift.

People who participated in the study lifted boxes onto conveyor belts for eight hours, while researchers measured the amount of oxygen that was reaching the muscles in their lower back.

The oxygen level indicated how hard the muscles were working, and whether they were becoming fatigued, explained William Marras, professor of industrial welding and systems engineering at Ohio State. His research and others' has shown that muscle fatigue is linked to back injury.

The study, which appeared in a recent issue of the journal Clinical Biomechanics, is the first to examine what happens to muscle oxygenation over a full workday.

Despite the fact that the study participants were performing the same job at the same pace all day, their back muscles needed more oxygen as the day went on. Taking a half-hour lunch break helped their muscles recover from the morning's exertion, but once they started working again, their oxygen needs rose steeply and kept climbing throughout the afternoon.

"That was alarming to us, because it means that their muscles were becoming fatigued much faster during the afternoon, and we know that fatigue increases the risk of back injury," Marras said.

Two 15-minute breaks, one mid-morning and the other mid-afternoon, helped muscles recover a little, but not as much as the half-hour lunch."    (Continued via ScienceDaily)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Lumbar Motion Monitor

Working hard smarter

Ergonomics of lifting manhole covers ...

Richard W. Marklin Jr. lops branches, shovels clay, carves 30-pound cattle femurs, pulls 270-pound manhole covers and studies the workers who make their living performing these tasks.

Human labor is his laboratory.

The 50-year-old professor in Marquette University's mechanical engineering department examines the way we work and the toll that work takes on our joints, muscles and bones. Known as ergonomics, or human factors engineering, Marklin's field takes him from some of mankind's most primitive tools - the shovel and hammer - to some of its most advanced - the computer keyboard and optical scanner.

"As humans, we're very creative," he says. "We were given this very powerful brain, and we can design new products all the time and new tasks. But when new technology is introduced, it also introduces new problems."

While optical scanners greatly reduced checkout time at the grocery store, Marklin says, they required clerks to make the same wrist-lowering motion thousands of times a day at high speed, leading to a class of injuries known as cumulative trauma disorders. Wrist tendons grew sore and inflamed. They deteriorated.

More than a decade ago, Marklin and several colleagues at Ohio State University monitored the forearms and wrists of clerks and recommended the use of multiple scan beams to reduce wrist motion.

These days, Marklin works in the field and in his lab at N. 17th and W. Wells streets, testing the next generation of shovels, screwdrivers, branch loppers and computer keyboards."    (Continued via JS Online)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Manhole Cover Assist

RSI Awareness Day: February 28

Focusing attention on RSI ...

"CAW members from coast to coast are focusing on a variety of activities around this year’s International Repetitive Strain Injury Awareness Day on February 28th. The focus is on the need for ergonomic regulations, justice and dignity for injured workers and respectful accommodation.

RSI’s are a serious occupational health concern. In some Canadian provinces, sprains and strains account for 50 per cent of all occupational injuries and illnesses with nearly 30 per cent occurring to the back. RSIs are a direct result of poor job design. British Columbia and Saskatchewan are currently the only two Canadian provinces with ergonomic regulations. If you're concerned, you can help by pushing for ergonomics in your workplace and by contacting MPs, MLAs or MPPs urging ergonomic regulations."    (Continued via CAW - TCA CANADA)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Ergonomic Nightmare of the Week: Electrical Outlets

Ergonomic solutions for all those wires and cables behind your computer ...

"Powering up your latest gadget often involves an adventure into a hard to reach crevice, maneuvering through tangles of cords and awkwardly shaped plastic squares to cram a couple of metal prongs into plastic slots.

... It’s fair to say that dealing with outlets is nothing less than an ergonomic nightmare. Fortunately designers recognize it as a problem and have addressed it in a variety of ways. Obviously the best solution would be to do away with outlets and plugs altogether but running all our gadgets on wireless power is still a ways off.

In the mean time, there are outlet stips like this one:"    (Continued via Ergonomenon)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Outlets On Side

For your eyes only

How to deal with computer vision syndrome ...

"The price we are paying as a consequence of changing lifestyles and prolonged computer use. Nearly 70 per cent of computer users in the city suffer from Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) or vision-related problems and other symptoms caused by extended computer use.

Take heart. Calcutta now has a dedicated clinic to address CVS, “the first of its kind outside Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai”. The speciality clinic at Sunetra Family Eye Care Centre in Survey Park, Santoshpur, was opened by IT minister Debesh Das on Wednesday. Joint director (health services) S.K. Ojha was also present.

“We all use computers and are likely to suffer from these symptoms, often without sparing a thought for it. This CVS clinic will answer a crying need and should be a real boon to the IT sector,” Das said on the occasion.

“An increasing number of people using computers are seeking medical advice for eye strain and irritation, along with back, neck and shoulder soreness. Our clinic is specially equipped to treat all such symptoms, as well as create awareness,” said Amitava Biswas, who with his wife Neena, both alumni consultants of Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, founded Sunetra.

Anyone who spends more than two hours a day in front of the computer screen is likely to experience some degree of CVS. Children playing games on the computer and those above 40 working on computers are more susceptible to CVS, according to Neena Biswas, in charge of the CVS clinic. Those with refractive errors, binocular vision problems, focusing disorders or dry eye disease are likely to suffer from worse symptoms, she added.

Besides long hours of computer use, the other common causes of CVS are inadvertent less blinking, improper workstation ergonomics, inadequacies of eye co-ordination and focusing, and bifocal glasses. Reading a computer screen is hard on the eyes because of the way the characters are formed on the monitor. The video display is made up of pixels or tiny dots, rather than solid lines as on a printed page.

Treatment of CVS differs from patient to patient and includes exercises with accommodative flippers, artificial tears medication and ergonomic adjustments. The speciality clinic at Sunetra will offer advice on all these and also on how can one prevent CVS."    (Continued via The Telegraph)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Tips for Working Safely in Cold Weather

Working in the cold has its own hazards ...

"With much of the eastern half of the nation in the clutches of a deep freeze, the Maine Department of Labor is reminding workers and employers to take precautions to prevent cold weather-related health problems.
"Maine has many occupations that involve working in very cold conditions," Maine Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said. "Men and women who work in construction, fishing, farming, and road clearing, as well as people who work in the woods, should take precautions to protect themselves from the elements."

According to OSHA, prolonged exposure to freezing or cold temperatures can cause serious health problems such as trench foot, frostbite, hypothermia and, in extreme cases, death. Workers face an increased risk of cold-related health problems when they take certain medications, are in poor physical condition or suffer from illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

OSHA's Cold Stress card – in English and in Spanish – provides a reference guide and recommendations to combat and prevent many illnesses and injuries due to cold stress.

Tips include:

• Recognize conditions that can lead to prolonged exposure to cold.
• Learn the signs and symptoms of cold-induced illnesses and injuries and what to do if they occur.
• Danger signs include uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, clumsy movements, fatigue and confused behavior. If these signs are observed, call for emergency help."    (Continued via Occupational Hazards)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Workplace Ergonomics and the Telephone

An ergonomic phone for the workplace ...

"Ergonomics have long been regarded a necessary element in the workplace as they prevent injury and help keep employees working comfortably and more efficiently.

However, one piece of office equipment that has been constantly overlooked when it comes to ergonomics is the telephone. Office phones, though improving technically overtime, have been mostly designed without ergonomics in mind.

ShoreTel a provider of enterprise IP phone systems reveals their answer to this need as well as the details of their product offering in a recent TMCnet white paper, "Ergonomic Phone Design."

Office phones should be comfortable to use just as all other pieces of equipment in the workplace are. Because office workers and those in call centers spend so many minutes on the phone each day, offering an ergonomically designed phone will support productivity and reduce the risk of injury while on the job—a benefit for both the employer and the employee.

A piece of equipment that is designed ergonomically is built to adjust to the need of each individual user and is specially designed to makes the equipment easier to use.

Everything from the placement of the microphone to the way the speaker is designed is all taken into account when designing a phone that is ergonomic."    (Continued via TMCnet)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Small ergonomic changes can boost office productivity

Setting up that office does not take that much effort ...

"Many office workers regularly suffer from backaches, headaches, eyestrain, aching necks or shoulders, or other aches and pains while at work, resulting in lower productivity or lost workdays.

But more companies are beginning to realise that by employing ergonomic practices within the office environment they are able to improve the overall quality of the work life of their staff and help decrease risk of injury or illness, says Robbie Bergh, group managing director of the CN Business Furniture Group.

"Statistics reveal that at least 80 percent of South Africa's workforce is suffering from acute discomfort and even disability arising from lower back pain. After colds and flu, backaches account for the largest proportion of work absenteeism," he says.

While many companies globally are becoming increasingly aware of the value of investing in the design of ergonomically healthy and comfortable offices spaces, others do not yet fully understand the concept and how it affects workplace performance.

"Ergonomic health in the office environment encompasses various elements," explains Bergh. "Workspace factors include the lighting, air quality, temperature and acoustics, which all affect our physical and mental comfort, and contribute towards delivery or non-delivery, and happy or irritable staff."

The cognitive element is another critical factor to be taken into account in assessing the ergonomic health of an organisation. "Cognitive ergonomics considers co-worker interactions, psychological demands, individual factors and many other sources of non-physical stress. Emotional wellness has a direct impact on how effectively we perform."

Physical factors are the third vital element. "This refers to how the human body interacts with the physical workspace and work tools," he says."    (Continued via IOLjobs)    [Ergonomics Resources]

Human Factors Applies to Everything, Even Political Campaign Signs

An everyday design problem ...

"November is just around the corner, and you know what that means: as you drive, your eyes will be visually accosted by an abnormally large number of small plastic signs on the side of the road. Oh yes, it is the height of election season. Political campaigns invest a significant amount of money in these signs each election year hoping to sway those undecided voters at the last minute, and yet I am always surprised at how much more effective these signs could be if the sign designers were to apply some basic principles of human perception and memory to their designs.

Visibility Matters The first goal of a political campaign sign is to be seen. Many signs fail at this step, because they cannot be seen at all from a passing car -- they blend into their surroundings. Although vision is the most powerful sense, humans are not great at noticing an object with the same primary color as its surroundings, particularly when engaged in another task like driving. The more distinct a color is from its surroundings, the better chances are that it is noticed. Therefore, consider the environment around a sign: most are placed close to the ground. This means it will be surrounded by greens, light blues, and browns. By selecting a color that is as different as possible from these surrounding colors, the sign "pops" from its surroundings, and the chances of it being noticed by a passing car increase. The best sign colors are usually dark, such as navy blue.

Another consideration is the location of the sign. Most of these types of signs are placed low to the ground. As election day approaches, more and more signs are posted, until there are so many they blend together. How can a sign stand out from such visual clutter? One solution would be to place the sign higher than the others, or make the sign a different shape from the others.

Legibility -- Once you see it, you have to be able to read it Once a sign can be seen, its next goal is to be legible from a passing car. Once you have selected the sign's background color, you'll need to decide the color of the text on the sign. We can apply the same principle as we did when selecting the background color: select a color that is as different as possible from its surrounding colors to make the text "pop" off the sign. Because most successful sign colors are normally dark, white text usually works best. However, if you selected a lighter color, you'll need to go with black text.

Type size and type face are also important considerations in designing a political campaign sign. Too often, I see signs with terrific background colors, excellent selection for text color, and then the text was too small, too skinny, or just too busy. Remember that most people are passing by in their cars and can't divert their eyes from the road, so the sign will most likely stay in a person's peripheral vision. To increase the chances of the sign being read, make the type as large as you can. Select a type face that is clean, has a medium stroke width, and allows adequate spacing between letters. The best type faces for this purpose are known as sans serifs (meaning they lack the decorative details of other type faces like Times New Roman)."    (Continued via WRAL)    [Ergonomics Resources]