Workplace ergonomics is getting a lot of nationwide attention in response to a sharp increase in incidents of repetitive-strain injuries resulting in musculoskeletal disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Occupational diseases often mean repeated surgery, intractable pain, inability to work, time off for the affected employee and, ultimately, higher costs for the employer.
Below are four steps a company can take to address this growing problem.
Review tasks for risk factors: The first step to correcting problems is to understand the key workplace ergonomic risk factors, and review work tasks in your operation to see which ones apply. This can make a tremendous difference, since occupational safety professionals estimate that reducing physical stresses could eliminate as much as half the serious injuries that happen each year.
Control risk factors with engineering and administrative controls, and personal equipment, where it is effective: Engineering controls to improve ergonomic risks may include changing the way parts and materials are transported, or changing the process to reduce how workers are exposed to risk factors.
Understand how to make the work space work ergonomically: With any task, selecting the proper tool is crucial. The key is to understand the work process and employee’s safety needs. After identifying the likely risk factors in an operation, develop a safer work environment by carefully selecting the tools and work stations workers will use.
Use work station design principles to improve ergonomics: The following strategies typically yield safe work environments: make the work station adjustable, locate materials to reduce twisting, avoid static loads and fixed work postures, set the work surface to the particular task, provide adjustable chairs, allow workers to alternate between standing and sitting, support the limbs, use gravity, design for proper movements, consider computer monitors, provide simple dials and displays, and consider overall environmental conditions.
The only postioning of the monitor (besides how far away it is) that I agree with is just slightly lower than your line of sight. So your eyes are not straining to look up. As far as a desk goes....I stopped using desks years ago.....I sit on a couch or lazy boy...make up your own way that makes that work for you....I have! I HATE desks!...lol well, unless I built them
Cadman-LT, do you mean motion capture gloves, and/or gloves with some kind of motion-capture tape? Like the ShapeTape described here:
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1386&doc_id=245683
Ann....I think if you had these gloves a mouse would be better.....I can't stand touch pads....or track balls for sure...I dug them out...they are called Smart Gloves. FYI
I agree. As for me, I'd love to "write" and/or edit, change programs, go online, etc., just by dancing to Jimi Hendrix in front of a Kinect-equipped computer. Or whatever we'd be calling it by then. But that means we'd have to be able to program our own individual Kinect-type device, or somehow configure it, to respond to our own individual body motions.
The most obvious answer to this problem, stop using the devices so much. We were meant to chase down animals, farm, build things... not sit at a desk all day with our hands in the same orientation.
Perhaps as the Microsoft Kinect and similar devices progress, combined with voice recognition, we will no longer have that issue.
In a world that's going green, industrial operations have a problem: Their processes involve materials that are potentially toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive. If improperly managed, this can precipitate dangerous health and environmental consequences.
An analysis of what’s needed to implement Design for Disassembly and Design for Recycling results in eight strategies engineers can use to design an intentional end-of-life stage into their products.
Government regulations, coupled with growing consumer sensitivity about data and identity theft, require that data storage organizations demonstrate proper protection and due diligence in protecting sensitive information stored inside datacenter enclosures.
When a crane doesn't have a monitoring system, crane owners schedule service every six months and simply scrap the parts they replace, even if a part has had little use and doesn't need replacing. This can cost thousands.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
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