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 […]
Facilities using equipment that “can’t be changed” still, somehow, manage strain/sprain injury risk – we provide platforms, improve tools, use job rotation, and explore the possibility of using exoskeletons. The news that we’re “building a new line” creates a spring of hope that we’ll have an opportunity to eliminate the problems of the old line. […]
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. […]
Although a tour through the drive-thru may no longer be a morning ritual en route to work, those who work in delivery windows are busier than ever before. Have you paused to consider the physical demands of this job? We have. Necessity is the mother of invention; in the early days of the pandemic, drive-thru […]
The task of “getting groceries” has a very different connotation for island cottagers than for others. When we buy groceries for home, you and I typically use a grocery-store cart to transport our purchases from the store to our car, and then we transfer items from the car to the house manually in bags or […]
by Kristina Zucchiatti It’s time to give a warm “welcome back” to our winter clothing. Although we all tend to complain about the cold, some Ontarians have to wear “Arctic” outdoor clothing (jackets, boots, and gloves) all year round! (And those of us who eat ice cream are grateful that they do!) When we are […]
Estimated reading time: 2:45 We are often asked to do assessments where forward reach turns out to be the most significant issue. Our recommendations often involve changes that look insignificant…we want to chisel away at this table, or nudge the part bin a bit closer, or reinstall two pieces of equipment closer together by a […]