Ergo4Me

                I believe it is safe to say that the countdown to the next Presidential Inauguration is on.  Yes, in fifteen days a new President will be in office.  We will go from a nation under a Republican President to a nation under a Democratic President who has already begun to put his foot in reform.  The first evidence of this was with the nominations for his cabinet.  Now, the extensions are seen even more. 

                President-elect Barack Obama named this past Friday, January 2, 2009, California Republican Hilda L. Solis to be the director of the Department of Labor.  She will be replacing the current director of the Department of Labor, Elaine Chao.   However, the importance of her nomination is not who she is or where she came from, but rather what she is going to do once in office.  What are her plans?  Will there be substantial changes?  How will that affect you and me?  These are all questions that are up for answer since Friday’s announcement.

                The first of objective for Solis to do as director is to return one of the Department of Labor’s core missions.  Accordingly, that is “to defend workers’ basic rights in our nation’s workplaces.”   Furthermore, this one hitting closer to home for the purpose of this blog, is to change the Department of Labor’s focus when addressing Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  In doing so, Solis is expected to review the issues of ergonomics. 

What does that mean?  According to a press release, this review will be done aggressively.  However, there is still the question to the degree of the results.  Is Solis going to strongly urge new worker-friendly legislation and will she even be a key player in any of these negotiations?  I guess we will all have to wait and see what is to be unfolded after the Tuesday, January 20, 2009 Presidential Inauguration.  Until then all we have to go off of is that President-elect Obama elected Solis because he is confident that Solis can do this job since she has “proven to be a passionate leader and advocate for all working families.” 

            So it seems that not only is it award season for the big stars, but also for the many ergonomic products that were developed throughout the year of 2008.  As you may recall, in a recent blog, I reported that the ZeroG Arm was the winner of the Best Product of 2008 at the National Ergonomic Show.  This time around the award was awarded to a different product however!

            …And the award goes to the Plantronics EncorePro™ Headset.  Plantronics won the renowned International Forum (iF) Product Design Award 2009.  The award is based on several considerations.  These include:  innovativeness, functionality, design quality, along with ergonomics.  This criteria are only a few of the factors looked at by the iF board of judges as the inspect over 3000 products for comparison.  These products were entered by 1000 contestants from over thirty-seven countries. 

            Plantronics Inc. proudly announced this accomplishment last week.  This is the corporation’s second win.  Plantronics won the iF Award in 2006 with its Discovery® 640 Bluetooth® Headset.  Plantronics is excited about this award, but I believe they are more excited about the upcoming year.  I am sure the same can be said about many consumers as they wait with anticipation about what will be the next ergonomically designed product!

                Yes, we all know what these are.  They occur after long hours of keeping our neck in a constant position with a lack of support.  It causes our muscles to tense up and therefore leads to stress and pain of the neck.  Usually, we find that individuals who work in front of the computer for long periods of time tend to have these problems.  Most recently the real “pain in the neck” has come from laptops.

                One would think that this great piece of technology would be able to overcome this issue, but unfortunately its convenience can also be a hindrance.  By placing our laptops at random places in front of us and not a level position with our point of view, then we begin to put our neck in stress which leads to pain.  Therefore, several products have been developed to make the laptop more ergonomically sound. 

Some of these products include a laptop stand.  You can purchase these at any local technological store, but my suggestion (which will save you money) is just to pile a stack of books up until the laptop is at a good level for you.  However, if you would like to purchase a laptop stand, they usually start at about twenty dollars and go up from there.  It is important that you know that once you raise the laptop you should also purchase a wireless keyboard so that you are not starting a new pain…a pain of the wrist! 

Another equally good product to help with the pain in the neck for laptops is the docking station.  A docking station allows for the laptop to act as a central processing unit. These are more beneficial for businessmen/women who travel frequently because the docking station will allow for all portions of the computer to be attached separately.  This product is a little more expensive with prices starting at about seventy dollars, and unfortunately there is no non-cost alternative.   

These are just two of the products to name a few that are ever so helpful in implementing ergonomic solutions to ease the pain in your neck.  Several more are available and can be found by talking with your local technical support associate or doing a little internet research.  Furthermore, it is these products are taking the pain out of the neck!

                Here is a discussion between coworkers:  Person 1, “This chair is great!”  Person 2, “Why is that?”  Person 1, “Well I got it from a company that specializes in ergonomic chairs.”  Person 2, “So, therefore you paid a boat load of money for it.”  Person 1, “Well, yes but I am so much more comfortable now and much of my back aches and pains are resolved.”  Person 2, “Well, I just don’t have the money to invest in that kind of comfort right now.”

                Does this conversation sound like one you have recently had with another person or coworker.  Well, say goodbye to it!  Now, there is a way to get the ergonomic comfort at an affordable price.  How, you say?  You may have to do a little research, but the pay off equals a much more comfortable lifestyle at work with a little extra cash left over in your pocket.  Who could say no to that?

                First of all, when shopping for ergonomic furniture there are characteristics that need to be known before purchasing the item.  These characteristics range anywhere from gender type to is the person left or right-handed to the amount of time approximately spent in this furniture daily.  Several other characteristics for consideration can be found at:  http://nhbr.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081219/INDUSTRY03/812179937/-1/NEWS

                From there it is a process of contacting an ergonomic specialist.  This can result in even more benefits that are significant when evaluating and installing the product.  Furthermore, they can help out with training and constant product support if needed for the product.  So, take the steps and land out on top this New Year.  You will find comfort without an empty pocket.  Who could ask for a better combination? 

                We hear reports constantly that implementing ergonomic training and safety tools into the workplace can save the employer time and money.  Now it can save a company one more thing…a trip to court! 

                That’s right, recently an employee for Union Pacific Railroad Company has filed suit against the company.  The employee is Mr. Gregory Hawkins.  Hawkins has worked for the company since 1974.  In his suit, he claims that Union Pacific Railroad Company is negligent due to their failure to provide or warn in:

1.        A safe place to work

2.       Safe tools and equipment

3.       Safe methods of work

4.       Proper supervision

5.       Risks of developing cumulative trauma injuries

6.       Recommendations issued by the American Association of Railroads in regard to ergonomics

So, why bring up these issues after thirty-four years on the job?  Why now?  Well, Hawkins claims that through the repetitiveness of his job over the years without support, he has developed long-term cumulative trauma resulting in elbow injuries.  Furthermore, over the past years of employment with Union Pacific Railroad Company he has incurred a disability that has led him to suffer pain, mental anguish, and a loss of earnings.  Therefore, Hawkins is hoping for a judgment that covers damages and costs.

I guess this case just goes to show that implementing ergonomic solutions into the workplace is definitely cost beneficial.  After all, this is no way to start off a new year for a company.  Who wants to see their first quarter financial review with a big lawsuit on the sheet?  I can’t name any!  Therefore, hop on the bandwagon and implement ergonomic solutions into your workplace today. 

            It seems that the Olympics that took place in Athens, Greece eight years ago has stirred up quite the media awareness as of recent.  We have witnessed everything from medals being taken back due to delayed confessions, to the judging eye of individuals at every corner.  Now it seems that there is one more piece of news that has been released.  Once again, however, it is bad news that has been revealed to the public about the summer games.

            So, what is the news?  Well, this time it is not dealing with the players of the games, but rather the many individuals that created the location for the games to take place in the five years preceding these Olympics in Athens.  After five years of preparing for the Olympic Games, the site was in for an inspection.  During the inspection, the inspectors discovered a reported sixty-three fatal accidents.  Furthermore, of these accidents over half, a reported thirty-seven, were from falls of a substantial height! 

            Upon discovering these numbers, the inspections continued to find what factors led to this high number in fatal incidents.  The main reasons were found to be pressure from management, inexperience of workers, a lack of appropriate or failure to use PPE, and finally the intensity of the task to be performed.  The recommendations of the inspectors for future preparation of games was that there be training of workers, effective and correct PPE put in place, and a reduction in pressure on the employees. 

            Do these recommendations work?  They should if any past ergonomic reports implying that effective workplace training can significantly save a company money and reduce injury.  The fact is that during the preparation for the next Olympic Games the numbers were already proving that these recommendations do work!  Numbers were on the decline and the prospects of  more successful Olympic Games in the coming years was viewed with optimism!

                Can you believe it!  Yes, it is almost 2009 and that means that many new products will soon be hitting the marketplace.  Some of these products will include a wide array of new automobiles.  One manufacturer, Mercedes Benz, definitely took a front seat when designing their automobiles for this season as reviewers around praised the German Engineers for their concepts.

                In Mercedes Benz’s C-Class car, the largest of its “siblings,” one finds no short cuts taken by the German Engineers this go round.  The implementation of the sedan’s sleek exterior design to lavish front interior lends a hand to its excellent reviews.  Of course the features in this car also help, one of which includes the existence of some very enjoyable ergonomic features.  One mentionable ergonomic feature that is instantly seen upon driving the Mercedes Benz C-Class car is the easy use of its shifter.  One reviewer commented that the shifter “slides through its various positions as smoothly as a warm knife through butter.” 

                Another unique feature of the car that lends itself to the field of ergonomics is the optional power rear window shade will cut out any glare the sun may induce upon the driver when looking out the rear view mirror.  As I have mentioned in previous blogs, it is important that lighting be implemented into the design of any space as it can also lead to stress and injury. 

                Of course there are some features of the car that are not as welcome as the aforementioned, like the compactness of the rear.   It is found that it would be hard for individuals with larger body builds to maneuver in and out of.  However, with that being said the bottom line is that the Mercedes Benz C-Class Sedan is one of superior quality with many advantages that overly outweigh its menial disadvantages.  So, what are you waiting for?  Why don’t you go take a test drive today and find out for yourself?

                In a recent headline, it was recognized that it is common of many Dentists to suffer from severe neck and back pain.  This is due to the variety of positions that they have to perform throughout the day.  One would think, “Well, what about all the chairs and other ergonomic equipment out there?  Why doesn’t a dentist just invest in those to help cure their aches and pains?”  The truth of the matter is that many have, but in this profession the ergonomic chair is not the best solution because of the many awkward positions of the dental professional.

                So what is the solution for the dentist?  The dental profession most definitely needs one.  In fact, reports have shown that in 2002 approximately 1,436,000 cases of repetitive motion injuries occurred.  Furthermore all of these injuries led to one or more days of leave from work and 974,000 of the aforementioned were of the neck, back, and shoulder.   Therefore it is clear that something needs to be done in the ergonomic world to facilitate the needs of those individuals in the dental profession.  So again, the question is posed:  “What is the solution?”

In a recent study, many researchers found that Pilates was the answer.  How, though?  Well, Pilates is a conglomeration of exercises that focus on the stretching and strengthening of the abdomen, back, waist, and hip.  It is through these stretches that allow for the spinal cord and nervous system to become in align, and therefore, lead to a better posture that lends to lower percentage chance of injury. 

In fact the researcher of this very study listed the specific areas that the dental profession alone benefits from Pilates exercises.  They can be found at: http://www.rdhmag.com/display_article/347650/56/none/none/Feat/Mind-Your-Body-to-Work-Without-Pain  Just to give a foretaste, some benefits include:  reduced stress and fatigue, invigoration, and revitalization.  I would have to say that is something everyone needs a little of!

                Did you know that simply the way we sit and stand throughout everyday has a high impact on our physical and even mental health?  By simply adjusting our posture to the proper alignment, an individual can decrease many health issues that are associated bad posture.  Furthermore, this change in posture has several benefits that are not just solely involving health.  Once a person’s health improves more times than many one’s bills decrease.  I don’t know about you, but that simple fix seems quite useful if it means less time at the doctors’ office and more money in my pocket!

                Therefore, exactly how does one know if they have bad posture?  Well, bad posture includes everything from slouching shoulders, lowered head, and locked knees.  If you catch yourself doing this at any point during your day, you probably are one of the many individuals that don’t have proper posture.  Proper posture includes positions that entail the feet being slightly apart, knees straight, shoulders back, and chin slightly tucked in.  All of these help to distribute a person’s weight better.  (On a side note, one can visit following site and see how ergonomic chairs can help facilitate proper posture:  http://www.ergo4me.com/whybodybilt.php )

                Proper posture is extremely important because the body is supported by the spinal cord.  The spinal cord, moreover, is the home to three natural curves of the body that work similar to shock absorbers on cars, but in this sense for the body.  By properly exercising and stretching, something many people ignore, one can much easier obtain a well-suited posture. 

                By ignoring this simple fix in one’s lifestyle can lead to several ramifications.  For one, headaches, muscle pain, atrophy, and difficulty breathing are all health issues of poor posture.  Furthermore, poor posture while sitting for long periods of time can lend a hand in the development of obesity, diabetes, or even cardiovascular disease.  Now can you see why simply practicing proper posture is so important?  Not only can it save you money, but it can help you lead a healthier and much happier life.  Now who doesn’t want that?