Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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Ontario Ministry of Labour Announces Inspection Blitz on Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
On October 1, 2019 the Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) announced it will begin an inspection blitz aimed at preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This inspection blitz will target workplaces across Ontario, specifically those in construction, health care, industrial and mining sectors. The start of the blitz happens to coincide with October’s Global Ergonomics Month, […]
EPA’s New Final Rule on Asbestos: What You Need to Know
EPA issued a final rule in April 2019 that imposes new restrictions on products that contain asbestos. Let’s take a moment to review the new rule and the impacts it may have on human health, as well as your business. The Background Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral found in rock and soil. For […]
Technological Breakthroughs in Ergonomics
There have been some exciting technological breakthroughs in ergonomics over the past decade, particularly for practitioners. When I began my career as an ergonomist back in “the good old days,” we conducted musculoskeletal disorder risk assessments using pen and paper (observation-based). Those days are over, thanks to technology. Here are a few major technological advancements […]
EPA Updates TSCA Chemical Inventory List for First Time in 40 Years
EPA recently updated its Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) inventory, which lists the chemicals being actively manufactured, processed and imported in the United States. Let’s take a closer look at this update and what it means for chemical safety and compliance. The Background In 2016, President Obama signed the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for […]
Behind the Research: Motion Capture
Somewhere on The University of Michigan campus, tucked in a windowless lab in the basement, Associate Professor Dr. Sanghyun Lee and his team of post-docs, PhD. Students, and MSc students have been busy changing the future of ergonomics. Dr. Lee has spearheaded a sensorless motion-capture technology that makes conducting a musculoskeletal risk assessments faster, easier, […]
Introducing Ergonomics to Operations
Operations and Safety don’t always speak the same language, not because Operations isn’t committed to keeping people safe at work or Safety isn’t concerned with meeting operational goals, but rather because each area has its own methods, processes, and measures. This communication gap can increase when ergonomics is added to the mix. Ergonomics is often […]
The Most Important Adjustment on an Office Chair Is…
by J’ai Watson, AEP An office employee typically spends more time sitting in his office chair than he spends sleeping in his cozy bed each night. So why are we not more focused on purchasing office chairs that improve comfort, support, and productivity in the office? The simple answer is…chairs are expensive. A high-quality office […]
OSHA Embracing Sustainability & Chemical Substitution, Employers Wise to Follow Suit
Today sustainability is not just a buzzword. Captains of commerce, like Wal-Mart, Target, Virgin, and Apple are championing the drive to improve the chemical footprints of entire supply chains. In the past, the word “sustainability” conjured images of extreme environmentalism at the cost of all else; today it encompasses a wide-angled view of the relationships […]
Does OSHA Really Require Employers to Keep SDSs and MSDSs for 30 Years?
Note: This blog was updated on September 20, 2024 to provide additional clarification. The short answer is: “No, not quite.” Many EHS professionals don’t realize that the “30-year” requirement is not actually in the HazCom standard. It’s found in a different standard, 1910.1020 on “Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records.” A careful reading of […]