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It is common for office workers to experience wrist and elbow pain from working long hours on a computer each day. The discomfort arises from frequently using a mouse with an awkward posture. To ensure your wrist remains in the “right” posture, follow this tip: Hold your arm out as if you are about to shake […]

Laptops are rapidly replacing traditional computing stations in the workplace due to an increase in the number of remote workers and a heavier emphasis on mobility. However, with a more portable and compact computer comes a new set of ergonomics challenges; follow these four tips to help you address them Laptop users tend to position […]

On November 17, Health Canada published its Policy on Managing Incomplete Claims for Exemption Filed under the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA). The new policy is intended to prevent confidential business information (CBI) claims from being held up in the review process due to missing or incomplete claim information. Upon formal notice of incomplete […]

“Do you recommend that my ergonomics teams be cross-functional? Or does that dilute the team’s focus?” We get this question often. There are several considerations here. Before creating a team, you first want to think about its purpose, which is to conduct risk assessments, identify solutions, and lead improvement efforts. The team should also be […]

OSHA just named the Top 10 most cited violations of 2017 at the annual National Safety Council (NSC) Congress and Expo. For those involved in chemical management, it comes as no surprise that Hazard Communication continues to maintain the No. 2 spot on the list, as questions and confusion resulting from the adoption of GHS and […]

One of the ongoing discussions in the workplace is the comparison of different office workstation setups, specifically with the multitude of options available today; from various keyboard structures and angled mice, to monitor sizes and layouts. Working with multiple desktop monitors has been increasing recently, in an effort to enhance productivity and efficiency.  On the […]

At Automation Alley’s TECHTakeover I explored the future of manufacturing at the presentation on collaborative and autonomous robotics. The technology presented was astounding, and opened my “ergo eyes” to a whole new dimension for the field of ergonomics. In ergonomics, there are four main risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs); posture, force, frequency and duration. […]

In the new series, Ergo U:  Ergonomics Research Notes from the Field, VelocityEHS ergonomist Blake McGowan meets with ergonomics researchers from leading universities and associations across the country to share their latest findings. Field Notes:  Recently, Blake met with Dr. Daniel Ferris from the School of Kinesiology and Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University […]

A recent article published by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) recapped an important panel discussion which took place at the 2017 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston earlier this month. A group of industry EHS professionals and government regulators had gathered to discuss the effects of continued low oil prices on worker safety in the […]

Triclosan and its Uses Triclosan is a solid crystalline chemical used primarily as an antibacterial agent in a variety of consumer products. Originally used as a cleaning scrub in hospitals in the 1970s, triclosan is now present in soap, detergent, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, surgical cleaners, pesticides, and even toys, although its efficacy and safety have […]