http://ewiworks.com/blog Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:36:01 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This news is a little late but we just wanted to share the news with everyone that EWI Calgary's Kirsten Willms is now officially a Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist. This is also exciting for the rest of us as EWI Works is now the only ergonomic consulting company who employs five ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/09/kirsten-willms-now-ccpe-certified-ergonomist/ Last week I discussed an assessment that was conducted on a control panel for workers at a manufacturing plant. The control board was large, causing reaching for controls, awkward postures of the trunk and neck to see around or over the control board and it did not provide room to ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/07/ergonomic-suggestions-for-a-control-panel/ Ergonomics isn't just about the office - it is also valuable in reducing the risks for musculoskeletal injuries in industrial environments. EWI Works has extensive experience in industries such as mining, utilities, forestry, food production, and manufacturing plants. EWI consultants have conducted assessments on assembly line workers, meter readers and ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/07/ergonomic-control-panel-suggestions-for-control-operators/ In researching the iPad, I discovered there is a lot of negativity toward the product, particularly the ergonomic aspects. In general, the most common complaints were: 1. weight - heavier than a hand held 2. portability - bigger than an iPod or other similar device - smaller than a laptop. 3. viewing angle ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/05/the-pros-and-cons-of-the-ipad/ EWI Works' Calgary consultant, Kirsten Willms is a whiz when it comes to cognitive ergonomics and has assisted in incorporating the concepts into a lot of EWI Works' courses and seminars. While the average person might not know the term "cognitive ergonomics," it plays a big part in everyone's lives, ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/05/using-cognitive-ergonomics-in-our-everyday-lives/ One of our ergonomic consultants conducted an assessment for a support analyst for a cable company, who had very recently returned to work after a year and a half of recovery from a lower back injury. This individual had to undergo back surgery about 6 months prior to returning to ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/04/recommendations-for-low-sitting-tolerance-due-to-back-surgery/ While many industries are automated, there are still occupations that require the use of manual hand tools. The construction industry is a perfect example. Electricians and carpenters use a wide variety of hand tools while on the job. Proper hand tool selection is important in reducing the risk of developing ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/03/proper-hand-tools-can-reduce-risks-of-musculoskeletal-disorders-on-the-job/ There's an old saying - to understand someone, you have to walk a mile in their shoes. This can (and should) be applied to any profession, including ergonomics. If your organization requires the services of an ergonomic consulting firm, would you not want someone who can relate to the needs ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/03/the-right-ergonomic-consulting-firm-for-you-practices-what-it-preaches/ Often we receive phone calls from clients who know they need an ergonomist to come in to look at an employee's workstation because of issues involving discomfort or even a return to work after an injury. At this point, one of the consultants will try and determine exactly what the ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/03/ergonomic-audit-or-assessment-understanding-what-you-need/ Four ergonomic audits were conducted for a client whose coordinator staff were feeling similar discomfort due to workstations that required awkward positions. To provide some background, the position involves responding to and managing client requests for home collections. The computer and telephone were used frequently and simultaneously. As well, the Coordinator ... http://ewiworks.com/blog/2010/02/ergo-products-the-flex-desk-and-ise-value-keyboard-package/