Blog Posts

Ergonomics Faculty Head to New Orleans!

March 27, 2019

COEH’s Ergonomics Program at the 2019 Applied Ergonomics Conference in New Orleans! Online Ergonomics Faculty Members Melissa Afterman, Meg Honan and Jim Potvin share information about the Online Course Series and how it can help prepare practitioners for CPE certification. Learn more about the program.

Worker Participation is Essential for Preventing Safety Accidents: New Safety Digest issued by CSB

September 17, 2019

Every 7 seconds, a worker is injured on the job. Accidents like these can be prevented through better collaboration between workers and employers.

On September 4, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) published...

The Difference between Human Factors and Ergonomics

August 6, 2020

The International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as, “the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.” This definition identifies the importance of human-centered design.

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) builds on this...

Two-Year Checkup: MTUS Drug Formulary is Achieving Its Goals

April 27, 2021

The evidence-based Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS) Drug Formulary was adopted by the California Division of Workers’ Compensation on January 1, 2018. Its purpose was to reduce frictional costs in the workers’ compensation system, restrict inappropriate prescribing, especially in relation to opioids, and ensure that injured workers receive medically necessary medications in a timely manner.

Frictional costs largely stemmed from utilization review (UR) and independent medical review (IMR) processes. To help reduce these costs, the MTUS Drug Formulary...

Just Released: Principles & Guidelines for HF/E Design and Management of Work Systems

August 26, 2021

In June 2021, new Principles and Guidelines for Human Factors/Ergonomics (HF/E) Design and Management of Work Systems, jointly prepared by the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), were released.

This document is important in that it provides the ILO with a technical basis to develop international labor standards for workplace human factors/ergonomics. The goal of applying this analytical, systems view is to achieve a work future that benefits everyone, even as technology and globalization rapidly develop. More...