Human Factors and Ergonomics

Become an Ergonomist with Meg Honan

Meg Honan is a consulting ergonomist for the UC Ergonomics Laboratory and course instructor. She was the Ergonomics Program Manager for Genentech’s South San Francisco site until 2018, where she engaged leadership at all levels, and interdisciplinary teams through participatory ergonomics.

12/18/2024: The Utility of Artificial Intelligence for Risk Reduction of Musculoskeletal Disorders

About the webinar:

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) continue to be a critical challenge for workplaces, even as advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and smart machines transform the nature of work. In response, the MSD Solutions Lab has released insights into how AI is addressing risk reduction of MSDs. This presentation will explore the report’s findings, highlighting AI’s transformative potential in workplace health and safety and the challenges that AI brings to MSD prevention.

11/20/2024: Ergonomics and Your Parents: Musculoskeletal Challenges of Home Healthcare for a Loved One from the Defense Centers for Public Health's Perspective

About the webinar:

This presentation will investigate ergonomics in the field of home healthcare. McCoskey and Pentikis will provide information on the characteristics of the average care giver based on their research. Using EMG data and assessment tools, they will also quantify the stresses placed on care givers, while offering some injury reduction strategies for maintaining proper health and safety in these occupational settings. Finally, they will review a few recommendations cited by literature for home healthcare ergonomics.

08/21/2024: Technology, Health, and Safety in the Hospitality Industry

About the webinar:

The hospitality industry is service driven, characterized by a high degree of customized interpersonal interactions and manual labor. While its guests, or external customers, are largely the focus of technology integrations, it is the staff, or internal customers, who drive operations and experience well-being effects of rapid technological change and implementation. There are an increasing number of operational systems dependent on technology in the industry, yet technological adoption for the betterment of health and safety of frontline workers offers both...

10/16/2024: Control of Localized Fatigue

About the webinar:

Localized fatigue can cause significant discomfort and interfere with manual work activities. It also may be a precursor or harbinger of chronic musculoskeletal disorders. This presentation will familiarize attendees with 1) causes and effects of localized fatigue on workers, 2) models for predicting work limits for sustained and repetitive exertions, specifically the ACGIH TLV® for localized fatigue of the upper limb, and 3) resources and procedures for applying the TLV®.

09/25/2024: Application of Exoskeletons in Construction to Mitigate Heavy Workloads

About the webinar:

Construction workers perform a variety of tasks that require repetitive motion, sustained forces, and awkward postures associated with increased risk of musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and injuries. A recent systematic review examined thirty-five research articles that evaluated the 1-year prevalence rates of musculoskeletal disorders among different construction trades and found that the lower back region (51.1%), the knee (37.2%), and the shoulder (30.4%) had the highest prevalence of pain among construction workers. Passive arm support exoskeletons have been proposed as...

09/18/2024: Engaging Frontline Workers to Solve Ergonomics Problems

About the webinar:

Do you need help solving ergonomics problems, but don’t have a staff of ergonomists able to help? Never fear, the frontline is here. In this webinar, we will share some simple, low-cost ideas to help engage frontline workers in identifying and solving ergo problems at your facility. Companies with strong ergonomics cultures have highly engaged frontline workers who teach others around them how to problem solve, making these programs more impactful and meaningful to those who work there.

Do the Change with Javier Freire

Tune into Season 2, Episode 1 with Javier Freire, a PhD candidate in Environmental Health Sciences! This episode is the first of our second season of Do the Change, hosted by Joanne Teh. In this conversation, Javier and Joanne discuss Javier's career in biomonitoring wildland firefighters, his journey from Chile to America, the invaluable role of mentors, and his tips for young professionals looking to stand out to employers.

05/22/2024: Using Wearable Devices & Deep Learning to Recognize Physical Activities at Work

About the webinar:

Accurately quantifying and evaluating occupational physical activities (OPAs) performed by workers is vital for various purposes, including job descriptions, pre-placement/post-hire employee screening, ergonomic evaluations, and facilitating return-to-work processes. Certain OPAs, such as lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying, are categorized as manual material handling activities, which are known to be associated with an increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), particularly lower back pain. This presentation will explore the utilization of...

04/17/2024: Occupational Ergonomic Research in Pacific Northwest

About the webinar:

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) account for 30 - 45% of all occupational injuries in the United States. Workforce demographics are rapidly changing, creating substantial challenges in occupational safety and health and requiring innovative strategies to reduce WMSDs. This presentation will explore the significance of occupational and ergonomics biomechanics research, important challenges we are facing, and the current research programs at Oregon State University’s Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Lab designed to fill these gaps.