Standard Ergonomics Intro Newspaper Article #3373

http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2007/09/23/take_aches_and_pains_out_of_your_workplace/


Recently in the Boston Globe, an article was published on the subject of office ergonomics (disclosure: I worked on an ergonomics project for the Globe as an intern a couple years ago). It has the sounds of your usual introduction to ergonomics newspaper article, but it brings up several points I want to highlight here.

#1:

Beware of all the ergonomic hype, though, said Eugene Fram, professor of marketing at Rochester Institute of Technology. "One should not buy something simply because it is labeled as ergonomically designed," Fram said. "Usually this type of equipment is very costly, and some salespeople will try to pass themselves off as ergonomic experts."

Mirroring one of my first posts on this blog, it warns consumers to be wary of any product labelled as ergonomic. It is often used as a cheap marketing ploy, but if the product is indeed ergo-friendly, you should...

#2: Consult an ergonomics expert, preferably with an AEP or CPE designation. Those who hold membership in a professional ergonomics society (such as HFES in the United States or ACE in Canada) will also be well-equipped to address your ergonomic-related concerns. They will be able to advise you on how to use your ergonomic office furniture so you can derive the maximum possible benefit from it.