Ergo expo "season finale" is next week

Sponsored by the Laboratory's Institutional Ergonomics Committee (IEC), this is the sixth Labwide ergonomic expo, including exhibits at the annual student picnic and the Community Safety and Security Day earlier this summer.

"These expos are designed to provide workers with ergonomic ideas and resources that they can incorporate into both their work and home lifestyle," said Jennifer Rezmer, industrial hygienist for Materials Science and Technology Operations (MST-OPS) and chair of the IEC. "We expect more than 1,500 people to have visited our exhibits and live demonstrations by the end of this year," she said.

"Ergonomics remain the leading cause of worker injuries and illnesses that result in lost or restricted workdays and or medical treatment. Fifty of the 127 recorded injuries in 2001 were ergonomic related," said Graciela Perez of Industrial Hygiene and Safety (HSR-5). "The good news is that the severity of the injuries is decreasing due to prevention efforts and good case management."

The IEC's traveling expos place strong emphasis on employee awareness and helping improve employee knowledge of and accountability for good ergonomic practices with a strong emphasis on prevention.

At Tuesday's expo, Lab workers can learn tips on how to properly set up a home computer workstation as well as samples of the latest in ergonomic furniture and accessories. Ergonomic vendors including Body Bilt, Neutral Posture, Haworth, Boise Cascade, 3M, Hag, Goodmans, Workrite, and Contract Associates also have been invited.

"We'll be giving away a variety of ergonomic accessories designed to make computer use smarter not harder for our workers," Perez said. They include yardsticks that will help workers determine proper heights and distances for individual workstations and mirrors for workers who work with their backs to doors and hallways. The mirrors teach workers to look before they turn to avoid awkward twisting, she explained.

There will be information from Occupational Medicine (HSR-2) and a table where people may test their levels of stress and learn how to relax using biofeedback.

The IEC was established in October 1998 to raise awareness of and help protect workers at the Laboratory from workplace illnesses and injuries resulting from risks or hazards that may be associated with inadequate ergonomics design.

According to Brad Gallimore of HSR-5, "Ergonomic expos are a part of the strategic plan to focus attention, develop awareness and provide tools to help Laboratory workers increase overall health and safety."

For more information, go to the Ergonomic Expo Web page at http://int.lanl.gov/safety/ergonomics/ergonomics.shtml online or write to ergonomics@lanl.gov by electronic mail.

-- Fran Talley

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