This site will look much better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.

WorkSafeBC

banner image

Occupational Ergonomics Month

Occupational Ergonomics Month | Contest | Events | Resources | Related Sites
October is Occupational Ergonomics Month

Occupational Ergonomics Month (OEM) is a global outreach campaign during the month of October focusing on increasing awareness and promoting the science and application of ergonomics and human factors. It's a time to explore and expand initiatives to enhance the work environment and improve the fit between people and their jobs for better efficiency, comfort, productivity, health, and safety. OEM is also known as Global Ergonomics Month by the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) and National Ergonomics Month by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) in the United States.

How do I get involved?

  • Enter the Innovations Contest.
  • Promote Occupational Ergonomics Month at your workplace and organize activities to support the effort.
  • Create a suggestion box and/or recognition program for innovative ergonomic ideas to enhance your workplace.
  • Administer a risk assessment to establish the extent of ergonomic interventions needed and set priorities.

How do I find out more?

  • Learn more about ergonomics and human factors.
  • Submit questions or comments to .
  • Contact WorkSafeBC ergonomists through the Info Line at 604-276-3100 or 1-888-621-7233.

Upcoming events

Ergonomics and Human Factors: Strategic Solutions for the Workplace Safety and Health
DATE: October 1, 2012
LOCATION: Applied Ergonomics Program at Harvard

HSE Canada 2012 Health, Safety & Environment Conference & Trade Show
DATE: October 2, 2012
LOCATION: Toronto, ON

Webinar: Setting Acceptable Ergonomic Limits for the Upper Extremities During Repetitive Tasks
http://www.ace-ergocanada.ca
DATE: October 12, 2012, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

ACE BC-YK Speaker Series
Contact:
DATE: October 25, 2012
LOCATION: Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver, BC

HFES (Human Factors and Ergonomics Society)
56th Annual Meeting
http://www.hfes.org/web/HFESMeetings/2012annualmeeting.html
DATE: October 22-26, 2012
LOCATION: Boston, MA

Human Factors Community of Practice
Dr. Kevin Hamilton and Niloufar Saffari
Using 3D Images in Hazard Recognition Training
Contact: humanfactors@worksafebc.com
DATE: November 15, 2012
LOCATION: Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Richmond, BC

UBC SPPH Occupational and Environmental Health Seminar Series
http://www.spph.ubc.ca/OEHSeminars.htm
DATE: Various topics and dates

BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU) Web Conference Series 2012
http://www.injuryresearch.bc.ca
DATE: Webcast sessions throughout 2012

ACE 2013, 44th Annual Conference
http://www.ace-ergocanada.ca
DATE: To be announced
LOCATION: Whistler, BC

Innovations contest

Thank you for your interest. The contest is closed for 2012.

To celebrate Occupational Ergonomics Month, WorkSafeBC is running an Innovations Contest. To go along with our new Lifting in the Workplace video, we are looking for innovative ergonomic ideas to eliminate or reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI) associated with lifting tasks in the workplace.

Tell us about a lifting task at your organization that was improved through a physical change in the workplace or through a change in the work process. If you haven't implemented a change already, take this opportunity to focus your safety efforts on a lifting task and implement solutions.

The winner will receive a group lunch (maximum value: $200). Take a look at our new Lifting in the Workplace video for inspiration!

Congratulations to our previous winner, Lafarge Canada Inc! Check out their idea on page 14 of the WorkSafe Magazine March/April 2012 edition and read about the other entries too.

To enter this contest, you must be:

  • A legal resident of British Columbia and more than 15 years old at the time of entry.
  • If you are under 19 years old at the time of entry, you must have your parent's or guardian's consent to enter this contest. By entering, you are confirming that you do have consent.
  • Employees, representatives and agents of the Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbia ("WorkSafeBC") and members of their immediate families (husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter) are not eligible to participate in the contest.

All contest submissions will involve two parts:

  1. Submit a photo and/or a brief description of a lifting task in your workplace.
  2. Describe how a physical change in the workplace or a change in the work process has eliminated or reduced the risk of MSI (submit an "after" photo if you can).
To enter the contest, please submit your completed entry form between 12:00 a.m. October 1, 2012 and 11:59 p.m. on October 31, 2012 PST.

Resources

Go to the Ergonomics pages at WorkSafeBC.

Here you can find:

 

Go to the Human Factors pages at WorkSafeBC.

Here you can find:

 

Books
  • Cohen, H.H., & W.E. Woodson. Principles of forensic human factors/ergonomics. Lawyers and Judges Publishing Company Inc., 2005.
  • Dekker, S. The field guide to understanding human error investigations. Ashgate Publishing, 2006.
  • Dekker, S. Ten questions about human error. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2005.
  • Dekker, S. Just culture. Ashgate Publishing, 2007.
  • Grandjean, E. and K.H.E. Kroemer. Fitting the task to the human: A Textbook Of Occupational Ergonomics (5th ed.). CRC Press, 1997.
  • Hollnagel, E. The ETTO principle: Efficiency-Thoroughness Tradeoff. Ashgate Publishing, 2009.
  • HSE HSG48 Reducing error and influencing behaviour. 2000.
  • Jordon, P. W. An introduction to usability. Taylor and Francis, 2002.
  • Klein, G Sources of power: How people make decisions. MIT Press, 1999.
  • Pheasant, S. Bodyspace: Anthropometry, ergonomics and the design of work (2nd ed.). Taylor and Francis, 2002.
  • Reason, J. Human error. Cambridge University Press, 2006.
  • Reason, J. Managing the Risks of Organizational Accidents. Ashgate Publishing, 2004.
  • Sanders, M. S., & E.J. McCormick. Human factors in Engineering and Design. 7th Ed. McGraw-Hill Inc., 1993.
  • Vicente, K. The human factor. Vintage Canada, 2004.
  • Wilson, J.R. & E.N. Corlett. Evaluation of human work: A practical ergonomics methodology (2nd ed.). Taylor and Francis, 1999.

Related sites

The following web sites are focused on human factors/ergonomics outreach and/or education.

Association of Canadian Ergonomists (ACE)
Web site: http://www.ace-ergocanada.ca/index.php?

Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors - UK
Web site: http://www.ergonomics.org.uk/

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES)
Web site: http://www.hfes.org/web/Default.aspx

International Ergonomics Association (IEA)
Web site: http://www.iea.cc/

Human Systems Integration Division - National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Web site: http://human-factors.arc.nasa.gov

Office Ergonomics (CCOHS)
Web site: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/office/office.htm

Human Factors and Ergonomics (HSE)
Web site: http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/index.htm

Bad Human Factors Designs
Web site: http://www.baddesigns.com/index.html

Ergonomics 4 Schools
Web site: http://www.ergonomics4schools.com/

World Usability Day - Designing for a Sustainable World Usability Professionals' Association (UPA)
Web site: http://www.worldusabilityday.org/

Sensation and Perception Tutorials Developed by Dr. John H. Krantz of Hanover College
Web site: http://psych.hanover.edu/krantz/sen_tut.html

Ergoblog
Web site: http://www.ergoblog.com/

Ergonomics in the News
Web site: http://www.usernomics.com/ergonomicsinthenews.html



You can return to the Top of this page