Is the ergonomic label worth the price tag?

Labour- and stress-saving tools and furniture are great, but it's important to sort out hype from help

By: Penney Kome

  Consumers are going to be hearing a lot more about ergonomics in days to come. That makes it important to be clear what makes sense and what's just fad and hype, because there will be a lot of that too.
  The Canadian Standards Association is set to complete CSA Z412: "Guideline on Office Ergonomics". Pending committee approval, the guideline could be out this year, and the guidelines will probably lead to new products, practices and rules.
 

If it prevents even one day lost to backache, an ergonomic snow shovel might indeed be worth $40

  CSA guidelines are voluntary but very powerful persuaders. While there is no way to tell whether the new CSA standard will have the same kind of impact on offices that the 1998 CSA playground standard has had on playgrounds, it seems likely that we're going to be hearing a lot about ergonomics soon.
  "Ergonomics" is the name of the science that designs jobs and workstations to fit the worker. That might sound like a redundant specialty, but if you stop to think about it, most jobs require the worker to adapt to fit them: get there on time, do the assigned work, use the assigned desk or assembly line spot. Designing the job around the worker is a truly revolutionary concept, and not entirely welcome to some employers.
  The CSA Office Ergonomics guideline refers to "office systems" and specifically discusses job design and getting workers involved in reviewing and revising how jobs are done. Office Ergonomics considers all aspects of working in offices, from lighting and ventilation, to building variety into job descriptions. It's (rightfully) an inclusive interpretation of ergonomics.
 

Often where the equipment is placed on the workstation matters as much as what equipment is used

  In the last decade, "ergonomic" also has become one of those marketing buzzwords that consumers find applied to everything except edibles. Try to buy any kind of hard goods, and you're likely to encounter it: ergonomic brooms, ergonomic hand tools, ergonomic stoves, ergonomic pens, and, more than anything else, ergonomic computer gear.
  Oddly enough, the "ergonomic" label always seems to add substantially to the cost. Is the promise worth the increased price? Well, sometimes. But keep the definition of "ergonomics" in mind when evaluating the products. If the product does not make your work easier, or if the benefit makes little difference to you, the label is not worth the money.
  For example, an online catalogue offers both an ergonomic snow shovel and an ergonomic broom. Shoveling snow involves lifting, so doing it even for a little while can be quite hard on a person's back. A bent handle relieves some of the effort, by improving the leverage. If it prevents even one day lost to backache, an ergonomic snow shovel might indeed be worth $40.
 

There's a joke going around that the term "ergonomics" comes from two Greek roots: "ergo" meaning "very", and "nomics" meaning "expensive". That doesn't have to be the case.

  Sweeping, conversely, rarely entails heavy lifting. In most households, sweeping involves limited surface area and is accomplished fairly quickly. A $40 ergonomic push broom might be a good investment for industrial cleaning, but hardly seems necessary for home use.
  Similarly, there are some good ergonomic kitchen gadgets available now, along with others that are called "ergonomic" but offer no real advantage. A good garlic press is rarely cheap (and a cheap garlic press is rarely good) so you might as well buy the one with the heavy rubber handles that practically squeezes itself. The bread knife with an upturned handle that you wield like a saw makes sense too. But a garlic press with a tube and a handle that you twist? If your wrists hurt already, twisting won't help.
  Many people find writing by hand difficult. Pen manufacturers have responded by offering flocks of "ergonomic" pens of varying designs. Most people with hand problems find a fat, light pen the easiest to use. A wider barrel means better control with a more relaxed grip. Can't find a fat pen? Try sticking a pen or pencil through a fat foam hair curler. Or visit the children's department or art supply section of the bookstore, and pick up rubber slip-ons for your regular pen.
  Computer accessories carry the "ergonomic" label more often than any other equipment. For instance, one manufacturer offers an "ergonomic" computer tower - a freestanding tower that sits on the floor, that the typical computer user never will touch. It might be streamlined. It might even be an outstanding example of post-modern design. Ergonomic? NOT.
  The most significant workstation adjustment that the majority of computer users can make is to ensure that they are sitting at the right height, relative to their desk or table. Often where the equipment is placed on the workstation matters as much as what equipment is used. If the monitor is too low, the keyboard is too high, or the mouse requires an extended reach, then the user is at risk for injury regardless of which monitor, keyboard or mouse you use.
  Whatever the set-up, computer users still need to take frequent breaks to stretch, drink lots of water, roll their shoulders and shake out their hands. Building variety into computer jobs - such as consultations, delivery, or face-to-face meetings - may be the greatest protection from injury. In factories and production line work, many ergonomic fixes are as cheap as a block of wood. For instance, workers at Red Wing Shoes put blocks of wood under their supply bins to tilt them forward, thus eliminating dozens of daily stoops and awkward reaches. Short workers at the same plant carry their own foam-and-plywood platforms with them during job rotation, so they are always at the right height for the conveyor belt. Even the $80,000 expense of a special stamping machine (with double switches that have to be toggled simultaneously) is, as ergonomics co-ordinator Gail Sater said, "cheaper than one Workers' Compensation claim."
  There's a joke going around that the term "ergonomics" comes from two Greek roots: "ergo" meaning "very", and "nomics" meaning "expensive". That doesn't have to be the case. A well-designed, well-crafted tool, that makes tasks easier, is always a joy. But as a sound work practice - as the CSA guideline makes clear - ergonomics is driven by paying close attention to how people actually work, not by purchasing marketplace gadgets.

Penney Kome's latest book, Wounded Workers (University of Toronto Press) contains a chapter on ergonomics in the workplace.

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