Forums

XX.1 January + February 2013
Page: 64
Digital Citation

Ergonomics and U.S. public policy


Authors:
Alan Hedge

Ergonomics is a widely misunderstood discipline in the U.S. Businesses treat ergonomics paradoxically, advertising it as a benefit when marketing products, yet decrying it as costly and unnecessary when it comes to designing ergonomic workplaces. Poor ergonomics has become linked to workplace injuries that can arise from frequent repetitive movements, especially when made in awkward postures. These injuries, termed work-related upper limb musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)—also variously known as repetitive strain/stress injuries (RSIs) or cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) and occupational overuse injuries (OOIs) or repetitive motion injuries (RMIs)—are soft-tissue injuries such as tendinitis and tenosynovitis or nerve-compression injuries such as…




You must be a member of SIGCHI, a subscriber to ACM's Digital Library, or an interactions subscriber to read the full text of this article.

GET ACCESS

Join ACM SIGCHI

In addition to all of the professional benefits of being a SIGCHI member, members get full access to interactions online content and receive the print version of the magazine bimonthly.


Subscribe to the ACM Digital Library

Get access to all interactions content online and the entire archive of ACM publications dating back to 1954. (Please check with your institution to see if it already has a subscription.)


Subscribe to interactions

Get full access to interactions online content and receive the print version of the magazine bimonthly.