Boomers have special ergonomics requirements
February 1, 1998 2 minutes read
Boomers have special ergonomics requirements
Aging brings reduced strength and flexibility
While the now middle-aged Baby Boomers pride themselves on maintaining a youthful appearance and lifestyle, the harsh medical reality is that as their bodies age, they go through inevitable physical changes. This creates both a need and an opportunity, say ergonomics experts, to target this ever-growing segment of the population.
"When you look at the workforce, there’s a lot you can do from an engineering standpoint, but you have to look at the strength and flexibility of the worker," observes Susan Eppes, manager of Safety and Industrial health with Browning Ferris Industries in Houston, one of the attendees at The National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition held Dec. 2-4. "As the workforce ages, workers will lose strength and become less flexible."
There are several things wellness professionals can do to accommodate these changes, she notes. Something as simple as strength conditioning programs and stretching exercises can go a long way toward optimizing performance.
Still another strategy for addressing the changing needs of Boomers comes from Concord, Ontario-based HumanCAD Systems Inc., developer of PC-based ergonomic modeling software and an exhibitor at the conference. The software allows designers to create prototypes of furniture or other equipment that can be created and tested on screen, as well as customized male and female mannequins of all ages and body types. When placed in the initial design of a place or a product, the mannequins are animated to explore all possible ranges of motion and vision.
"For example, you can see potential dangers like walking into an overhead projector," explains Norman B. Wright, president and CEO of HumanCAD.
Wright’s company is seeking to address many of the same issues raised by Eppes.
"People are working longer, they’re more fit, but age still takes its toll in terms of strength, durability, and more arthritis," he observes. "This software enables corporations to look at the workplace, and referring to specific built-in databases, make sure the task is doable by people who may not be 20 years old." In other words, he adds, it analyzes a job to make sure the employees can still safely undertake that task.
"In addition, most products are designed one way," he points out. "As we get older, the same chairs or shoes may not be as comfortable as they once were. This allows designers to create products or equipment for market segmentation."
Other parties need to be involved
Wright asserts that a broad range of health, safety, and design professionals need to address these issues not just ergonomists.
Previous software, he says, was specifically designed for ergonomists and ran on UNIX workstations, often costing between $25,000 and $80,000. Mannequin runs on Windows95 on a standard PC, and costs $999. "We wanted to make it accessible to designers, safety officers, and insurance companies," he explains. "The key for us is to make human factor engineering available at an affordable price."
[Editor’s Note: For more information, contact: Norman B. Wright, HumanCAD Systems Inc., 3100 Steeles Ave,. SW, Suite 210, Concord, Ontario L4K 3R1. Telephone: (800) 248-3746 (ERGO). Internet: www.humancad.com]
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