Pipette Safety

In golf, you wouldn’t use clubs that require you to hunch over and hurt your back. When buying a car, you wouldn’t buy one that doesn’t give you appropriate headroom. On walks, you wouldn’t wear shoes that give you blisters. So why, when you’re working in the lab, would you use a pipette that doesn’t fit comfortably in your hand? Learn why it’s important to treat yourself and your employees to optimally designed pipettes by going to: http://www.labmanager.com/stips.asp?ID=102

Chairs

Herman Miller, maker of the ergonomically correct Aeron office chair is now producing a line of ergonomically correct patient-oriented chairs for the clinical market. The company based its new chair on the aeron design that let it tilt easily and can help patients sit up with ease. Designers and engineers visited patient rooms in nine hospitals and met with nearly 200 nurses and doctors to make sure the product would do the job. Nurses and physicians advised on several crucial details such as making sure an IV line wouldn't catch on the chair's arms and the need to find antimicrobial upholstery that could be cleaned if blood or body fluids got trapped in the seams. The chair is visually pleasing and comes with a footstool for more comfort. It debuted June 9th at Chicago's NeoCon World Trade Fair and will go on sale to hospitals in the fall for a list price of $1,800.

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)

CVS is an ergonomic illness associated with individuals who use a computer on a regular basis. The aging workforce is susceptible to a variety of workplace safety risks. According to the American Optometric Association, computer vision syndrome leaves older employees vulnerable to problems like dry eye, eyestrain and fatigue. Here is what employers can do to prevent this problem:

Encourage older employees to have a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year especially if they are experiencing symptoms of CVS such as eye redness, frequent rubbing of the eyes, blurriness or eye fatigue or limited attention to visual tasks.


Remind employees to use the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes look 20 feet away from the computer and blink 20 times to minimize the development of eye focusing problems and eye irritation caused by improper blinking.


Make sure the computer monitor is adjusted to the individual user’s height. The top of the monitor should be at eye level.