With the current economic slowdown, companies must look for ways to get the most out of their resources. One area of productivity improvement that’s often overlooked is the ergonomics of work. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, ergonomics is a discipline that involves arranging the environment to fit the person in it. When ergonomics is applied correctly in the work environment, employees have less discomfort and fatigue, and workplace productivity increases.

Gary Friesen, a Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist, will introduce the field of workplace ergonomics, and discuss how ergonomics can be applied in both office and industrial environments. His talk will include the following:

• Introduction to Ergonomics
• Musculoskeletal injuries: description and risk factors
• Ergonomics related to power and hand tools
• Overview of Office Ergonomics
• Ergonomics related to manual material handling

About our Speaker:

Gary Friesen is a graduate of the University of Calgary, and has been providing ergonomics consulting services through his company, Friesen Ergonomics, since 1999. His background also includes ten years as an Ergonomist with Workers’ Compensation Board Alberta, and he has extensive experience in the assessment and rehabilitation of injured workers.

The main focus of Gary’s work is the application of ergonomic principles for the purpose of preventing musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) in the workplace. This is done through quantifying and evaluating the physical demands of work, identifying the risk of MSI, and making recommendations for changes in tools, equipment, environment and work procedures, in order to reduce the risk of injury and reinjury in the workplace.