Happy National Ergonomics Month! October 02 2013

October is National Ergonomics Month (NEM), a time designated by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society to remind people—no matter where they live or work—that professionals in the field of human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) have been striving for almost six decades to improve the safety, performance, and comfort of human beings. The goal of NEM is to promote the science and profession of HF/E through teaching, learning, networking, service, and fun through outreach to legislators, business leaders, the media, educators, and students.

Here are just a few examples of recent work by HF/E experts that has made a difference in people’s lives around the world:

• HF/E professionals are working to improve patient safety through new label and pill designs for medication, design of surgical robots, and the development of training methods for operating room staff.

• HF/E researchers’ and practitioners’ studies of distracted driving have had wide-reaching impact through extensive media attention and legislation. Voice-to-text and some “hands- free” features on mobile phones, a technology widely believed to be less distracting than texting, were found to be more distracting than traditional cell phone use. Read more here.

• Specialized research on the driving behavior of teen and aging drivers has influenced driving courses and legislation.

• Workplaces have become safer and more efficient because of research on repetitive-motion injuries, noise levels, prolonged standing, and computer workstation setup for various industries.

• Numerous contributions by HF/E professionals have made air travel safer. These efforts focus on issues such as pilot training for abnormal events, automation in the cockpit, and flight crew communication. Read more on flight deck automation design issues here.

Visit the National Ergonomics Month Web site to find out how you can help spread the word about how HF/E makes the world a more user-friendly place.

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The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society is the world's largest nonprofit individual-member, multidisciplinary scientific association for human factors/ergonomics professionals, with more than 4,600 members globally. HFES members include psychologists and other scientists, designers, and engineers, all of whom have a common interest in designing systems and equipment to be safe and effective for the people who operate and maintain them.