2009 GOSH Conference Presentation Cut Short

On Wednesday March 11, 2009 the Governors Occupational Safety and Health conference in Portland, Oregon concluded. Myrlin Deveraux of ERGOdynamics was a guest speaker asked to conclude a 2-1/2 hour discussion of why employers should use the PWP or State of Oregon Preferred Workers Program. The conference as always was well attended and all guests seem invested in learning the benefits of the PWP. Lively and involved attendees menat some earlier presentations would run long. The closing presentation from Deveraux of ERGOdynamics needed to be shortened by several minutes.

Though disappointed with the limited time allowed for a presentation that was days in preparation Deveraux made the most of the time available. An abbreviated version of the original presentation was made. A good reaction and comments from attendees followed. The amount of interest generated proved the value of asking ERGOdynamics to be a part of this great conference. The entire Powerpoint presentation is available at the link below.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/13268966/GOSH-Conference-Presentation-2009

An end to the pain of filing

Filing is no longer a pain in the neck. That is if you have a Heather File. For years we have spent hours bent over filing cabinets flipping through the tabs looking for the correct file. For some, especially those with neck or back problems it’s a real pain.

Recently we were presented with the challenge of finding a solution to this problem. Heather Grogan of the State of Oregon, Preferred Workers Program contacted us about a client with severe cervical mobility restrictions that resulted from an on the job injury. The client was ready to return to work in a new position but leaning over looking for files presented a real problem. The pain was excessive after a few minutes. This was not only a distraction from the job it was a posture that was restricted by their doctor. Heather asked if we could design a file cabinet that would allow the user to see file tabs without leaning forward. She was searching for a solution to this when she thought of a desk top file organizer and how the tabs were all in clear view. There were some features of a normal file cabinet that would not work for this application but a new and creative solution would result from that simple question; can you build a file cabinet that allows all the tabs to be seen from the front?

The first obstacle we needed to overcome was that the drawer faces on a regular drawer are large enough at when closed they create a smooth finished look for the cabinet. If we were to angle the sides of the drawers so that hanging file tabs could be seen a traditional file face would hide the front tabs. We resolved this by using a tambour door, like you have seen on role top desks. To close the file cabinet you simply roll the door closed.

There was one final concern; even though the tabs could be seen from straight on that only worked for a single drawer and this application required three drawers. The solution lied with one of our other products. We also manufacture several different types of adjustable height tables and workstations. By incorporating a Quadra-Lift Adjustable Table to the Heather File the user now had the ability to move the desired file drawer up or down as needed. Quadra-Lift tables are made adjustable by using small hydraulic systems that are contained within the legs of the table. The lift maneuver is done by pressing on a rocker switch.

You have probably guessed why we call it the Heather File. It was Heather Grogan’s idea to incorporate the functionality of a desk top organizer into a traditional office filing system. Sometimes you don’t need to reinvent the wheel; you just need to make some adjustments. If you have questions or just need some help with ergonomic issues ERGOdynamics is a great place to start. You can see some of the great ideas and solutions designed and manufactured by ERGOdynamics every day at http://www.ergodynamics.net/ .