Interview with an Ergonomist
As part of my series of
interviews with people that get involved with different aspects of back pain I
recently met with the ergonomist Jan Mulligan. Jan runs the Greenleafe
Ergonomics consultancy and she was good enough to spend some time with me to
answer some questions. This was a little daunting as she is extremely well
qualified with two Masters of Science – one in Human Computer Interaction with
Ergonomics and one in Cognitive Science and Intelligent Computing.
The role of an ergonomist could cover many things – what is your
definition of an ergonomist?
My definition is the study of the
individual within whatever environment one is trying to achieve a particular
outcome. The aim of Ergonomics is to ensure and promote wellbeing,
productivity, efficiency, and, where appropriate, profitability, through the
prevention of injury, accident, and human error. To achieve this, whether we
are considering the design of a new product or the use of an existing space, we
need to take into account the purpose of the product, the tasks being conducted,
any furniture or equipment being used, the environment in terms of heating,
lighting and so on. Most importantly, however, we need to consider the
individual (or user group), e.g. age, left or right handedness, height, weight
and frame size may be pertinent, individual preferences in terms of how one
carries out the task, and whether there are any pre-existing medical
conditions, disabilities, or injuries that need to be taken into account.
What area of ergonomics do you mainly deal with now?
I specialise in workplace needs, disability and accessibility
issues relating to IT use. Workplace does not, however, necessarily relate to
paid work. My clients include charities, the education sector (schools, FE and
HE colleges and universities), clubs, and individuals needing home-based or
mobile solutions.
Have you noticed any particular concerns becoming more frequent within
the last five years?
With the increase in mobile
technology such as smartphones and tablets 24-7 connectivity is becoming more
prevalent. This results in two areas of concern. Firstly, people can be (or may
be expected to be) permanently connected and available; how many of your
readers can honestly say they do not check their devices for work-related texts
and emails in the evenings, at weekends and even whilst on holiday? Secondly, handheld devices introduce a whole
host of postural concerns and potential for injury through repetition, e.g.
texter’s-thumb.
Have you found any industries tend to need your help more than others?
The majority of my clients are office-based,
computer users, where sitting at a desk all day is the norm. Often simple
interventions such as regularly taking a Microbreak will have significant
beneficial gains in terms of comfort and productivity. A Microbreak is a break
of between 30-seconds and 2-minutes in length, taken at roughly 30-minute
intervals. It is long enough to be beneficial, but not so long as to break
one’s concentration. The break is used to perform gentle stretching exercises
that allow for changes to as many muscles positions as possible. Changing
physical and visual focus allows the body, eyes and brain to refresh.
Are there any trends in the age, sex or background of the people you
help?
I do tend to see more women than
men. Whether that is because of the nature of the work conducted by women
versus men, that women are more willing to ask for help than men, or because
they experience more symptoms it is hard to say.
Without giving away anything confidential can you give an example where
you really helped an individual become much more comfortable, happy and hence
efficient in the workplace?
Several years ago I worked with a lady who was experiencing
severe RSI symptoms (repetitive strain injury).
At the time she was in a senior clerical role within for a large
government department and constantly under pressure to maintain high levels of
productivity. She was very concerned that she might have to take early
retirement on medical grounds as she was in so much pain and was struggling to
keep up with the workload. Working together we considered several alternative
working methods and, following a trial
of options, agreed that a combination of
regular Microbreaks, voice recognition, an adjustable ergonomic split keyboard
and two ergonomic pointing devices (one for each hand) would offer her a
flexible working set-up; allowing her to swap between working methods as her
symptoms and work needs dictated. One of
my colleagues was introduced to her recently and asked her whether the
assessment had been successful. “Absolutely”
she said. “It’s the reason I’m still
working”. Feedback like that is why
I do what I do and love what I do.
What aspects of your work give you the most satisfaction?
Meeting someone whose life has
been turned upside down as a result of a road traffic accident, medical
diagnosis or disability. With the best of intentions, family, friends, and even
medical professionals will have prepared them for a life of low expectations. Within
a short space of time I am able to show them possibilities and provide them
with a set of recommendations that meet their individual needs, e.g. using
different sizes, shapes and designs of keyboards and pointing devices,
operating the computer through speech or eye gaze, using software to read out
text from the screen; the possibilities are endless. The satisfaction of
receiving an update from clients, especially if that update comes via an email
from a person who previously could not have used a computer, is immense.
Would you recommend a young person to follow you in your chosen career?
I would, but with a caveat. There
is no defined career path into the role I find myself in now. Over the years I
have had a varied career including jobs in sales, customer services, finance,
manufacturing, IT, disability and ergonomics. I believe this has given me a
greater insight into people and the differences between us. Consequently, as
well as gaining those essential qualifications to become an Ergonomist, I would
encourage that young person to experience as many different jobs and work roles
as possible in order to gain practical experience.
Jan’s practice, Greenleafe
Ergonomics, is based in Kent. Whilst the majority of her clients are in London
and the South East, Jan works with companies and individuals throughout the UK.
Her contact information is below.
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Telephone:
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0794
1092015
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Email:
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greenleafe@greenleafe.co.uk
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Web:
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